Delectable, this Spinach au Gratin is a perfect side for Thanksgiving and Christmas, or for entertaining any time of the year!
Since returning home from vacation, Dom and I have turned our attention toward our most pressing matter…our youngest going off to college.
Here it is. In. Our. Face. Nicholas preparing for launch.
We’re spending our days making Nick’s favorite meals, shopping for supplies and gathering items for his new nest. These days are so valuable…and they’re so hard. I know this because we’ve been through it twice before. The anticipation of separation hurts. There is no getting around it – we must go through it. “This is the price we pay for love,” a very smart lady once told me, and she was right. This is all part of the privilege of watching our children grow…
Speaking of Nick’s favorite meals…one restaurant that has shown up for more than one special occasion over the years is Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
Our meals at Ruth’s never disappoint. The steaks are juicy and full of flavor but it’s their side-dishes that keep us going back for more. Their roasted garlic mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and creamed spinach…beyond delectable!
This is a restaurant Nick loves. Give the boy a sizzling steak, a great salad, some hearty sides, and he is good to go! I wanted to mimic the meal we recently had at Ruth’s Chris…well, closely mimic, I doubt I’ll present the steak on a hot plate but I’m hoping the spinach au gratin, which is actually the culmination of a few recipes, will serve our purposes! Let’s go…
- Once ingredients are gathered, preheat the oven to 375 F and butter the gratin dish.
- In a heavy bottom pan, sauté the onion in olive oil and butter for 10 – 15 minutes over medium heat.
- Sprinkle flour and nutmeg over the onions and continue sautéing the mixture for 30 seconds.
- Stir milk and half & half into the onion mixture.
- Add the salt, pepper, and spinach to the pan and stir until the ingredients are combined.
- Add half of the Parmesan cheese to the spinach and stir.
- Transfer mixture to the buttered gratin dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and the Swiss on top.
- Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
I know what you’re wondering…. Was it as good as Ruth’s Chris Steak House?
Let’s just say, we didn’t leave the table hungry! 😉
Buon Appetito!
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Spinach au Gratin
- Category: Side Dish
Description
Delectable, this Spinach au Gratin is a perfect side for Thanksgiving and Christmas, or for entertaining any time of the year!
Ingredients
- 3 large yellow onions, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for preparing gratin dish
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 3 lbs. frozen spinach, defrosted and thoroughly drained (squeeze dried)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup half & half
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and butter gratin dish.
- In a heavy bottom skillet, sauté the onion in olive oil and butter for 10 – 15 minutes over medium heat.
- Sprinkle flour and nutmeg over the onions and continue sautéing the mixture for 30 seconds.
- Stir the milk and half & half into the onion mixture.
- Add the salt, pepper, and spinach to the pan and stir until the ingredients are combined.
- Add half of the Parmesan cheese to the spinach mixture and stir.
- Transfer to the buttered gratin dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and the Swiss on top.
- Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
- Serve and enjoy!
Salute!
You crack me up about being desperate for new photos – they couldn’t have been that bad! 😉 You’re going to think I’m joking, but I could literally eat JUST THIS for Thanksgiving dinner. (well this and pie of course 🙂 ) This dish looks THAT good.
Oh my…we were due!! Move over turkey – spinach is in town! Thanks, my friend! xo
Spinach is a great idea. Aside from a salad, it doesn’t get its due love in our household. Thanks for sharing this great idea. Refreshing for the fall.
Poor spinach…it needs its day in the sun! Thanks, friend!
Spinach and cheese go so well together!! I would love this for breakfast, with a couple of eggs on top!! Yum!
And this makes for awesome leftovers! So eggs on top are definitely in my future! Thanks, friend!
Oh my goodness you’re killing me with this one (LOVE all that cheese!) and that Warm Apple & Caramelized Onion Crostini with Fontina & Crispy Prosciutto that I can’t leave a comment on Annie. Just lovely and perfect for the holidays.
It’s been forever since I had some time to look at my friend’s blogs and I’ve missed yours. So happy my afternoon turned out that I had spare time. I try to stay up to date with social postings, but it’s good to stop by the site now and again, right? Cheers!
Thank you, Kevin! I know how very busy you are – ask my family – I am always singing your praises – not only for your glorious recipes, but for the number of videos you are producing these days! Amazing! Truly! Thanks for stopping by with a kind word, my friend! Cheers!
What a perfect way to spend your last few days together though, and I love that you’re making all his favorite meals! Also just wanted to say how gorgeous this is, you wouldn’t think baked spinach could look so drool worthy, but your photos are awesome!
Thank you, Kari! I am so inspired by your beautiful photography! 🙂
I’d eat this whole thing if I could, Annie! I love spinach and cheese so this is calling my name. The perfect side for Thanksgiving – thanks for sharing one of your early recipes!
Thanks for stopping by, my friend!! Spinach and cheese marry so well! 🙂
Yum, I might have to try this for Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful! Enjoy!!
Glad you updated the pictures for this scrumptious spinach because I got to read the original story! So touching. How fast time flies. I guess we can always take comfort in dishes like this one – cannot help but feel happy eating something like your au gratin here!
It does bring happiness, that’s for sure! ‘How fast time flies’ is an understatement!! Have a great weekend, my friend!
This just looks so fresh and cheesy! I could make a whole meal out of this! Yum!! 🙂 Take care.
Me too! We did! 🙂
I’m drooling looking at that thick layer of cheese on top. Spinach is one of my favorite veggies and I know I’m going to be thinking about this recipe until I have a chance to make it for myself! Have a great weekend, Annie!
Yeah….we could put that layer of cheese on our boot and love it! Thanks, friend!
I love spinach but for some reason, I always forget to make it! Au gratin is one of my favorite ways to eat it. Such a perfect dish for the holidays!
Poor spinach…I kind of think that’s the fate of it most often! We can do something about that! hahah! Thanks, Gayle! 🙂
So glad you decided to re-vamp and re-post this, because I missed it the first time around! I love anything au Gratin, so you better bet this green beauty will be making an appearance at my holiday table!! Pinned! Cheers! Xo
Au Gratin anything is a favorite of mine! Cheers! x
I doubt that your pics were in ‘desperate’ need of a redo 😉 Regardless, this recipe is awesome! Who doesn’t love spinach covered in a whole bunch of cheese ?? I always love adding nutmeg to greens – adds a little somethin’ somethin’, doesn’t it? Perfect one for the Christmas dinner table and I know for a fact that hubby could eat this entire thing himself! Pinned! Cheers to a lovely weekend, sweets! XO
So desperate! But it’s also fun to see how our eye (and skill, I suppose) evolve over time! This recipe’s a keeper! Thanks, friend! XO
We love our spinach!! And I DO have to update some of my photos too. When we travel and I make a recipe the lighting is blah and the recipes don’t look as delish as they should. My au gratin spinach was based on a Julia Child. I’ll have to try yours out. The cheese makes it!! ?
It’s actually fun to go back and read the old stories…. This dish is a winner! And the leftovers taste even better! Thanks, my friend!
Spinach au gratin is one of my favorite side dishes Annie. Perfect for not only Thanksgiving but for any night for dinner. Can’t wait to try your recipe.
It hits all the right notes! Thanks, friend!
So lovely and such a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving (or any day 🙂
It’s as lovely with steak as it is turkey! Thanks, Jennifer!
This is such a cozy meal! I love how simple it is..comforting dinner at the table in less than an hour 🙂
Wonderful dinner…super side! The flavor is dreamy! Thank you, friend!
I understand completely Annie as our youngest son heads off in 10 days! The anticipation of Adam leaving has felt like pulling a band aid off slowly. Like you, Italian food lightens my spirt. Life is good – with or without – our sons by our side because they always reside in our hearts. Thank you for becoming an important new member of Women TIES. I hope it brings you a new community of women to fill some of that empty nest space. Warmest regards, Tracy
It’s so nice to have others around who are experiencing similar things! And thank you for the opportunity, Tracy! I look forward to the possibilities that exist by being part of this new community! I hope the ladies like meatballs… 🙂
Worry not, Sweeta. Keep presenting recipes like this, and Nick will never wander too far from home. Love you
Well….if he’s anything like Lucy, he’ll ask me to freeze and ship! Hahaha! Which, of course, I’ll happily do!!!!<3
Mamaaaaaa! Only you can make me laugh and cry at the same time♥
Ohhhh Sweeta! We miss you toooo much!!! I Love you!