The spinach and potato casserole is a simple, nutritious, and delicious main dish. It’s perfect as a single dish for dinner, or as an appetizer for special occasions. It consists of a pie made with steamed potatoes in a pressure cooker and spinach cooked in a pan with a bit of oil. Alternatively, you can also cook the spinach steamed in a pressure cooker.
After this brief cooking, they are mixed with grated cheese until a rather compact mixture is obtained. The result will be a casserole with two layers of spinach and potatoes enclosing a layer with plenty of cheese. I used feta for this occasion, but you can also use mozzarella or another melting cheese. I suggest avoiding cheeses that are too soft or contain water. You would get a casserole that is too moist, difficult to cook, and difficult to unmold.
A real treat for the palate! This potato and spinach casserole is prepared without eggs and is therefore perfect for those who are allergic to them and for vegetarians. Curious to find out how to prepare it? Then read the recipe, because the spinach and potato casserole will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other easy and quick recipes, also read:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Oven, Pressure cooker, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 292.78 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 19.81 (g) of which sugars 0.82 (g)
- Proteins 14.85 (g)
- Fat 17.25 (g) of which saturated 9.10 (g)of which unsaturated 3.66 (g)
- Fibers 3.85 (g)
- Sodium 1,453.61 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 154 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 12 oz oz spinach, frozen
- 1 tbsp tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt (to taste)
- 14 oz oz potatoes
- 1/3 cup cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 7 oz oz feta
- pepper (to taste)
Tools
- Pressure cooker
- Steamer basket
- Pan
- Baking pan 9.5 inches
- Cutting board
- Knife
Steps
First, cook the potatoes in the pressure cooker. Alternatively, you can cook them in a saucepan with plenty of salted water for 15 minutes or in the instant pot. Then put some water in the pot and place the basket with the rinsed potatoes. Close the pot and turn it to maximum power. From the start of the whistle, cook for 8 minutes.
For cooking in the instant pot, put 250 g (approx. 1 cup) of water in the pot and place the basket with the rinsed potatoes inside the pot as explained above. Close and move the decompression lever to sealing. Set the cooking to pressurize and the time to 15 minutes. After the cooking time, wait 5 minutes and activate the decompression by moving the lever to venting.
Meanwhile, prepare the spinach. I used frozen ones, but you can also use fresh ones. Then put a little oil in a pan, add the spinach, season with salt, and cook for 10 minutes over low heat with the lid on, stirring occasionally. When the spinach is cooked, transfer them to a colander, place it over a bowl, and press them with the back of a fork to remove the water. If necessary, also squeeze them with your hands, being careful not to burn yourself.
In another bowl, mash the previously steamed potatoes with a potato masher, season with salt, and also add the well-squeezed spinach. Add the pepper, grated cheese, and mix until a rather compact mixture is obtained. Let it cool and in the meantime cut the feta into cubes. Grease the baking pan with a little oil and line it with parchment paper. This step will allow you to keep the parchment paper in place when you distribute the mixture. Then transfer half of the previously prepared mixture into the baking pan and distribute it evenly over the entire surface. Also, add the diced feta, crumbling it coarsely. Then add the other half of the mixture, distributing it evenly.
Bake the potato and spinach casserole in a static oven at 356°F (180°C) for 25 minutes and another 10 minutes with the fan on, until the surface is golden brown.
Variations and Tips for Spinach and Potato Casserole
The potato and spinach casserole can be stored for one or two days in the refrigerator. I recommend consuming it hot. You can thus prepare it in advance and bake it just before sitting at the table. Alternatively, you can cook it in advance and reheat it in the microwave for a few minutes.
FAQ Questions and Answers for Spinach and Potato Casserole
What can I substitute feta with?
Instead of feta, you can use primo sale cheese or a hard melting cheese. Avoid soft cheeses or fresh mozzarella, as they would release too much water during cooking and compromise the final result of the recipe.
