Spinach with béchamel sauce is a rich and tasty side dish, perfect for adding more flavor to this vegetable, which often, when plain, doesn’t appeal to children. I usually prefer to cook spinach in the simplest way possible, that is, sautéed in a pan or flavored with parmesan and mozzarella, as in the melty spinach recipe. However, I have to say, this version with béchamel sauce pleasantly surprised me: its delicate flavor perfectly complements the herbaceous and slightly metallic taste of spinach and, if balanced well, provides an irresistible gratin without weighing down the dish. This recipe can be prepared with both fresh and frozen spinach, depending on availability and time. Additionally, it’s an excellent solution to make in advance: you can cook the spinach and season them with the béchamel sauce the day before, store them in the fridge, and bake them just a few minutes before serving. Perfect to accompany meat dishes or eggs, spinach with béchamel will win over even those who usually don’t like this vegetable.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 197.15 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 13.91 (g) of which sugars 2.60 (g)
- Proteins 11.55 (g)
- Fat 12.62 (g) of which saturated 5.46 (g)of which unsaturated 2.78 (g)
- Fibers 5.96 (g)
- Sodium 431.44 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 215 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 for Gratinated Spinach with Béchamel
If you are celiac, you can prepare gluten-free béchamel sauce following this recipe.
- 2.2 lbs spinach (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 pinch salt
- 0.85 cups béchamel sauce
- 3 tbsps Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Casserole large with lid
- 1 Colander
- 1 Baking Dish
How to Prepare Gratinated Spinach with Béchamel
To prepare spinach with béchamel sauce, as mentioned, you can use fresh or frozen spinach. If using frozen spinach, boil them in a little water, drain, and squeeze well. You can then proceed with the recipe from step 7 onwards. If using fresh spinach, wash them thoroughly and leave them slightly damp. In a large casserole, pour the oil and add the peeled garlic clove (1). Let it sauté slightly, then add the spinach (2).
Add a pinch of salt and cover with a lid (3). Allow to cook over low heat for a minute or two, just until the spinach slightly wilts; then remove the lid and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes uncovered, stirring often (4).
Once cooked, turn off the heat (5). Discard the garlic and transfer the spinach to a colander. Use a spoon to press gently and remove as much of the spinach’s water as possible (6).
Prepare a fairly thick béchamel sauce following the instructions found here (7). For a lighter version, you can use my butter-free béchamel recipe. Transfer the spinach to a cutting board and chop them coarsely (8).
Take a baking dish that can comfortably contain all the spinach and spread the bottom with about a tablespoon of béchamel sauce (9). Pour the spinach over it, spreading them throughout the dish (10).
Season with the remaining béchamel sauce (reserve a tablespoon for the top) and 2 tablespoons of parmesan (11). Stir the spinach to combine them with the béchamel sauce (12).
Finish by spreading the remaining béchamel sauce on top and garnishing with another tablespoon of parmesan (13). Bake the spinach with béchamel in a preheated ventilated oven at 392°F for about 15 minutes; to speed up the gratination, you can turn on the grill at maximum power for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes (14).
Serve the spinach with béchamel hot, as a side dish for meat or egg-based main courses.
Storage
You can store spinach with béchamel in the fridge for a couple of days. Before serving, you can warm them briefly in the oven or microwave.
