Spinach Casserole With Crispy Garlic Panko (original) (raw)

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This Spinach Casserole has a rich cream cheese sauce, lots of grated Parmesan, and a golden brown panko topping for a crispy finishing touch. Whether you serve it for a weeknight or a holiday, it’s going to be a hit!

cheesy and with breadcrumbs, this spinach casserole recipe will wow a crowd

A casserole so easy, it’s practically effortless.

cookbook author erin clarke of well plated

This spinach casserole recipe uses frozen spinach, which pares down the prep time to a paltry 5 minutes. It’s the perfect side dish to add to your holiday menu when you want to leave yourself ample time to focus on the Roast Turkey or Baked Ham!

As written, this creamy spinach casserole serves 4 to 6 as a side dish, but it can easily be doubled and made in a 9×13 casserole dish for a holiday. (For more holiday casseroles that serve a crowd, see my Asparagus Casserole, Corn Casserole, and Crockpot Green Bean Casserole.)
The creamy sauce for this spinach casserole is made with Parmesan cheese, which has a nutty, umami flavor that adds a lot of depth to the dish.

5 Star Review

“Excellent recipe – easy, quick to make, and tasty!”

— Kim —

easy spinach casserole recipe

My Tips and Tricks for Scrumptious Spinach Casserole

Shred the Cheese Yourself. It absolutely makes a difference! The grated Parmesan in the green bottle—_you know the one_—does not melt smoothly in a cheesy sauce, which will give you an unpleasantly grainy texture. Grate your own Parmesan from the block and it melts seamlessly into the spinach casserole.
Drain ALL the Liquid from the Spinach. After the spinach thaws, wrap it up in a cheesecloth, flour sack towel, or thick paper towels. Then squeeze, squeeze, and squeeze some more until no more water drains off. The drier the spinach is, the less watery your spinach casserole will be!
Make Sure Your Skillet Is Oven-Safe. Not all of them are! If yours isn’t, no worries—you’ll just need to scoop the spinach casserole mixture into a greased 8×8-inch baking dish and bake it in there.
Prep It Ahead. To prep spinach casserole in advance, make it all the way up to the point of baking. Transfer the spinach mixture to an 8×8 baking dish and sprinkle the panko on top. Cover and refrigerate for up to a day. When ready to cook, let the dish come to room temperature. Bake as directed, adding a few minutes to the cooking time as needed.

Dietary Note

To make this a gluten-free spinach casserole, use gluten-free panko or crushed Rice Chex for the topping, then swap the all-purpose flour for a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour substitute.

a skillet of cheesy spinach casserole perfect for the holidays

Recipe Variations

Use Fresh Spinach. You can substitute fresh spinach for the frozen in this recipe; you’ll need to use 20 ounces and cook it until the liquid evaporates completely. Note that the casserole will be more watery if you use fresh spinach instead of frozen. (Honestly, frozen is best!)
Add Chicken. Stir shredded chicken into the spinach casserole just before adding the panko topping and baking it to transform it into a more substantive main dish casserole.
Add Bacon. Crumble Air Fryer Bacon or Baked Bacon, then fold this into the spinach mixture or add it to the top of the casserole just before serving.
Make It With Artichokes. Drain a can of chopped artichoke hearts and stir this into the spinach casserole before adding the panko topping and baking.
Bulk It Up With Rice. Use half the amount of frozen chopped spinach; add about a cup and a half of cooked brown rice to the spinach mixture before baking.

Leftover Ideas

Spoon the leftover spinach casserole over Crock Pot Baked Potatoes. Or make twice-baked spinach-filled potatoes by scooping out the insides of the potatoes, mashing them with the leftovers, filling the potato shells with the mixture, and baking in a 425 degree F oven until warmed through, with some additional Parm, gouda, or fontina on top.

this spinach casserole recipe is easy and healthy

What to Serve with Spinach Casserole

Poultry. This casserole is perfect with weeknight favorites like Grilled Chicken Breast or Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, and also special occasion main dishes like Spatchcock Turkey.
Pork. Serve Air Fryer Pork Chops or Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin with a side of this creamy casserole.
Grains. For a vegetarian dinner, serve this casserole over Instant Pot Brown Rice or farro.

This easy spinach casserole recipe has a creamy sauce, plenty of cheese, and a crispy panko topping for a toasty finishing touch!

Email Me the Recipe!

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4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups low-fat milk I used 2%
2 garlic cloves minced (about 2 teaspoons)
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 10-ounce bags frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup finely grated parmesan
2 ounces cream cheese at room temperature, cubed
Finely chopped fresh chives for garnish

Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350°F.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10- or 12-inch oven-safe skillet* over medium heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until the panko is crisp and golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. Transfer to a small bowl.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and stir for 2 minutes, until thick and pasty. While whisking, slowly add the milk, breaking up any lumps. Add the garlic, nutmeg, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and continue to whisk until the mixture is thick, about 6 minutes.
Add the spinach and cook, breaking it up with a spoon and stirring to incorporate, until warmed through, about 4 minutes.
Add the parmesan and cream cheese and cook, stirring well, until fully melted and incorporated.
If using an oven-safe skillet, top with the panko. Bake until the spinach casserole is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before serving.
*If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, use a regular skillet and transfer to a greased 8×8-inch baking dish to bake in Step 6.
You can double and bake in a 9×13-inch baking dish (it will look like A TON of spinach but will cook down a lot).
To USE FRESH SPINACH: Use 20-ounces of spinach, and saute until the liquid is evaporated—honestly, I really recommend frozen here because it is less expensive and will give you better results than fresh (fresh turns out more watery).
TO STORE: Refrigerate spinach casserole in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
TO REHEAT: Warm up leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave.
TO FREEZE: I don’t recommend freezing this casserole.

Serving: 1(of 4)Calories: 347kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 19gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 58mgPotassium: 700mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 17390IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 614mgIron: 4mg