Potatoes au Gratin with Spinach

Potatoes au Gratin meet creamed spinach for a delicious twist on the classic Potatoes au Gratin. Potatoes au Gratin with spinach are made by first making a roux with flour and butter. Once the roux is thickened, milk and spices are added. Finally cheese and the secret ingredient, spinach, are mixed into the sauce to make a smooth cheese sauce. This all gets poured over the potatoes and baked. The result is a delicious, creamy potato recipe that also just so happens to be packed with veggies. 

Ingredient Notes for potatoes au gratin with spinach:

Yellow Potatoes: Preferably use yellow potatoes for their creamy texture and flavor. Russet potatoes can be an alternative, but we prefer yellow potatoes here. If using yellow, there is the added bonus of not needing to peel the potatoes. 

Shredded Cheese: A combination of cheddar and gruyere brings our favorite flavor combination. However, feel free to experiment with other cheeses like Fontina or Swiss.

Spinach: Fresh spinach works best here. Be sure to use organic, high quality spinach. If you do opt to use frozen spinach, it will need to be well-drained before using to prevent excess moisture.

Thyme: Fresh thyme leaves are preferable for the best flavor. If using dried thyme, use just a pinch as dried thyme is stronger in flavor than fresh.

Nutmeg: Freshly grated nutmeg adds a warm, nutty flavor.Pre-ground nutmeg will also work, it just has slightly less flavor than freshly grated.

Baking Tips for the best potatoes au gratin with spinach:

• Potato Slicing: Aim for uniform thickness when slicing the potatoes to ensure even cooking throughout the dish. Our favorite way to do this is using a food processor with the slicing attachment. We use a 2 mm blade.
• Cheese Sauce: Keep an eye on the cheese sauce; avoid boiling it after adding the cheese to prevent the sauce from separating or getting gritty.
• Foil Covering: Tightly wrapping the dish with foil helps steam the potatoes, ensuring they cook through. Remove the foil toward the end to let the top brown and create a crispy layer.
• Baking Time: Ensure the potatoes are tender by testing with a knife or fork before removing them from the oven. Extend baking time if needed for complete tenderness.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

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Potatoes au Gratin with Spinach

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 3 lbs yellow potatoes ~8 yellow potatoes, thinly sliced
• 3 cups shredded cheese 10 oz (1 cup cheddar and 2 cups gruyere)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream 120 ml
• 2 cups whole milk 480 ml
• 4 tablespoons butter 56 g
• ¼ cup flour 30 g
• Pinch cayenne
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 4 sprigs thyme leaves removed
• 3 oz spinach
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degree fahrenheit

Cheese Sauce:

• In a large saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the flour. Cook for 2 minutes on medium
• After 2 minutes, add in the milk, salt, pepper, and spice and cook for 3-5 minutes until warm and slightly thickened
  
• After it is slightly thickened, add in the cheddar and gruyere cheese and spinach cook until the cheese has melted. Set aside
  

Assembly:

• Butter a 9×13” baking pan and set aside
• Slice the potatoes in 2 mm rounds. Fan them in 3 even rows long ways in the prepared baking dish
  
• Pour over the cheese and spinach sauce
  
• Tightly wrap with foil and bake for 1 hour
• After 1 hour, remove the foil. Top with parmesan cheese and bake for 20 more minutes until golden