10 Spinach Recipes That'll Use Up That Leftover Bag In The Fridge
There are plenty of upsides to spinach, but the unreasonable size of the bag it comes in is not one of them. It seems like, somehow, we all end up with a massive surplus taking up space in the fridge. Sure, it can be stored in the freezer, but all you're doing there is moving the problem from a cold box to a colder box.
While one way of whittling down that spinach is to just throw it in everything until it's gone, you're doing yourself (and the spinach!) a bit of a disservice. It is, however, a bit difficult to figure out a specific recipe theme for a food which has a reputation for going with just about anything from pastries, to sauces, to bakes, to pies. That's where Mashed's recipe developers come in. The following dishes don't just incorporate spinach for the sake of it — they revolve around spinach, taking full advantage of its light, leafy taste, and high water content.
Spinach can be cooked in several different ways, with each method subtly changing the vegetable's texture and nutritional content. Blanching and steaming, for example, significantly reduces vitamin C in spinach, while microwaving retains it much better. If you're more concerned with taste than vitamins, sautéing it in olive oil or butter infuses the green with flavor. This method has the added benefit of cooking out much of the water, ideal for pastries and dips as the spinach won't make them soggy.
1. Cold Spinach Artichoke Dip
Speaking of dips, let's kick off with Christina Musgrave's spinach artichoke dip. This dip is super flavorful and cheesy, made by stirring cream cheese, mozzarella, and sour cream with artichoke hearts and spinach. Musgrave spices things up with the addition of plenty of salt, black pepper, and onion powder, but if you have any favorite spices feel free to add them to the mix!
If you're having company over, this dish is a great way to impress your guests. Just serve with chips or pita chips, and you've got a tasty movie night snack or a perfect way to keep people's mouths busy while you work on dinner. Alternatively, who said you needed to share? If you want to add a bit of flair to your big night in, open your favorite corn snack and whip up some of this dip.
2. 30-Minute Spinach and Mushroom Egg Strata
If you have extra time in the morning and a bunch of bread lying around, get a baking dish out and make Kristen Carli's spinach and mushroom egg strata. This recipe combines baguette bread, mushrooms, eggs, cream, cheese, and, of course, spinach. The end result is a delicious, hearty way to start your morning.
One great thing about this recipe is that it reheats nicely in the microwave, making it perfect for leftovers. You can keep extra servings in the fridge for "up to three days," according to Carli. Don't feel limited to breakfast, either — feel free to lift a serving out of the fridge for a quick and tasty lunchtime treat.
3. Baked Parmesan Spinach Balls
Let's say you've already got a great dinner idea for tonight, but you're missing a side to match. Enter Kristen Carli's Parmesan spinach balls, which you can bake in the oven while preparing the bulk of your meal.
If you're making something Italian, this dish will sit wonderfully as a side option. You might even have the ingredients — eggs, spinach, Parmesan, butter, and Italian breadcrumbs — on hand already as part of the meal you're making. All you need to do is combine them, manipulate into balls, and bake. Carli suggests pairing these bites with a dipping sauce such as marinara, garlic aioli, or mustard.
Recipe: Baked Parmesan Spinach Balls
4. Spinach Artichoke Bites
If you want to lean more on aesthetics for your side, for instance, if you're having a somewhat artsy friend over for dinner, it's time to whip out the puff pastry and make Autumn LeAnn's spinach artichoke bites. Not only do these sides look delicious thanks to the petals formed by the puff pastry, but they're also absolutely packed with flavor.
To put these bites together, mix Parmesan and Neufchâtel cheese, artichoke, spinach, milk, egg, and sour cream. Line a cupcake tray with your puff pastry squares, spoon in the mixture, and bake for around 20 minutes. These flaky, cheesy treats work beautifully as an amuse-bouche, making your dinner party nibbles something truly worth writing home about.
Recipe: Spinach Artichoke Bites
5. Low-Fat Spinach and Cottage Cheese Pie
Kristen Carli strikes again with this pleasingly light spinach and cottage cheese pie. A lot of spinach recipes tend to incorporate cheese — with good reason! — which can start to feel a bit heavy. This recipe of puff pastry, eggs, and cottage cheese is a much gentler option on the stomach, while still offering that delicious combination of spinach and dairy.
This recipe uses frozen spinach rather than fresh, which might be helpful if, as well as that bag of spinach in the fridge, you've also got a bag stored in the freezer that you never got around to using.
6. Easy Crustless Spinach Quiche
If you're the kind of person who takes the crusts off their sandwiches, Mackenzie Burgess' crustless spinach quiche is perfect for you. This recipe takes a while — almost an hour, to be precise — but it's worth it. Combine your spinach with eggs, milk, Gruyère, Parmesan, and butter, and bake for around 35 minutes. This quiche is delicious warm or cold, and works morning, noon, and night.
This particular recipe asks for baby spinach because it wilts more evenly than regular spinach, but there's no harm in using whatever spinach you have in the house as long as you make sure to wilt the leaves until the moisture has evaporated. Otherwise, you'll end up with a soggy quiche, and no one wants that.
Recipe: Easy Crustless Spinach Quiche
7. One-Pan Greek Chicken and Spinach
We've been very veggie-oriented so far, so let's add some meat into the mix with Catherine Brookes' Greek chicken and spinach recipe. This recipe is super herby and flavorful, combining the chicken and spinach with lemon, oregano, parsley, garlic, onion, and cherry tomatoes. There's still plenty of creaminess, keeping with the spinach-and-dairy theme, with half and half and feta adding a smooth texture to the dish.
The best thing about this recipe is that it's all done in one pan, minimizing time spent washing dishes — without a doubt the last thing you want to do after a huge, hearty meal.
8. Spinach Artichoke Flatbread
Flatbreads are a great addition to any table, and Jessica Morone's spinach artichoke flatbread is no exception. With heaps of cheese (Parmesan, mozzarella, cream cheese, and Gruyère, to be exact), this is a great way to add a bit of indulgence to your dinner party.
As well as those four cheeses, the flatbread is layered with sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, chives, and, of course, spinach and artichoke. Spread your mix evenly over the flatbread (Morone makes hers from scratch, but you won't be judged for using a store-bought option), bake, smother in cheese, then bake again.
If you somehow end up with leftovers, you can store them "wrapped in the fridge for up to three days," says Morone. You can reheat them "in the oven, or a toaster oven," she adds, so you can whip yourself up a super cheesy snack in no time.
Recipe: Spinach Artichoke Flatbread
9. Spinach and Artichoke Parmesan Sandwich
If you fancy a deli sandwich but don't particularly feel like making the trip or putting the order in, that sounds like a great excuse to whip up Patterson Watkins' spinach and artichoke Parmesan sandwich. This sub is so packed with fillings that it may need a cocktail stick to hold it all together, so be prepared for a big bite.
For this recipe, begin by roasting your spinach and artichoke hearts together in the oven for about 20 minutes. Then, layer them with minced garlic, basil, mozzarella, Parmesan, and pizza sauce sandwiched between Italian bread. Bake everything together until the cheese is nice and melty, then slice and enjoy.
10. Easy Spinach Lasagna
If you were wondering how long it would take until we brought out the obligatory pasta dish, you've got your answer. Another Kristen Carli creation, this spinach lasagna's strongest suit is its short cooking time. Yes, you read that right: It's possible to put "lasagna" and "short cooking time" in the same sentence. This dish takes only 8 minutes to prepare and half an hour to cook, thanks to the inclusion of no-boil lasagna sheets and store-bought marinara sauce.
Of course, there's nothing stopping you from going the extra mile and making your sauce from scratch, but speed is the aim of the game here. As well as the sheets, sauce, and spinach, Carli uses a mix of ricotta and mozzarella to separate the layers, with plenty of Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.
Recipe: Easy Spinach Lasagna