Easy Egg and Spinach Casserole

I keep a whole recipe file for potluck friendly recipes, and under that heading, I have a whole section for brunch recipes. This is one of my favorites from that list. One of the best things about it is how beautiful it looks once its baked. It’s the sort of dish that will get oohs and ahhs when you pull off the cover and lay it on a table or buffet alongside other dishes. And it feeds a lot of people! Cheesy, rich, and filling, one piece of this will absolutely satisfy even the biggest eaters.

Easy Egg and Spinach Casserole is also a vegetarian recipe, as long as you use vegetarian cheeses. Some cheeses are not vegetarian because of an animal-derived enzyme called rennet used in the cheesemaking process, so it’s important to pay attention to the cheese you use if you’re cooking for a vegetarian family member or guest. I find that most pre-shredded Cheddar and Swiss from the supermarket are vegetarian. In my experience, this fabulous dish is a hit with vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, so if you’ve got a mixed crowd, this recipe is an excellent choice.

Flour is used to help thicken this recipe and keep it bound together, unlike many quiche or frittata recipes. I assume it’s necessary because of the large amount of cheese and butter. Regardless, my advice is to be careful to incorporate the flour very well into the eggs. Smaller lumps are okay, but be sure to break up the bigger lumps. I use my stand mixer to beat the eggs, so I just let those powerful beaters work the flour in for me, which works well. Then I pull the bowl off the mixer and stir in the spinach and cheese by hand because I don’t want to use an electric mixer on the larger ingredients.

Easy Egg and Spinach Casserole

3.6 from 202 votes

Ingredients

• 7 large eggs

• 1/2 cup onion, fine dice

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 package (10oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained

• 1 package (16oz) cottage cheese, small curd

• 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded

• 1 1/2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded

• 1/4 cup butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon garlic salt

• salt & pepper

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Grease large casserole dish or 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat eggs. Add flour, garlic salt, and salt & pepper to taste. Beat to mix flour in thoroughly.
• Add spinach (squeeze to drain all water first), melted butter, onion, cottage cheese, Cheddar cheese, and Swiss cheese to bowl. Mix well.
• Pour mixture into greased baking dish.
• Bake uncovered 45 minutes, until top of casserole is golden brown and egg mixture is cooked. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Ensure flour is well incorporated into eggs for best results.
• Cheddar and Swiss can be substituted with other cheeses if desired, like Mozzarella, Colby, or Monterey Jack. If using stronger flavored cheeses like Gruyere, sharp Cheddar, or Parmesan, decrease cheese amounts by at least 1/2 cup.
• Frozen spinach can be substituted with about 1 lb of fresh spinach. Cook fresh spinach in saute pan or briefly boil, drain thoroughly and allow to cool to room temperature before adding to egg mixture.
• Shallots or leeks may be used in place of onion.
• Onion may be omitted. Suggest replacing with 1 teaspoon onion powder or 1 teaspoon garlic powder.

For me, this dish works perfectly with a 45 minute baking time, but as anyone who’s made an egg dish knows, cooking times can be fickle. The cooking time on this particular dish may vary a bit according to several factors like the kind of baking dish you use, the fat content of the cheese you use, and how well your oven is calibrated. When the eggs are set and solid, the dish is done. That may take an extra ten minutes. The best thing to do is peek at the dish after about 35 minutes in the oven to assess how quickly it is setting up for you.