Two things that are always in my refrigerator and freezer are eggs and frozen spinach. I haven’t had creamed spinach in quite some time, so when I decided to make some the other day I figured I’d throw a few eggs on top and bake it all up into a delicious brunch delight. Why not? Oh, and I had some feta too, so I threw that on top for extra flair. The feta definitely took these Creamed Spinach Baked Eggs from “this is pretty good” to “Yassssss girl.”
Do I Have to Use a Cast Iron Skillet?
I’m using a 10″ Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, but you don’t have to make this recipe in a cast iron skillet. Any other oven-safe skillet will work, OR you can just transfer the creamed spinach to a small casserole dish before adding the eggs and feta, and tossing it in the oven.
Baking Time May Vary
The bake time for these eggs is a little variable, so take the suggested 15 minutes with a grain of salt. You’ll want to watch the eggs closely starting at around 12 minutes and take them out when they reach your level of doneness. I decided last minute to broil my dish for a few minutes to get some browning on top, which ended up cooking my yolks through.
Normally I would have left the yolks runny, but it was still great with them fully cooked. If you do want some browning from the broiler, I would take 5 minutes off the bake time before switching from bake to broil (middle rack) and again, watch the dish closely.
Creamed Spinach Baked Eggs
Servings 4Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp butter ($0.27)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.02)
- 1.5 cups whole milk ($0.57)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg ($0.02)
- Freshly cracked pepper ($0.03)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan ($0.41)
- 3/4 lb frozen chopped spinach* ($1.27)
- 4 large eggs ($1.08)
- 2 oz feta ($1.12)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Add the butter and garlic to a skillet and sauté over medium heat for about one minute. Whisk the flour into the melted butter and continue to cook and stir for about two minutes. The butter and flour should form a paste that will foam and bubble as it cooks.
- Whisk the milk into the butter and flour mixture until there are no lumps. Stir in the salt, nutmeg, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 10 cranks of a pepper mill).
- Allow the milk to come to a simmer, whisking often, at which point it will thicken to a gravy-like consistency. Whisk in the grated Parmesan until it has melted. Add the frozen chopped spinach (no need to thaw) and continue to stir and cook until it has heated through (about 5 minutes). Taste the creamed spinach and add more salt if needed.
- Use a large spoon to create four wells in the creamed spinach. Crack one egg into each well. It’s okay if the whites run outside of the wells. Sprinkle the crumbled feta over the entire skillet.
- Bake the spinach and eggs for about 15 minutes in the preheated 400ºF oven, or until the whites are mostly set. Spoon the creamed spinach and an egg into a bowl and serve as is or with toast for dipping.
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Creamed Spinach Baked Eggs – Step by Step Photos
Begin by preheating your oven to 400ºF. Add 2 Tbsp butter and two cloves of minced garlic to a skillet. Sauté the garlic in the butter over medium heat for about one minute, or just until the garlic becomes very fragrant. Whisk in 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour and continue to whisk and cook for about two minutes more. The flour and butter mixture will create a paste that foams and bubbles as it cooks.
Whisk 1.5 cups whole milk into the butter and flour mixture until no lumps remain (you will still be able to see the minced garlic pieces, just make sure there are no flour lumps). Add 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 10 cranks of a pepper mill).
Continue to cook and whisk over medium heat until the milk comes up to a simmer, at which point it will thicken to a gravy-like texture.
Stir in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan until it has melted into the sauce.
Add 3/4 lb. frozen CHOPPED spinach (no need to thaw). I highly suggest frozen “chopped” spinach as opposed to frozen “cut” spinach, which has larger pieces and tends to be a bit stringy.
Continue to stir and cook the spinach and sauce until it is heated through. Give the spinach a taste and add more salt, if needed.
Use a large spoon to make four wells in the creamed spinach, then crack one egg into each. It’s okay if the egg whites run outside of the wells. Sprinkle 2oz. crumbled feta over the entire skillet.
Bake the creamed spinach and eggs for about 15 minutes in the preheated 400ºF oven, or until the whites are set (this will vary depending on your oven and your preferred level of doneness for the eggs). If you want a little browning on top, I suggest switching the oven’s setting from bake to broil at about 10 minutes and finish it out on the broil setting. Broiling can brown the top and cook the eggs quickly, though, so watch it closely.
Scoop the creamed spinach and an egg into each bowl and serve as is or with some toast for dipping!
Great recipes and so easy/quick, especially if you keep frozen spinach on hand (always). I added some crushed red pepper to give it a little kick.
I like scrambled eggs to get the eggs cooked could I just mix it all together?
I’m not quite sure what you mean.
I would thaw spinach even in the microwave for a few minutes. I’m not sure waiting around and stirring it in the skillet while it thaws really does much for flavor.
This was a big hit with my carnivor husband and son. Great comfort food without weighing you down. This is going into our regular rotation.
Would using almond milk in the recipe work?
I don’t think almond milk will be creamy enough for this one.
Great recipe. I’ll make it again for sure. I subbed chicken stock for about half the milk to make it a little more savory. Also added Crystal Hot Sauce for some bit. My eggs were overcooked after 12 minutes, so I’ll try a little less next time.
No nutritional values? Always good for diabetics.
Why not just use FRESH spinach? Easy, easy, easy, n tastes better I think.
Do you think the creamed spinach would work with skim or lowfat milk? We don’t usually buy whole milk in my house
I’d go with low fat instead of skim. 2% low fat will work, it just won’t be as creamy or rich as the whole milk.
This was great! I used asiago cheese instead of the parmesan and didn’t add any other cheese on top. We served it with a raisin walnut loaf, yum!
got-dam that go
This recipe has all of the benefits of a quiche without the caloric crust. I’m trying it this weekend for Easter breakfast along with a side of melon. Love the artichoke hearts as a bonus idea! I am going to try
I made this in an elecric skillet and the eggs were well done in under 10 minutes – but I guess I’ll know better for next time!
I rarely have feta on hand, but I bet this would be delicious with chunks of cream cheese on top. I’d also love to try it with some tofu, chicken sausage, or even lobster!
this was good and I’m going to make it again. The feta really made it. Unfortunately, I had never baked eggs before and I overcooked them. I did the 15 minutes at 400º and they had a transparent look so I did 3 more minutes and they still looked translucent but I took them out and I guess that’s just how they look cause they were like rubber by that point. I still ate them though ;-) I’ll just cook them less next time.
I love baked eggs! They are my new weekend go too, and this version of them looks amazing! Thanks for the recipe!
Can you use fresh spinach instead of frozen? If so is it the same amount as frozen or something different?
Yes, you can use fresh, but I’d sauté it down in a skillet first until it is fully wilted. I’d probably use the same weight (3/4 lb.) just keep in mind that it will be a much larger volume before it is wilted.