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Recipe
1 hr 10 min

Spinach Squares

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Spinach Squares
Author: America's Test Kitchen

Recipe By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 29, 2024

We loved the simple method for making these cheesy hors d’oeuvres, but the flavor left us cold. Could we deepen the taste without complicating the process?

Time

1 hr 10 min

Yield

Makes 32 squares

Why This Recipe Works

Spinach squares are warm, cheesy, finger-food hors d’oeuvres with a simple dump-and-stir method, but many versions are greasy and pale, with lackluster flavor. Swapping butter for vegetable oil spray and reducing the cheese slightly cut the grease. We boosted flavor by using strong, nutty Gruyère instead of cheddar, exchanging relatively bland milk for more savory chicken broth, and topping the squares with a layer of grated Parmesan (which also helps with browning). Upping the oven temperature and cooking on the upper-middle rack finished the job, creating a deeply browned top.

Ingredients

1 cup (5 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 cup chicken broth
3 large eggs
1 ¼ pounds frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
12 ounces (340 grams) Gruyère cheese, shredded (3 cups)
1 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne together in bowl. Add broth and eggs and whisk until smooth. Stir in spinach, Gruyère, onion, and garlic until combined.
    Recipe Tip
    You can thaw the spinach in the microwave or overnight in the refrigerator.
  2. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until browned on top and bubbling around edges, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes. Cut into 32 equal-size squares. Serve warm.
    Recipe Tip
    Cooled Spinach Squares can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours and reheated, covered in foil, in a 375-degree oven.

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Spinach Squares

Recipe By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 29, 2024

Time

1 hr 10 min

Yield

Makes 32 squares

Spinach Squares

Ingredients

1 cup (5 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder¾ teaspoon table salt½ teaspoon pepper¼ teaspoon cayenne1 cup chicken broth3 large eggs1 ¼ pounds frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry12 ounces (340 grams) Gruyère cheese, shredded (3 cups)1 onion, chopped fine2 garlic cloves, minced1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne together in bowl. Add broth and eggs and whisk until smooth. Stir in spinach, Gruyère, onion, and garlic until combined.
    Recipe Tip
    You can thaw the spinach in the microwave or overnight in the refrigerator.
  2. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until browned on top and bubbling around edges, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes. Cut into 32 equal-size squares. Serve warm.
    Recipe Tip
    Cooled Spinach Squares can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours and reheated, covered in foil, in a 375-degree oven.
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