Cheesy Spinach Souffle
Spinach Souffle was a childhood favorite. My mom’s recipe with Velveeta is now made with sharp cheddar. It’s a tasty holiday tradition at our house!
This Spinach Casserole is always on our holiday menu! Add leftover Easter ham for a yummy entree or serve as a side dish or a vegetarian meal.
Why You Must Make
- This super easy spinach souffle is a treasured recipe from my childhood. I almost hate to admit that my mom’s version used a processed cheese spread, AKA Velveeta, and I adored it! Fast forward a few years and I found a similar recipe in our local Junior League cookbook, Winners, but with an upgrade of cheeses to a lovely sharp cheddar.
- Surprisingly, my vegetable-avoiding daughter loves this spinach souffle. Spinach is the only veggie that Katie will eat, and it was this casserole that sold her. That tells you something right there!
- Even if you don’t like cottage cheese, you won’t even see or taste it in this recipe. It’s delicious!
Ingredient Notes
- Kitchen Staples – Butter, Flour, Salt
- Eggs – You will need six
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese -An 8-ounce block, cubed
- Cottage Cheese – Small curd or Old-Fashioned cottage cheese
- Frozen, Chopped Spinach – 2 boxes; defrost and squeeze dry.
- Optional Ingredient, Ham – After Easter, add 2 cups chopped, leftover ham, and reduce the added salt.
How to Make
Not officially a “souffle” as the eggs are added whole instead of the whites whipped, then folded in. But that’s the title of my mom’s dish from back in the ’60s or ’70s, so there you go!
- This is such a simple recipe, just defrost two boxes of frozen chopped spinach overnight in the fridge. Set them on the counter for an hour or so if the spinach is still icy the next morning.
- Next, squeeze the spinach very dry as any excess water will make this spinach casserole watery. I like using a potato ricer, but the hubby (my dishwasher) cringes when he sees little all the little bits of spinach he has to clean!
- You can also use your hands and squeeze out the liquid manually. This is my usual method.
- After that, you simply mix the spinach with eggs, cottage cheese (look for “old-fashioned” which has a smaller curd and is creamier), a couple of tablespoons of flour, chunks of cheddar, some butter, and a wee bit of salt.
- Pour into a greased casserole and bake. When I had only one oven, I slid it in with the turkey at Thanksgiving. If you’re doing this and the oven is not set at 350 degrees, just adjust the baking time.
- My oldest loves when I make this after Easter and add chunks of ham. Just reduce the salt a bit as the ham will add more saltiness to this dish. It then can be an entree instead of a side dish. It would also make a terrific brunch casserole!
Variations on Spinach Souffle
- Sprinkle some cheese on top during the last few minutes of baking. A little gooey topping is always a bonus!
- I like using sharp cheddar cheese, but mozzarella or Monterey jack would also be good choices.
- Want some additional flavor? Feel free to add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes for some heat. Nutmeg is a classic spice added to spinach dishes, so a few grates of fresh nutmeg or a pinch or two of ground nutmeg would taste terrific. A little goes a long way, though, so don’t overdo it!
- Watching your carbs? Swap out the flour for almond flour for a low-carb side or even entree.
- As mentioned above, you can add 2 cups of chopped ham (great for Easter leftovers) and mix to combine. Since the ham is salty, don’t add any salt to the recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, I often make it in the morning I’m going to serve it for dinner. Store the casserole in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap. Pull it out of the refrigerator while you preheat the oven, but it will still need extra time to bake as it will be colder than if freshly made.
Like most dishes, leftovers can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This is as long as it has not been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Since Stouffer’s Spinach Souffle is a frozen product, it’s safe to say that leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. But I have not tested this myself.
According to my Food Lover’s Companion, a souffle (prounounced soo-FLAY) “is a light, airy mixture that usually begins with a thick egg yolk based sauce or puree that is lightened my stiffly beaten egg whites.” The conclusion is that this dish may not officially be a souffle.
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Spinach Souffle Recipe
An updated favorite from my childhood, this easy spinach souffle is perfect for the holidays!
Ingredients
- 6 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons butter, cubed
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed (I use Kraft sharp cheddar)
- 24 ounces cream style, small curd cottage cheese (or "old fashioned" cottage cheese)
- 2 10-ounce packages frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Grease 9 x 13 or a comparable casserole dish.
- Combine all ingredients and pour into the prepared dish.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the middle is set.
Notes
You may also add 2 cups of chopped ham. Just reduce the salt if you do.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 545Total Fat: 50gSaturated Fat: 30gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 280mgSodium: 653mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 18g
89 Comments on “Cheesy Spinach Souffle”
Made this for Thxgiving 2014. Family went NUTS! SO FABULOUS. Thanks!
I am SO glad you loved it, Patty! We had it on our Thanksgiving table, too. I appreciate the feedback! Thank you.
Absolutely love spinach and this looks like a winner!!
Another winner from the Skinny Chick!
We love this tradition for Thanksgiving and will share it today on our Facebook page. We’re going to use 2 bags of our Curly Spinach and just wilt them quickly before use. Do you approve? 🙂
–Your friendly Southern California farmers at Cut ‘N Clean Greens
Barb, you were able to post!!! Hooray! So glad it’s a family tradition for you, too~
Liz–my mother also made this recipe while I was growing up, and then she changed the cheese to cheddar long before Winners…a family must!
Thank you, ASP!!!
I’m so glad, Carolyn! Hope you get a chance to try it~
Thanks, Becky and Regina!!!!
Thanks, Lizzie! I remember wanting all my food plain and separated as a child–for some reason, this dish was an exception. Happy Thanksgiving, my foodie friend!
Spinach Souffle is one of my very all-time favorite since childhood too, Lizzy.
I used to buy Stouffer’s years ago, which I thought was pretty good, but it takes just a little effort to make your own. Your souffle looks so delicious, and pretty.
Liz, this sounds so good and my kind of food.
LOL, Kimberly…yes, I think it’s a sign!! And I love your sense of humor 🙂
Liz, this looks great. We’re having Spinach Madeline for our holiday meal, but I will give your recipe a try soon. I like the addition of the cottage cheese.
Leef, you crack me up!
Steve, thanks!!! Hope you get a chance to try it~
This is my kind of recipe. I love things like this. Thanks for sharing. (What?? No jello making blog today??)
This looks amazing.
Wendy, I’m kind of shocked my husband will eat this…and I could eat a whole pan, too! You’ll have to make it for a pot luck/pitch in 🙂
Great!!! Thanks, Judy~
This sounds wonderful. I am going to try it soon. I think my children would love it, too. Thanks.
I would gladly eat the entire pan of this, but can’t get my husband to take even a bit of spinach. Perhaps it was a bad childhood experience or something…he won’t eat my spinach dip either :sigh:!