Spinach Florentine Breakfast Casserole

 

Ingredients:

• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for greasing
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese (about 1 cup)
• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup), divided
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 10 large eggs
• 1 2/3 cups half-and-half
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 6 English muffins, split

Method:

Prep the spinach: Place the thawed spinach on a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out excess moisture. Set aside.

Cook the onion, garlic, and spinach: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the squeezed spinach and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it appears dry, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

Add the cheese and season: Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooked spinach mixture. Transfer the remaining spinach mixture to a medium bowl. Add mascarpone cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Assemble the casserole: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, crushed red pepper, reserved 1/4 cup spinach mixture, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper until fully combined.

Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking dish with olive oil. Arrange the split English muffins in three rows of two at the bottom of the dish. Evenly spread the spinach-mascarpone mixture over the muffins. Cover with the top halves of the English muffins. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole, pressing down gently on the muffins to submerge. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Rest: Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.

Bake and serve: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Uncover the casserole and bake in the preheated oven until just set and the tops of the English muffins are golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes before serving.

This hearty spinach florentine breakfast casserole combines savory spinach and cheese with fluffy English muffins for a delightful morning meal.