Bacon Cheddar Spinach Squares

By Patlynn

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 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

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 cup (5 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 pounds frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (3 cups)
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

Preparation

Step 1

Squeeze Spinach Dry

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. Cook bacon in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to paper towel–lined plate. When bacon is cool enough to handle, finely chop and set aside.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne together in bowl. Add broth and eggs and whisk until smooth. Stir in spinach, cheddar, onion, bacon, and garlic until combined.
3. 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 and transfer to platter. Serve warm.


Makes 32 squares




You can thaw the spinach in the microwave or overnight in the refrigerator. To squeeze the spinach dry, place it in a clean dish towel, gather the edges, and wring it out. Cooled Spinach Squares can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours and reheated, covered in foil, in a 375-degree oven.