Creamy Tomato Spinach Pine Nut Bake (Printable)
Rich Mediterranean bake with fresh spinach, cherry tomatoes, and pine nuts in a creamy Parmesan-ricotta sauce. Golden, comforting vegetarian main dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 10.5 oz fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
02 - 14 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
→ Dairy & Eggs
05 - 0.85 cup heavy cream
06 - 3.5 oz ricotta cheese
07 - 2.1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 large eggs
→ Nuts
09 - 1.75 oz pine nuts
→ Seasonings
10 - 2 tbsp olive oil
11 - 1 tsp dried oregano
12 - 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
13 - 0.5 tsp sea salt
14 - Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
→ Other
15 - 1.75 oz breadcrumbs
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish with olive oil.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the chopped spinach to the skillet, stirring constantly until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, ricotta, Parmesan, oregano, black pepper, salt, and nutmeg until smooth and well combined.
05 - Gently fold the cooked spinach mixture and half the cherry tomatoes into the cream mixture.
06 - Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Scatter the remaining cherry tomatoes and pine nuts evenly over the surface.
07 - Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly across the top.
08 - Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
09 - Allow the bake to cool for 5 minutes before serving to let it set properly.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The way the cream and ricotta melt together into this impossibly rich sauce that still feels light somehow
- Those pine nuts get all toasty and golden on top while the tomatoes burst underneath creating these little pockets of sweetness
02 -
- Dont skip the cooling time because cutting into this too soon will make the center collapse and the textures wont have properly set
- The nutmeg might seem unusual but it genuinely transforms the cream sauce from basic to restaurant quality
03 -
- Squeeze excess water from the spinach after wilting if it seems especially watery to prevent a soggy bake
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for 2 minutes before sprinkling them on for even more nutty depth