A good egg bake is the breakfast equivalent of money in the bank: ten minutes of assembly, one dish in the oven, and six portions of something warm, savory and ready to reheat on the mornings when cooking from scratch is not happening. This one pairs spinach and feta, a combination that has earned its keep in Greek kitchens for a very long time, and bakes them into eggs that set up tender and slice into clean, portable squares.
It belongs to the same make-ahead family as our Make-Ahead Veggie Egg Muffin Cups — whisk once, eat all week — but the casserole format is better for a crowd and better still for a slow weekend brunch, where it can sit alongside toast and fruit without any last-minute pan work. You will find it in our Breakfast collection with the other recipes designed to be made before anybody is fully awake.
The one job that decides whether this bake is silky or soggy is squeezing the spinach. Fresh spinach is mostly water, and it gives that water up in the oven if you do not take it first. Wilt it in the pan, let it cool just enough to handle, and press it in handfuls until it feels like a firm, dry tangle. Five unhurried minutes there buys you a bake that slices neatly instead of weeping onto the plate.
Feta seasons the whole dish — salt with care
Feta is doing more than adding pockets of flavor here; it is the bake's main source of salt, and brands vary wildly, from gently tangy to assertively briny. That is why the eggs get only half a teaspoon of added salt. Taste a crumble of your feta before you start: if it is very salty, cut the added salt to a quarter-teaspoon. You can always finish slices with flaky salt at the table, but there is no way back from an over-salted casserole, and eggs punish excess salt by turning harsh and watery as they bake.
Low and steady keeps eggs tender
Eggs are happiest at a moderate temperature. At 350°F (177°C) this bake sets gradually, so the proteins stay supple and the center cooks through just as the edges firm up. Crank the oven to 400°F (200°C) to save five minutes and the outside turns rubbery and puffed while the middle lags — then everything collapses as it cools. Pull the dish when the center still trembles very slightly when you nudge the pan; carryover heat finishes the set during the rest, and the slices come out moist instead of bouncy.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
- 5 cups fresh baby spinach (150 g), roughly chopped
- 1 small yellow onion (about 110 g), finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced (about 6 g)
- 8 large eggs
- 1/3 cup whole milk (80 ml)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (3 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (0.75 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (0.5 g)
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (120 g)
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (56 g)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (150 g), halved
Amounts are for the yield below. US customary measures first, grams in brackets for scale users.
Step-by-step instructions
- Heat the oven and wilt the spinach. Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9 inch (23 cm) square baking dish. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then pile in the spinach and toss for 2 to 3 minutes, until just wilted and dark green.
- Squeeze the spinach dry. Tip the spinach mixture into a colander and let it cool for a few minutes. Press it down firmly with the back of a spoon, then squeeze handfuls over the sink until no more liquid drips out. This step is the difference between a clean-slicing bake and a soggy one — take your time.
- Whisk the eggs. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a large bowl until the yolks and whites are fully combined and the mixture is one even pale gold. Over-whisking until foamy is not needed; you want combined, not whipped.
- Combine and top. Scatter the squeezed spinach mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared dish. Pour the eggs over it and nudge everything into the corners with a spatula. Sprinkle the feta and mozzarella evenly across the top, then arrange the cherry tomato halves cut-side up so they roast instead of steaming.
- Bake until just set. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden and the center trembles only slightly when you gently shake the dish. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean. The eggs will finish setting as the bake rests.
- Rest and slice. Rest the bake for 10 minutes on a rack — this is when the slices firm up. Cut into 6 squares and serve warm, with hot sauce or a handful of fresh herbs at the table if you like.
Nutrition estimate
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 210 kcal |
| Protein | 13 g |
| Carbohydrates | 5 g |
| Fat | 15 g |
| Saturated fat | 6 g |
| Sodium | 480 mg |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
Nutrition figures are estimates calculated from standard ingredient data for the yield stated. Your actual values will vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes — treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.
Storage & reheating
Leftovers keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and the squares reheat well: microwave one portion for 45 to 60 seconds, or warm slices in a 325°F (163°C) oven for about 10 minutes until just heated through — overheating makes eggs rubbery, so stop as soon as they are warm. Individual squares freeze for up to 2 months wrapped well; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The unbaked casserole can be assembled, covered and refrigerated for up to 12 hours, then baked straight from the fridge with 5 extra minutes in the oven. Nutrition figures are estimates from standard ingredient data and vary with brands and substitutions.
Easy Spinach and Feta Egg Bake
Make-ahead egg bake with spinach and salty feta — slices clean, feeds six.
Ingredients
Tick ingredients off as you prep, and tap a step below to mark it done as you cook. Scaling adjusts the listed amounts - seasoning to taste stays your call.
Instructions
- Heat the oven and wilt the spinach. Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9 inch (23 cm) square baking dish. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then pile in the spinach and toss for 2 to 3 minutes, until just wilted and dark green.
- Squeeze the spinach dry. Tip the spinach mixture into a colander and let it cool for a few minutes. Press it down firmly with the back of a spoon, then squeeze handfuls over the sink until no more liquid drips out. This step is the difference between a clean-slicing bake and a soggy one — take your time.
- Whisk the eggs. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a large bowl until the yolks and whites are fully combined and the mixture is one even pale gold. Over-whisking until foamy is not needed; you want combined, not whipped.
- Combine and top. Scatter the squeezed spinach mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared dish. Pour the eggs over it and nudge everything into the corners with a spatula. Sprinkle the feta and mozzarella evenly across the top, then arrange the cherry tomato halves cut-side up so they roast instead of steaming.
- Bake until just set. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden and the center trembles only slightly when you gently shake the dish. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean. The eggs will finish setting as the bake rests.
- Rest and slice. Rest the bake for 10 minutes on a rack — this is when the slices firm up. Cut into 6 squares and serve warm, with hot sauce or a handful of fresh herbs at the table if you like.
Recipe by Ahsan ul Haq · FryDaily. Printing? This card is designed to print cleanly on its own.
