Rich, creamy baked casserole of savory sausage and tender spinach set in a custardy heavy-cream and cream-cheese base with melted cheddar on top. Served warm in wedges for a satisfying high‑fat, low‑carb dinner.
Weeknight Sausage & Spinach Custard Bake
A rich, low‑carb casserole that folds savory browned sausage and tender spinach into a silky cream‑and‑egg custard with melted cheddar on top.
When you want something comforting and low‑carb without a lot of fuss, this sausage and spinach bake shows up like a deliciously guilty answer. It’s essentially a savory custard—heavy cream and cream cheese whirled with eggs—nestled around browned pork sausage, wilted spinach, sweet onion and garlic, then finished with a blanket of cheddar that melts to golden, bubbly perfection.
The trick to a creamy, not watery, bake is in the balance: brown the sausage well and spoon off most of the fat (leave a tablespoon for flavor), wilt the spinach in batches and squeeze any excess moisture if it’s frozen, and let the cream/cream cheese mixture smooth into a glossy custard. A little grated Parmesan folded in adds a nutty backbone while the cheddar on top gives you that irresistible melty crust.
This comes together quickly—about 15 minutes of active prep after the sausage is cooked, then roughly 35 minutes in a 350°F oven—so it’s great for a weeknight dinner. Lightly grease an 8x8 or 9x9 dish, pour in the mix, bake until just set and golden at the edges, and let it rest a few minutes before slicing tidy wedges.
It’s also very make‑ahead friendly: bake, cool, and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or portion and freeze for longer. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave, and serve with a spoonful of sour cream, chopped chives, or a dash of hot sauce for contrast.
Ingredients
How to Make Sausage Cream Spinach Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8x8 or 9x9-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Remove sausage from casings if needed and add to the skillet; cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes.
- Tilt the pan and spoon off most of the rendered fat (leave about 1 tablespoon for flavor). Push the sausage to one side, add the diced onion to the pan and sauté until translucent, about 3–4 minutes; add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the spinach in batches and stir until wilted and any excess moisture has mostly evaporated, about 3–4 minutes. If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze dry before adding.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together the cream cheese (softened), heavy cream, eggs, grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning, kosher salt and black pepper until smooth and homogenous.
- Stir the cooked sausage/onion/spinach mixture briefly to combine, then transfer it to the prepared baking dish. Fold 1 cup of the shredded cheddar into the mixture and spread evenly.
- Pour the cream/egg mixture evenly over the sausage and spinach in the dish, then sprinkle the remaining 0.5 cup cheddar on top. If using, scatter red pepper flakes.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until the center is set and the top is lightly golden. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing into 4 portions to serve warm.
Recipe Card
Sausage Cream Spinach Bake
Rich, creamy baked casserole of savory sausage and tender spinach set in a custardy heavy-cream and cream-cheese base with melted cheddar on top. Served warm in wedges for a satisfying high‑fat, low‑carb dinner.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8x8 or 9x9-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Remove sausage from casings if needed and add to the skillet; cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes.
- Tilt the pan and spoon off most of the rendered fat (leave about 1 tablespoon for flavor). Push the sausage to one side, add the diced onion to the pan and sauté until translucent, about 3–4 minutes; add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the spinach in batches and stir until wilted and any excess moisture has mostly evaporated, about 3–4 minutes. If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze dry before adding.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together the cream cheese (softened), heavy cream, eggs, grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning, kosher salt and black pepper until smooth and homogenous.
- Stir the cooked sausage/onion/spinach mixture briefly to combine, then transfer it to the prepared baking dish. Fold 1 cup of the shredded cheddar into the mixture and spread evenly.
- Pour the cream/egg mixture evenly over the sausage and spinach in the dish, then sprinkle the remaining 0.5 cup cheddar on top. If using, scatter red pepper flakes.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until the center is set and the top is lightly golden. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing into 4 portions to serve warm.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 11
- Saturated Fat
- 44
- Sodium
- 1680
- Fiber
- 2
- Unsaturated Fat
- 41
- Protein
- 40
- Fat
- 85
- Cholesterol
- 415
- Trans Fat
- 0.3
- Calories
- 950
- Sugar
- 5