Some of our favorite flavors come together in this Spinach Melt with Roasted Mushrooms, Shallots and Gruyere cheese. We start with mushrooms and shallots roasted until almost caramelized, and add tender sautéed spinach, and nutty Gruyère for a savory vegetable dish that’s equally at home alongside a weeknight dinner or on the table for a special occasion. It’s a lovely way to dress up spinach—and an excellent excuse to bring out the Gruyère.
The roasted mushrooms give this dish so much of its flavor. Roasting deepens their earthy richness and brings a little golden color to their edges, making each bite wonderfully savory. The shallots add a mellow sweetness that complements the mushrooms beautifully. They may not get top billing in the recipe title, but they’re an important part of what makes this combination so good.
Sautéed spinach brings tenderness and a fresh, green contrast to those rich flavors. It nestles around the mushrooms and shallots, so you get a little of everything in each forkful. There’s also something especially appealing about the combination of textures: silky spinach, substantial mushrooms, and soft, sweet shallots, all brought together by the cheese.
And then there’s the Gruyère! With its nutty, slightly sweet flavor, it’s such a natural partner for mushrooms. It adds richness without needing to be the only thing you taste, letting the vegetables remain an essential part of every bite. This isn’t simply spinach with a little cheese added for good measure; each ingredient contributes something worth savoring.
Serve this alongside roasted chicken, grilled tri-tip, or a simple piece of fish. With so much flavor in the vegetables, the rest of the meal can be quite straightforward. For a different approach, spoon it over creamy polenta or pile it onto thick slices of toasted sourdough for an open-faced lunch. A soft-cooked egg on top would make a delicious finishing touch, too.
Whether you serve it as a side or give it a little more space on the plate, this is a satisfying way to turn a handful of ingredients into something special. Earthy mushrooms, sweet shallots, tender greens, and Gruyère—it’s a combination that doesn’t need much fuss to taste wonderful.
Spinach Melt with Roasted Mushrooms, Shallots & Gruyere Cheese
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lb. cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 lb. fresh spinach leaves
- 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
- 1/2 tsp. lemon pepper perfection
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Clean mushrooms and slice into 1/4-inch slices. Clean shallots and thinly slice. Toss each with olive oil and season with lemon pepper. Spread out on prepared baking sheet, keeping mushrooms and shallots separated. They may cook for different lengths of time, so it’s nice to be able to separate them.
- Roast for about 20 minutes, or until both mushrooms and onions are browned and very aromatic and beginning to caramelized. Remove from oven and set aside. This step can be done several hours or a day ahead of time.
- Heat a large saute pan with a little bit of olive oil in the bottom. Slowly add spinach until you’ve got about 3/4 of it wilting in the pan. Toss in mushrooms and shallots and stir. Continue adding the rest of the spinach, a little bit at a time, until you’ve used up all the spinach. Sprinkle the grated Gruyere over the top and heat until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot.