Spinach Gratin
(contains Oxalates – see here regarding Oxalates)
Spinach Gratin
(Contains high oxalates – see notes below)
Ingredients
- ½ bag frozen chopped spinach (about 150 g)
- 200 g grated Gruyère (or any strong cheese)
- 100 ml double cream
- 50 ml almond milk
- 25 g butter
- 150 g almond flour
- Optional: a few pine nuts for topping
Method
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Pre-heat the oven to 190°C (fan 170°C).
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Defrost the spinach using your chosen method. Drain well – squeeze through a sieve or with clean hands to remove as much liquid as possible.
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In a saucepan, melt the butter, then add the cream, almond milk, and almond flour. Stir gently over a low heat until thickened.
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Add most of the cheese and continue stirring until melted through.
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Add the spinach and mix thoroughly.
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Pour into an ovenproof dish, scatter with a few pine nuts and the remaining cheese.
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Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Serve with fish, chicken, or your favourite vegetarian main course.
Estimated Oxalate Content
This dish is delicious but very high in oxalates due to the spinach and almond flour.
- Spinach (150 g) – roughly 1,000–1,100 mg
- Almond flour (150 g) – about 600 mg
- Other ingredients (cheese, cream, butter, milk, pine nuts) – under 20 mg combined
Total: around 1,700–1,800 mg oxalate per whole dish
- Per 4 servings: ≈400–450 mg each
- Per 6 servings: ≈300 mg each
For context, low-oxalate diets (for kidney stone prevention) usually recommend staying below 100 mg per day, so this version is high.
Lower-Oxalate Spinach-Style Gratin
(Creamy, cheesy, and much gentler on oxalate load)
Ingredients
- 150 g chopped kale or cooked courgette (instead of spinach)
- 200 g grated Gruyère or Cheddar
- 100 ml double cream
- 50 ml whole milk or coconut milk
- 25 g butter
- 100 g coconut flour or ground sunflower seeds (instead of almond flour)
- Optional: a sprinkle of ground nutmeg or black pepper
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 190°C.
- Lightly steam the kale or courgette, then drain well.
- In a saucepan, melt butter and add cream, milk, and chosen flour/seed meal. Stir until thickened.
- Add most of the cheese, stirring until smooth and creamy.
- Combine with the vegetables and mix well.
- Transfer to a dish, top with the remaining cheese, and bake for 15–20 minutes until golden.
Estimated Oxalate Content (Low-Oxalate Version)
Kale or courgette: 10–15 mg
Coconut flour or sunflower seed meal: 20–30 mg
Dairy ingredients: 0 mg
Total: around 30–50 mg oxalate per whole dish
That’s roughly 90–95% lower than the spinach-and-almond version, making it a good option for anyone watching their oxalate intake.
Key Takeaways
Spinach and almonds are both very high in oxalates.
Cooking and swapping ingredients can reduce the total dramatically.
Cheese and cream add calcium, which helps bind oxalate in the gut.
The low-oxalate version tastes almost identical, especially when well-seasoned.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 4.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 597 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 52 g | 80 % |
| Saturated Fat 22 g | 109 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 6 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 68 mg | 23 % |
| Sodium 488 mg | 20 % |
| Potassium 44 mg | 1 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 6 g | 2 % |
| Dietary Fiber 6 g | 24 % |
| Sugars 3 g | |
| Protein 26 g | 51 % |
| Vitamin A | 13 % |
| Vitamin C | 0 % |
| Calcium | 76 % |
| Iron | 21 % |
