COOK: Savory Crepes with Spinach, Artichoke Hearts & Jarlsberg

• Pans for Making Crepes
• Spinach Artichoke Crepe Ingredients
• How to Make Crepes
• Spinach Artichoke Gruyere Filling
• Savory Crepes with Spinach, Artichoke Hearts and Jarlsberg

This spinach artichoke crepe recipe with nutty Jarlsberg cheese is perfect for a fancy brunch, lunch, or even a light vegetarian dinner.

I’m sure most of you are no stranger to enjoying crepes at restaurants as a sweet breakfast treat or dessert, rolled or folded and filled with fresh or stewed fruit, Nutella, farmer’s cheese, whipped cream or even just cinnamon sugar and butter… but savory crepes like these spinach artichoke ones are probably my favorite, and I think you’ll love them too.

Don’t be intimidated by crepes- if you can make pancakes, you can make crepes. It may take some practice before you’re flipping them in the air like a French chef (or, you can just use a thin spatula… no one is keeping score here!) but there’s no reason not to give them a try!

Once you master the basics of making crepe batter and cooking the crepes, you’ll want to make them often. You can make the batter in advance and keep it in the fridge for a few days. Unfilled crepes also freeze beautifully, so you can make them ahead of time. Just keep them well-wrapped in the fridge or freezer so you can assemble the finished dish easily just before you are ready to eat. It’s a great entertaining hack and your friends will be impressed with your culinary prowess!

They’re a perfect platform for a plethora of dishes, both sweet and savory. Crepes are a fantastic way to class up and transform your leftovers into a dish worthy of serving to company, or you can make a special filling from scratch like this one here. Give this spinach artichoke crepe recipe a try!

Pans for Making Crepes

You don’t need a special crepe pan as long as you have one that is relatively non-stick and an appropriate size. The crepe batter is thin and will spread out to roughly the size of the pan. You can buy specialty crepe pans in several different sizes, from tiny to platter sized, so it’s ok to work with what you have. 

I prefer well-seasoned thin black iron crepe pans (these are my favorites) but you can use cast iron or almost any nonstick pan. If you can you can cook an acceptable omelette in it, it will probably work for crepes!

Specialty crepe pans have low sides to make them easier to flip, and they’re worth making space for if you are going to make crepes often. They’re also great for making quesadillas, pancakes, other small flatbreads, or a fried egg or three, if you need versatility to justify keeping them in your cabinets.

Spinach Artichoke Crepe Ingredients

Crepe Batter:

Flour:

You can use all-purpose flour for basic crepes, or substitute all or part for whole wheat, buckwheat, or rye flour. I recommend substituting no more than half for the most tender but still sturdy crepes.

Milk:

I recommend using whole milk for the most tender and flavorful crepes, but you can also use 2% or even skim in a pinch.

Eggs:

You’ll need two whole fresh eggs per batch of crepe batter.

Butter:

Melt the butter before whisking it into the crepe batter. You can lightly brown the butter to add a nutty depth of flavor to the crepes, or just barely melt the butter for a clean, neutral flavor.

Spinach Artichoke Filling:

Spinach:

You can use fresh or frozen spinach in the filling. Fresh spinach has the best flavor, but you can use frozen for convenience or if you’re in a hurry.

Artichoke hearts:

I usually use plain canned artichoke hearts, although you can also use fresh or frozen ones that have been steamed or sauteed until tender. Drain and roughly chop them, and reserve the liquid in case you need to de-glaze the pan or stop the filling from scorching while you are sauteing it.

Cheese:

You can use all or a blend of grated Jarlsberg (or other Swiss-type cheese) and other melting cheese, like mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or fontina cheese, to suit your tastes (and budget).

Cream:

Use fresh heavy cream, or cultured creme fraiche or thin Mexican crema, or even sour cream for a tangier filling.

Seasoning:

A bit of minced shallot makes the sweetest filling, but you can also use minced onion. Otherwise the filling is seasoned simply, with salt and black pepper to taste, and preferably a hint of freshly grated nutmeg.

How to Make Crepes

Make Crepe Batter

• Combine all batter ingredients in a blender or whisk thoroughly in a medium bowl.
• Let the crepe batter rest for at least 10 minutes to hydrate flour for a tender crepe.
• You can make the batter ahead and refrigerate overnight, or for up to 3 days.

Cook Crepes

• Heat well-seasoned crepe pans (I use carbon steel crepe pans, but a nonstick omelette pan or cast iron will do in a pinch) over med-high heat.
• Add a dab of butter to the pan, swirl to melt and cover, and ladle in just enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan (for my 6″ pans, that’s a scant 4 oz ladle). Rotate the pan with a roll of the wrist to distribute the batter over the entire pan. It’s okay if there are “lacy” holes in the crepe and around the edges.
• When the crepes are bubbly around the edges and the batter is mostly set (it will be drier than an American pancake), use a thin flat or offset spatula, crepe stick, or a deft flick of the wrist to flip the crepe. The second side will cook very quickly.

Stack & Store Crepes:

• Stack the crepes on a plate and keep warm before serving.
• You can refrigerate or freeze any extra crepes. You may want to layer with parchment or waxed paper so they don’t stick.
• Portion the stacked crepes into the appropriate serving size for your family to make meal-prep and defrosting easier!
• Wrap the stacks well in plastic wrap, zip-seal bags, or a tightly sealed container so they don’t dry out.

Spinach Artichoke Gruyere Filling

• Sweat the onion or shallot in butter & salt in a medium saute or cast iron pan over med heat until they are translucent and sweet.
  • Optional variation: Dice 2-3 slices of uncooked bacon (Reduce butter to 1-2 tsp.) or 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms, and saute with the onion or shallot until the fat renders and the bacon is soft but cooked through or the mushrooms are cooked.
• Mix the cheeses in a mixing bowl and set aside.
• Add the rough chopped artichoke hearts and saute until the moisture evaporates. Reserve the liquid if you are using canned artichokes, and use a splash to de-glaze the pan if anything starts to stick.
• Toss in the fresh spinach (or thawed, drained frozen spinach) and let it wilt and stir gently as the moisture evaporates.
• Add the heavy cream and a grating of fresh nutmeg and black pepper and simmer on low heat until the cream reduces slightly and the filling thickens.
• Distribute the filling among the crepes, top with most of the grated cheeses (reserving some to top the crepes), and either roll or fold in quarters.
  • For rolled crepes, spread the filling in a line along the center, then roll up into tubes.
  • For folded crepes, spread the filling evenly along half of each crepe. Fold the crepes in half over the filling, and then again into quarters.
  • You can also layer the crepes and filling in a casserole dish, and slice like lasagna after baking to warm through and melt the cheese.
• You can top with a sprinkle of cheese and melt the cheese under a broiler, with bechamel, or simply sprinkle with minced chives or parsley.