COOK: Savory Crepes with Spinach, Artichoke Hearts & Jarlsberg
This spinach artichoke crepe recipe with nutty Jarlsberg cheese is perfect for a fancy brunch, lunch, or even a light vegetarian dinner.
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 and keep well-wrapped in the fridge or freezer so you can assemble the finished dish easily. 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!
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.
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.
Savory Crepes with Spinach, Artichoke Hearts and Jarlsberg
Ingredients
Crepe Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 5 oz
- 10 oz milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp butter melted
- ¼ tsp salt ½ tsp if kosher flake
Spinach Artichoke Gruyere filling
- ¼ cup shallot or onion minced
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp sea salt or Himalayan pink salt to taste
- 1 cup quartered artichoke hearts (canned, or fresh steamed) chopped
- 8 oz fresh spinach washed and rough chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 scant pinch nutmeg fresh grated if possible
- TT black pepper fresh ground, to taste
- 1½ cup Jarlsberg cheese grated (can sub. Gruyere or Emmental)
- ½ cup mozzarella or Monterey jack cheese grated
Garnish
- minced chives, parsley, cheese, or bechamel optional
Instructions
Crepes
- Combine all batter ingredients in a blender or whisk thoroughly in a medium bowl. Let batter rest for at least 10 minutes to hydrate flour for a tender crepe (can make ahead and refrigerate overnight).
- 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 ok 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 the crepes on a plate and keep warm. You can refrigerate or freeze any extra crepes- you may want to layer with waxed paper so they don't stick. Wrap them well in saran, a ziplock, or 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.
- Mix the cheeses in a mixing bowl and set aside.
- Add the rough chopped artichoke hearts and saute until the moisture evaporates.
- Toss in the fresh spinach and let it wilt and stir gently as the moisture evaporates.
- Add the cream and a grating of fresh nutmeg and black pepper and simmer on low heat until the cream reduces slightly.
- Distribute the filling among the crepes, top with the grated cheeses, and either roll or fold in quarters. 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.
Nutrition
Liked these spinach crepes? Try these brunch recipes!
- Sharp Cheddar Grits & Greens with Garlic, Bacon, and Pickled Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms
- Cheese Grits with Chocolate Red-Eye Gravy and Cheddar Jalapeno Venison Summer Sausage
- Pear Dutch Baby with Buttered Pear Syrup
- Easy Cheesy Pumpkin Muffins with Jalapeno or Herbs
- Broccoli and Cheese Egg Bites
- Spinach Artichoke Egg Bites
- Simple Spinach Lasagna
- Spinach, Feta & Artichoke Quiche
- Chicago-Style Pepper & Egg Quiche