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Vegetarian, Americas

Brazilian spinach and cheese panquecas with tomato sauce

Spinach and cheese panquecas are Brazilian crepes rolled around a spinach and fresh cheese filling, topped with tomato sauce and baked with Swiss cheese until golden. This recipe serves 4, takes 50 minutes, rates as easy, and costs €1.90 per serving. The key is squeezing the spinach thoroughly, so the filling stays thick and doesn't soak through the crepes.

How about panquecas tonight, those Brazilian crepes rolled around spinach and cheese, topped with tomato sauce and baked until bubbly?

Brazilian spinach and cheese panquecas with tomato sauce
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.90
Calories per person
610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Under the golden cheese crust, thin crepes hide a soft filling of spinach and fresh cheese, lifted by a touch of nutmeg. The tomato sauce brings the acidity that balances the creamy filling, and the final bake creates that contrast between a crisp top and a tender inside that gives this dish its character.

It's a weeknight dinner that offers a change from pasta, mild enough for kids once the cheese and tomato take center stage. Mon Chou also suggests it for a meat free Sunday, since you can assemble it ahead and slide it into the oven right before guests arrive.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 200 g
  • Tomato sauceoften in the pantry 500 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Eggs 2
  • Milk 45 cl
  • Ricotta style fresh cheese 200 g
  • Shredded Swiss cheese 150 g
  • Butter 20 g

Frozen foods

  • Frozen chopped spinach 600 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Lettuce 1

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Whisk the flour, eggs, milk, and a pinch of salt together, let the batter rest, then cook thin crepes in a buttered pan. 20 min

    Pour the milk in two additions to avoid lumps, and let the batter rest so the crepes won't tear.

  2. Saute the minced onion and garlic in the oil, add the well squeezed spinach, nutmeg, salt and pepper, then stir in the fresh cheese. 8 min

    Let the spinach's water evaporate over high heat, the filling should be thick, almost spreadable.

  3. Fill each crepe with the mixture, roll it up, and arrange the rolls tightly in a baking dish.

    Place the seam side of each roll against the dish, so they won't unroll.

  4. Top with seasoned tomato sauce, sprinkle with Swiss cheese, and bake at 200°C. 20 min

    Warm the tomato sauce for five minutes with a pinch of sugar if it tastes too acidic.

  5. Serve with a green salad dressed with a drizzle of oil and vinegar.

    Dress the salad at the last minute, so it stays crisp next to the hot bake.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cook the crepes in a pan that's hot but not scorching, the first one usually tells you if you need to adjust the heat.
  • Spread the filling evenly across the crepes, an overstuffed roll tends to unroll more easily when serving.
  • If your baking dish is small, stack the rolls tightly in a single row rather than two, so the sauce and cheese cover them better.

The variations

  • Swap the frozen spinach for fresh spinach, cooked and squeezed, you'll need about twice the weight in fresh leaves to get the same amount once cooked.
  • For a richer filling, stir in some chopped ham before mixing in the fresh cheese.
  • For a quicker kid friendly version, use a ready seasoned tomato sauce and shorten the baking time to 15 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • Green salad with vinaigrette
  • Plain white rice on the side
  • Cold lemon water

Storage

Panquecas keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. They freeze well once baked and cooled, and reheat best in the oven to keep the top crisp rather than in the microwave.

Questions about this dish

Can you make panquecas ahead of time?

Yes, you can fill and roll the crepes, arrange them in the dish with the sauce, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before adding the cheese and baking.

Can you use a different cheese instead of ricotta?

Drained cottage cheese or plain cream cheese works just as well, the key is a firm enough texture so the filling holds together.

How do you keep the crepes from tearing when rolling them?

Let the batter rest well before cooking and don't overfill the crepes, a thin and pliable crepe rolls without trouble.

Do panquecas freeze well?

Yes, once baked and fully cooled, they freeze well in an airtight container, and you can reheat them straight from frozen or thawed in the oven.

How long does it take to make Brazilian spinach and cheese panquecas with a side salad?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in Brazilian spinach and cheese panquecas with a side salad?

About 610 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does Brazilian spinach and cheese panquecas with a side salad cost?

About €1.90 per serving, or €7.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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