Baked Flounder Florentine

Flounder with Spinach Stuffing
Diana Rattray
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Thin flounder fillets are perfect for stuffing, and these Florentine-style flounder fillets are rolled around a savory seasoned spinach mixture. It's an elegant and delicious dish that's surprisingly easy to make and ready for the table in just under an hour.

Florentine describes a culinary style that originated in Florence, Italy. Best known for eggs Benedict, the dishes are often characterized by spinach cooked with eggs, fish, or poultry, then finished in a savory sauce. This dish follows that custom by rolling cooked spinach, onion, and oregano into flounder fillets, then topping the baked fish with a creamy white wine sauce.

The key to this recipe is to precook the spinach. Steaming for two minutes or blanching for less than a minute are the easiest methods. Neither requires butter or oil, so the spinach is pure and ready to be seasoned. However, you want to let the spinach cool entirely and squeeze out any moisture before using it in the Florentine flounder recipe.

Once the fish and sauce are ready, plate your stuffed fish and sprinkle it with a bit of grated Parmesan and sprinkle of paprika. A simple side dish of baked or roasted potatoes would be perfect with the fish, and rice is another good choice. Add a tossed salad or mixed greens for a memorable meal.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, divided

  • 1/4 cup minced onion

  • 1 (10-ounce) package spinach, chopped, cooked, cooled, and squeezed dry

  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

  • 2 pounds flounder fillets

  • 1/2 cup dry white wine

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

  • 1 cup milk

  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

  • Paprika, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

  2. In a medium skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.

  3. Add onion and sauté until translucent.

  4. Stir in the spinach, oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.

  5. Put about 1 1/2 tablespoons spinach mixture on each flounder fillet; roll up.

  6. Put the fish rolls in a baking dish, seam-side down. Add the wine.

  7. Cover and bake 25 minutes.

  8. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid. Keep the fish warm.

  9. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; add flour, the remaining salt and the remaining black pepper, and mustard. Add the reserved liquid and milk.

  10. Stir until thick and bubbly.

  11. Pour the sauce over the stuffed flounder rolls. Sprinkle with Parmesan and paprika just before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
283 Calories
14g Fat
9g Carbs
27g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 283
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 113mg 38%
Sodium 794mg 35%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 27g
Vitamin C 5mg 26%
Calcium 171mg 13%
Iron 2mg 14%
Potassium 630mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)