Spinach Goats Cheese Roulade Main Dish
⏲ ~27 min total · prep 14 · cook 13 · 4 servings
Lunch⏱ 50 min total🔥 2.5g net carbs⚡ ≈512 kcal/serving~5% of calories from carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
Ingredients
- 10 oz fresh spinach
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
- 3 tbsp butter, softened, for the pan
- 6 oz goat cheese, softened
- 3 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tbsp chives, finely snipped
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F. Line a 10x15-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment and butter the parchment all over with 1 tbsp of the butter.
- Wilt the spinach in a hot dry pot, tossing, for 2 minutes until just collapsed. When cool enough to handle, squeeze it in a clean kitchen towel until no more water drips out, then chop coarsely.
- Whisk the yolks with the Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. In a separate bowl, beat the whites to soft peaks that just fall over when you lift the whisk.
- Fold the spinach into the yolk mixture, then fold that into the whites in three additions, keeping the batter as airy as possible.
- Spread evenly in the prepared pan and bake 12-14 minutes, until puffed, matte on top, and springy when pressed in the center.
- Turn the sheet out upside down onto a clean kitchen towel, peel off the parchment, and cool 10 minutes under a barely damp towel so the surface stays supple and won't crack.
- Beat the goat cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream, and chives until fluffy. Spread over the sheet, then roll it up from a long edge, using the towel to lift and guide, ending seam-side down. Rest 5 minutes and slice into thick rounds with a serrated knife.
Why this recipe works
- An egg sponge, no flour Separated eggs, whipped and folded, carry the whole sheet, which is why it lands at 2.5 net carbs a serving. The Parmesan bakes into the structure.
- Squeezed spinach is non-negotiable Wilted spinach releases a startling amount of water. Towel-squeezing it dry keeps the sponge springy instead of damp.
- The damp towel rest Ten minutes under a barely damp towel after baking keeps the surface supple. Skip it and the sheet cracks the moment the roll starts.
Tips for making this recipe well
Fold in three additions
Adding the yolk mixture to the whites in thirds preserves the air you whipped in. One heavy-handed fold can flatten the batter, and a flat batter bakes into a dense sheet.
Read the surface, not the clock
Twelve to fourteen minutes at 375°F is the range, and the sheet is done when the top turns matte and the center springs back under a finger. A wet sheen means more time.
Butter the parchment, not the pan
The parchment liner is what releases the sponge. Butter it all over so the sheet peels away clean when you flip it onto the towel.
Let the towel do the rolling
Lift the towel's near edge and let the sheet roll over itself instead of pushing with your fingers. End seam-side down and give it the five-minute rest before slicing.
Serrated knife, thick rounds
A serrated blade saws gently through the roll without compressing it. Pressed straight down, a chef's knife squashes the rounds flat.
Serving suggestions
Slice the roulade into thick rounds with a serrated knife and fan them on a platter while they are still barely warm. The goat cheese filling is rich, so a sharp green salad alongside cuts through it, though the dish stands alone as a lunch at 2.5 net carbs a serving. Fifty minutes start to finish makes this a weekend cook rather than a Tuesday one. Leftovers slice cleanly straight from the fridge for the next day's plate.
Storage and meal prep
The roulade keeps three to four days wrapped in the fridge and slices best cold, straight from the shelf. The filling firms as it chills, which makes the rounds hold their shape even better on day two. Freezing is not recommended; the cream cheese filling and the spinach both hold water, and the sheet weeps as it thaws. If you must freeze it, wrap individual rounds tightly and expect a softer texture after an overnight thaw in the fridge.
Variations worth trying
- Herb swap Dill or tarragon stands in for the chives in the filling. Soft herbs only, since woody ones like rosemary fight the goat cheese.
- Sun-dried tomato swirl A thin layer of chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes over the filling adds acidity and a little chew. Pat them dry first so the sheet does not spot.
- Smoked salmon on top Drapes of cold-smoked salmon over each round pair naturally with the goat cheese and chives. Add them after slicing rather than before rolling.
- Two smaller roulades Bake the batter in two smaller pans and roll each separately for single servings. Start checking the bake a couple of minutes early, since thinner sheets finish faster.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my sponge crack when rolling?
It cooled without the towel, or it baked past the springy stage. A dry surface cracks, so keep the towel barely damp and pull the sheet while the center still springs back.
Can I use frozen spinach?
Thaw it completely and squeeze it harder than you think necessary, since frozen spinach carries more water than fresh. Dry spinach is what makes or breaks this sheet.
How do I know the whites are ready?
Soft peaks that fall over when you lift the whisk, as the recipe puts it. Stiff peaks make the batter harder to fold and the rolled sheet tougher.
Can I make it a day ahead?
Yes, and many cooks prefer it that way. Wrapped and chilled overnight, the filling sets firm and the slices come out cleaner than on day one.
Does the pan size matter?
The 10x15-inch jelly-roll pan is the whole geometry of the recipe. A smaller or deeper pan thickens the sponge and throws off the twelve-to-fourteen-minute window.
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