Creamed Spinach
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This recipe for Creamed Spinach is so easy and quick to make, ready in just 30 minutes. It’s a great addition to your table for any meal! Breakfast, lunch, or dinner. While simultaneously full of great flavor and versatile, you can spoon this creamed spinach onto any savory bite.
Quick And Easy Creamed Spinach
Creamed spinach isn’t just for breakfast foods! You may remember it spooned over a steak, enjoyed with chicken, or even seafood. I’ll even dip some good crusty bread into it! Once you give this a try, every meal will simply be a vessel for your creamed spinach.
This creamed spinach only requires 15 minutes of prep time and 15 minutes cook time. It’s great with fresh or frozen spinach! This creamed spinach is pure luxury to your taste buds.
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil – A little bit of olive oil is added to saute the onion and garlic in.
- Onion and garlic – Essential to add flavor to the spinach.
- Spinach – I used fresh baby spinach. It may look like a lot, but it will cook down.
- Milk – Any type of milk you have handy. Even non-dairy alternatives, with a mild flavor, of course, will work. If you want a creamier creamed spinach, you could use half and half or heavy cream.
- Flour – We need a bit of all purpose flour for the white sauce.
- Parmesan cheese – This ingredient is optional. I like to sprinkle some parmesan cheese on the finished dish.
Step By Steps Instructions
- Blanch the spinach: Boil a pot of water, then turn off the heat. Add the spinach, stir, and let it soak for 20-30 seconds. Drain the spinach in a colander in the sink and immediately run the spinach under cold water to halt the cooking. Let it drain the colander while making the sauce.
- Sauté onion and garlic: In a saucepan pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and. Stir in the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic. Stir in the flour and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the milk, mix well until smooth and thickened.
- Add the spinach and cook: Add the spinach to the saucepan, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until sauce has thickened.
- Blend: Add the creamed spinach to a food processor and pulse a few times until it’s reached your desired consistency.
- Serve: warm with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Note: If you don’t want to add the creamed spinach to a food processor at the end, you can definitely chop it up a bit before adding it to the saucepan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes, you can absolutely use up frozen spinach. Let it thaw fully, then squeeze all the excess water out of it. If using frozen spinach, you won’t have to scald it in hot water, otherwise follow the rest of the steps as instructed.
Can I make this creamed spinach gluten free?
The flour is used to make a roux, but you can also use cornstarch instead. Whisk 1/2 tbsp of water with 1/2 tbsp of cornstarch. Pour this slurry over the onion/garlic mixture and stir well to combine. Continue with the recipe as instructed.
Expert Tips
- Fresh baby spinach is best for making creamed spinach because it’s less bitter than full-grown. It also requires less cooking time and adds more creaminess.
- There’s no cream in creamed spinach. My recipe is made with a roux, and only milk is added. This way we end up with a spinach that is not only creamy but also light.
- Don’t be afraid to play around with dried spices such as dried mustard or cayenne pepper.
How To Serve
I love my creamed spinach for breakfast alongside some sunny-side-up eggs. Add some bacon and toast if you wish. I have a feeling you’ll want to include a dollop of creamed spinach onto every piece served on your plate.
Leftovers
Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge up to 3 days. You can serve this cold or warm.
Freezing
Creamed spinach will last 10-12 months frozen. You can reheat by letting it thaw overnight in the fridge and using one of the methods described in the section above, or you can reheat it straight from the freezer into the microwave.
Keep in mind that once spinach freezes and thaws, it will release quite a bit of moisture. If you find that the creamed spinach has become somewhat watery after thawing, you can reduce the excess moisture just like we did in step 3 using the stovetop over medium heat. Stir often to keep everything creamy.
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Creamed Spinach
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion (minced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 pound fresh baby spinach (stems removed (2 bunches))
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Blanch the spinach: Boil a pot of water, then turn off the heat. Add the spinach, stir, and let it soak for 20-30 seconds. Drain the spinach in a colander in the sink and immediately run the spinach under cold water to halt the cooking. Let it drain the colander while making the sauce.
- Sauté onion and garlic: In a saucepan pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and. Stir in the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic. Stir in the flour and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the milk, mix well until smooth and thickened.
- Add the spinach and cook: Add the spinach to the saucepan, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until sauce has thickened.
- Blend: Add the creamed spinach to a food processor and pulse a few times until it's reached your desired consistency.
- Serve: warm with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Be very careful with the salt. Even if you taste it it’s hard to tell how salty it is when the spinach is cooking and it’s hot. I strongly recommend leaving the salt out until ready to be served.
- If you don’t want to add the creamed spinach to a food processor at the end, you can definitely chop it up a bit before adding it to the saucepan.
- Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge up to 3 days. You can serve this cold or warm.
- Creamed spinach will last 10-12 months frozen. You can reheat by letting it thaw overnight in the fridge and using one of the methods described in the section above, or you can reheat it straight from the freezer into the microwave.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
