Creamed Spinach in both a southern staple and the base for so many tasty recipes. But it can get redundant. I easiest solution is to that blandness that spinach can get is to up the salt and add in the spice. Now, when I say spice, I don’t only mean pepper flakes and chili powder (though I add both liberally).
While creamed spinach is not my favorite side dish, it is fantastic in the fall and winter for its hearty quality. It makes a great topping for a seared pork chop, or stuffing. I have no special story for creamed spinach in my family, other than the grocery store stopped selling it in the frozen section. Therefore, I started making it myself because the loss of the ingredient didn’t outweigh the love for dishes using it.
Creamed Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh spinach or ½ pound frozen spinach
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced or minced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup half & half or heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/8 t ground nutmeg
- 1/4 t red chili flakes or cayenne pepper
- 3/4 t fine sea salt
- 1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook for about 1 minute until it begins to wilt. Place into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking immediately. Drain.
- Heat up butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until it melts.
- Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and stir occasionally while cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the flour to the skillet and stir constantly while cooking for about a minute until it becomes foamy.
- Gradually whisk in the half and half and milk. Add the nutmeg, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper into the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes until it slightly thickens.
- Add the spinach and Parmesan cheese into the skillet and mix them in. Cook the mixture for another minute to heat everything through.
This creamed spinach is also the base for my hot spinach artichoke dip, of which we add much more cheese to it. If you are serving this as a side dish, I recommend doing a less seasoned side dish along with it because it can get heavy for some palates.
Side dish or base ingredients creamed spinach is a great way to serve spinach with other cozy favorites. Roasted garlic potatoes are a great dish. And as always: Don’t forget to take the leftovers.
