Description
Creamed Spinach is a classic, creamy side dish featuring fresh spinach steamed to perfection and combined with a rich, cheesy sauce made from butter, onions, cream, and Parmesan cheese. This recipe delivers a flavorful, comforting vegetable accompaniment that’s perfect for any meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Spinach
- 4 packages (10 ounces each) fresh spinach, trimmed
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Steam Spinach: Place a steamer basket over 1 inch of water in a Dutch oven. Add a quarter of the trimmed spinach to the basket, cover, and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a low boil and steam the spinach for 3-4 minutes, or until wilted. Transfer the spinach to a colander to drain. Repeat this process with the remaining spinach in batches.
- Drain and Chop Spinach: Once the steamed spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze out excess moisture thoroughly and coarsely chop the spinach to prepare it for the sauce.
- Prepare Sauce Base: In a clean Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and translucent.
- Make Roux: Stir the all-purpose flour, salt, and white pepper into the cooked onions until well blended. Gradually whisk in the whole milk and heavy cream, continuing to stir constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
- Thicken Sauce: Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly, then cook and stir for an additional 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency.
- Add Cheese and Spinach: Stir the grated Parmesan cheese into the thickened sauce until melted and incorporated. Then add the chopped steamed spinach and mix thoroughly to combine. Heat the creamed spinach through before serving.
Notes
- Be sure to thoroughly squeeze the steamed spinach to avoid watery creamed spinach.
- You can substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream for a lighter version.
- For a stronger cheese flavor, consider adding extra Parmesan or mixing in some Gruyère cheese.
- This recipe can be easily doubled for larger gatherings.
- Spinach can be steamed in batches using a microwave steamer if a Dutch oven is not available.
- Leftover creamed spinach can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
