Easy Creamed Spinach
I don’t know about you but I still love the Creamed Spinach and Butternut still served at some restaurants.
Easy Creamed Spinach
This was my hubby’s request for dinner today together with the baby puree like butternut. I will post the recipe for that soon.
It may not be everybody’s cup of tea but we still enjoy the simple things in life.
If you’re a fine-diner you wouldn’t know what I am referring to but, if like ourselves, you frequent those franchisee types of restaurants then you would understand.
I must say I don’t need to visit a restaurant to eat my spinach, this Easy Creamed Spinach is something I have made often and it is so delicious.
I love using baby spinach for this recipe and I used fresh cream and milk with some parmesan. For some extra deliciousness I also added a little mozzarella.
There are recipes with cream cheese too but my family are not fans of the cream cheese.
You can also make this Easy Creamed Spinach and freeze it, if you wish. I don’t freeze anything much but if I do it will be for a month and not more.
It is also a great make-ahead dish. You can re-heat when ready to serve. This dish goes really well with some grilled chicken or fish or whatever else you prefer to eat it with.
It also has just the right amount of garlic and a pinch of nutmeg.
Ingredients Required
For this dish I used baby spinach, shallot, garlic, olive oil, flour, butter, cream, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg
Although the fresh cream is not totally necessary, it does give the dish a rich taste. You can always increase the amount of milk and leave out the cream if you wish.
The cheese also makes all the difference to the dish. How can anyone not love cheese.
This dish is usually served as a side dish so even if the dish is a little indulgent you can take consolation in the fact that you’re not eating a whole lot of it.
For that reason I don’t feel too guilty when I add the cream and the cheese.
How to make the Creamed Spinach
It is a pretty easy dish to make. I also love simplifying things so I don’t wilt my spinach on the stovetop.
I boil some water and pour it over the spinach and that wilts it in a jiffy. You can then squeeze out the excess liquid and chop up the spinach.
You can make the sauce and add the spinach. It takes just a few minutes to make this Creamed Spinach and it tastes heavenly.
More Spinach Recipes:
Spinach, Feta and Ricotta in Phyllo
Spinach Ricotta Rolls (Made with Puff Pastry)
Easy Creamed Spinach
Ingredients
- 400 gram baby spinach
- 2 kettles boiled water
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp cake wheat flour
- 1/2 cup fresh cream
- 1 cup full cream or low fat milk
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup parmesan
- 1/4 cup grated mozarella
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Rinse the spinach well using a colander. Pour two kettles of freshly boiled water over the spinach until it wilts. Immediately run some cold water over it. Squeeze the excess water,chop it up and set aside
- In a large pan add the olive oil and butter. Add the onion and fry until translucent
- Add the garlic and fry for a minute
- Mix in the flour and allow that to cook for a minute
- Slowly stir in the fresh cream and milk. Simmer for a minute or two until it slightly thickens
- Add the chopped spinach and allow it to heat through. Season with salt and pepper and add the nutmeg. Add the parmesan and mozzarella
Notes
- Cream cheese in another alternative to the milk and cream
- You can also add some provolone or gruyere cheese instead of mozzarella together with the parmesan
- You can adjust the liquid according to how thick or thin you prefer the sauce
- I add a little olive oil to the butter to prevent the butter from burning
- Adding cold water straight after the hot water stops the cooking process and also retains some of that lovely green colour in the spinach
