My Favorite Creamed Spinach Recipes

THE BEST CREAMED SPINACH RECIPE

Steps:

• Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Add spinach and cook down for about 2-3 minutes or until spinach is wilted but not soggy.
• Drain spinach well and then wring out using cheesecloth (preferred) or a kitchen towel. You can also press spinach in a fine-mesh strainer to try and remove excess water. Note: the spinach may be VERY hot, handle with care and allow to cool if needed.
• Note: you may be surprised to find that you only have 1-2 cups of spinach. This is totally normal.Set spinach aside.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions become soft and transparent.
• Sprinkle flour over the onions and stir until flour is cooked (about 3 minutes).
• Pour in half and half a little at a time, whisking constantly making a beschamel sauce. You want it to be the consistency of a thin gravy. Add more half and half or milk if needed.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add spinach and stir until spinach is well mixed in.
• Add Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese, and creamy Swiss cheese (or cream cheese). Stir until all cheeses are melted and completely mixed in.
• Serve immediately.

CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Combine milk, spinach liquid and garlic in a 1-quart microwave-safe measuring cup or small bowl covered with a saucer, and microwave (or heat slowly in a medium saucepan) until very hot and steamy. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to soften garlic.
• Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour. Add hot milk mixture all at once, then whisk until smooth. Stir in spinach; cook until sauce is thick and bubbly and spinach is tender but still green, about 5 minutes. Stir in cheese, nutmeg, and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Serve hot.

FAST AND EASY CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Pour olive oil into a large soup pot, place over high heat, add spinach, and cover. Cook for 1 minute, uncover, and lightly stir until most of the leaves are bright green and wilted, about 2 minutes. Quickly drain spinach in a strainer and transfer to a plate lined with 4 or 5 paper towels. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze as much liquid from the spinach as possible. Transfer spinach to a cutting board and coarsely chop.
• Mix salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg in a small bowl.
• Place a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter in skillet, and stir shallot in the hot butter until just barely golden and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir seasoning mixture into shallot mixture and pour in cream. Raise heat to medium-high and reduce cream sauce to about half, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon zest.
• Reduce heat to low and toss spinach with cream sauce in skillet. Cook and stir until spinach is heated through and coated, about 2 minutes. Stir Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into spinach until thoroughly combined; serve immediately.

MY FAVORITE CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Saute the onion and garlic in the butter until tender. Stir in the flour.
• Slowly whisk in half and half. Bring to a boil using medium heat.
• Stir for a couple of minutes until slightly thickened.
• Add the cream cheese, nutmeg and salt. Stir until cream cheese is melted.
• Stir in the spinach and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese until throughly heated. (save the 1 Tablespoon cheese for next step)
• Top with the reserved 1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese and serve!

CREAMED FRESH SPINACH

Steps:

• Rinse off spinach well and shake to dry, but there should be some water still on the leaves (this residual water will help steam the spinach).
• Remove any tough stems from the spinach, then place spinach leaves into a large saucepan, cover, and cook over medium heat just until wilted- approximately 4 minutes, checking once halfway through to flip the leaves over to ensure even cooking.
• Have ready a mesh strainer, so that as soon as the spinach leaves have wilted, you can strain them over the sink, while running cold water over them to prevent overcooking.
• Make sure the spinach is cooled down very well from the water, then set aside to drain.
• Mix together onion, spices,salt,chicken broth,and cream in a small pan.
• Bring to a boil (uncovered) over medium heat and let reduce to about 3/4 cup, this will take some time- approximately 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat as needed to keep from burning.
• Meanwhile, squeeze the spinach dry using your hands- get out all the excess liquid you can.
• Chop spinach coarsely and then add to the reduced cream mixture.
• Taste and season to taste.
• If making this in advance, cover and chill then reheat in a saucepan until bubbling, stirring, for about 4 minutes or until warmed through.

FAVORITE CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• 1) sautée onions in butter and 1 t of salt on medium heat.
• 2) when onions begin to become translucent add garlic and olive oil.
• 3) add flour to make a thick paste, all liquid should be absorbed, you can add more flour or olive oil if needed, cook for 2 to 3 minutes to cook flour thoroughly.
• 4) let cool slightly and whisk in milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps while bringing to mixture to a boil, when finished the sauce should be thick enough to cover the back of a spoon, (be careful not to burn the sauce on the bottom of the pan).
• 5) Add spinach (with as much water removed as possible) and the remaining 1 t of salt (or to taste) and Parmesan, stir thoroughly to combine, bring back to a simmer and remove from heat.