Best Big Marthas Creamed Spinach Recipes

CREAMED-SPINACH GRATIN

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring 1 1/2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to a simmer. Add spinach; cover and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain in a colander, pressing out as much liquid as possible with the back of a wooden spoon; coarsely chop.
• In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, until mixture is pale golden and has a slightly nutty aroma, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour in milk, whisking constantly, until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly along bottom of pan, until bubbling and thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat; add mustard and 1/2 cup cheese. Whisk until smooth.
• In a large bowl, stir together spinach and cheese sauce until spinach is completely coated. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a medium skillet over medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and panko; cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly brush a 7-by-11-inch oval gratin dish with butter. Transfer spinach mixture to dish; sprinkle top with toasted panko and remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake until browned on top and edges are starting to bubble, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

EASY CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spinach, and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander; rinse with cold water until cool. Squeeze spinach to remove as much liquid as possible; coarsely chop, and set aside.
• In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add cream cheese and milk; cook, stirring, until cream cheese is melted and smooth. Stir in spinach. Simmer over medium heat until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. Add nutmeg; season with salt and pepper.

CLASSIC CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Blanch the spinach. Bring 1 gallon water to a boil in a large pot. Add a pinch of kosher salt. Place the spinach in the boiling water. After 45 seconds (exactly), remove the spinach leaves with a slotted spoon, spider or tongs and drain in a colander. Let cool completely.
• Use your hands to press the spinach against the sides of the colander. When most of the liquid has been released, squeeze handfuls of the spinach to make sure all of the excess water has been removed. Set aside.
• In a wide, high-sided saute pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. With a wooden spoon, stir the flour into the melted butter to create a roux that will look like wet sand. Cook the roux for 3 minutes, stirring continuously to make sure it doesn't burn and it becomes a "blond" color. Add the milk to the roux, whisking vigorously to make sure that the roux completely dissolves into the milk without lumping.
• Turn down the heat to maintain a low simmer. You're making a bechamel sauce, which is the base for the creamed spinach. Next, whisk in the cream and return the mixture to a simmer. Cook the bechamel until thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Season the sauce with the salt, pepper and cayenne.
• Preheat a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and let heat for about 1 minute. Add the onions and season with a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions soften and become translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook an additional minute or two.
• Add the cooked onion and garlic along with the drained spinach to the bechamel, folding to make sure it's completely coated with sauce. Season with the nutmeg. Cook for 2 minutes, then taste the spinach. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and the nutmeg, and/or more cayenne if desired.

CREAMED SPINACH WITH POACHED EGGS AND BRIOCHE CROUTONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons butter, toss with brioche cubes, and spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until golden and crisp, about 8 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in 3 cups milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in nutmeg and pepper to taste. Press parchment paper directly on surface of bechamel to cover.
• Place half of spinach in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cover and cook just until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Add remaining spinach, cover, and cook until it collapses, about 2 minutes more; drain. When cool enough to handle, squeeze as much liquid from spinach as possible. Coarsely chop and stir into bechamel.
• Bring 1 1/2 inches of water to a simmer in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in vinegar. Crack 1 egg into a small bowl. Holding bowl just above surface of water, gently pour egg into skillet. Repeat with 3 more eggs. Poach eggs, adjusting heat to maintain a simmer, just until whites are firm and yolks are still runny, about 4 minutes (for firmer yolks, poach 1 to 2 minutes more). Gently remove eggs from water with a slotted spoon, allowing excess water to drain, and transfer to a plate. Poach remaining eggs in 2 more batches. Use immediately or transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water.
• Uncover creamed spinach and heat with remaining 1/4 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until warmed through. If necessary, transfer poached eggs to a large pot of simmering water with a slotted spoon and cook until warmed through, about 30 seconds. Divide spinach evenly among 12 small ramekins or bowls, top with poached eggs and croutons, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

CREAMED COCONUT SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat scant 1 tablespoon ghee in a large Dutch oven over medium. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain spinach in a sieve, pressing to remove excess liquid. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop.
• Return pan to medium heat and melt remaining 2 tablespoons ghee. Add shallots, ginger, and jalapeno and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in flour, cumin, and sugar and cook for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir chopped spinach into coconut mixture and season with salt and pepper.

CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring ½ inch of water to a boil over high. Add spinach in 3 batches, stirring until each batch is wilted before adding another, until all of the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under cold water until cool. Drain again, pressing out excess water, then coarsely chop for a total of 4 packed cups.
• In the same pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened with no color, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and stir until melted, then add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour is light golden but the shallots still have no color, about 3 minutes. While whisking constantly, drizzle in milk and cream until smooth, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then add chopped spinach and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the spinach is totally incorporated and the sauce is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in sour cream until combined. Transfer to a bowl and serve warm.

BIG MARTHA'S CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• 1. Place spinach in a large pot over high heat. Cook, covered, with just the water clinging to leaves, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain, squeezing out and reserving excess liquid. Roughly chop spinach; set aside.
• 2. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour, and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk; season with salt, pepper, and sugar. Thin with reserved spinach liquid. Stir in spinach. Sprinkle with nutmeg to taste and, if desired, top with a dollop of sour cream. Serve immediately.