Best Creamed Spinach Lightened Up Recipes

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LIGHTENED-UP CREAMED SPINACH



Lightened-Up Creamed Spinach image

Provided by Food Network

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

10 oz. box frozen spinach, thawed
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium shallot, finely minced
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
freshly ground nutmeg
1/3-cup half and half

Steps:

  • Squeeze spinach hard with your hands to remove as much water as possible. Place spinach on a cutting board, chop it roughly and set aside. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until butter foams. Reduce heat to medium, add shallots and cook, stirring, until shallots soften and begin to brown, two or three minutes.
  • Add spinach and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Cook, stirring, until ingredients are combined and spinach is heated through. Remove from heat and add half and half, stirring to combine well. Serve immediately.

CLASSIC CREAMED SPINACH



Classic Creamed Spinach image

I can't resist a pat-on-my-back moment here--I rock at making creamed spinach. And I'm sharing this recipe with you because I want you to feel the same kind of confidence. Hidden in this seemingly straightforward recipe are lots of skills and foundational techniques, such as making a roux and a bechamel and sauteing onions. When you master this, you can say you're awesome at cooking--and you're definitely ready to graduate to the next chapter ("The Scary Stuff"!). Plus, this steakhouse classic is a great way to get everyone chowing down on iron-rich spinach.

Provided by Amanda Freitag

Categories     side-dish

Time 35m

Yield Makes 8 cups, to serve 8 to 10

Number Of Ingredients 12

Kosher salt
2 pounds baby spinach
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup Spanish onion, 1/4-inch dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

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.

QUICK CREAMED SPINACH



Quick Creamed Spinach image

The inspiration for this creamy side dish came from a local restaurant. I lightened up the original recipe by using fat-free half-and-half and fat-free cream cheese. I goes great with most any entree. -Susan Geddie of Harker Heights, Texas

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Side Dishes

Time 15m

Yield 5 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 11

1/4 cup diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups fat-free half-and-half
4 ounces fat-free cream cheese, cubed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 package (16 ounces) frozen leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

Steps:

  • In a large nonstick skillet, saute onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually whisk in half-and-half until blended. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened., Add the cream cheese, salt, nutmeg and pepper, stirring until cream cheese is melted. Stir in spinach and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; heat through. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 131 calories, Fat 4g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 12mg cholesterol, Sodium 704mg sodium, Carbohydrate 13g carbohydrate (0 sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 10g protein.

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