Cream spinach is a great addition to any meal or a meal in itself. There are many ways to prepare it, but below you'll find how to get this deliciousness into your tummy in about five minutes! Or, if you can handle the wait, a bit longer... your choice!
Ingredients
- 2 (10 oz) bags of chopped spinach
- 2 (8 oz) boxes of cream cheese. Note: (1/3) less fat cream cheese is recommended
- 3 tbsps (45 g) of butter (optional)
- 1 stick of butter
- 8 tablespoons (90 g) flour
- 1/2 whole medium onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 cups (475 ml) milk
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) butter
- 24 ounces baby spinach
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:
Quick & Easy Method
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Set out your ingredients. If you are using frozen spinach, you will need to let it thaw. The cream cheese needs to soften slightly as well. -
In a medium size saucepan or pot, prepare the spinach according to directions on the bag or box. If there are none, just throw 3 tablespoons (45 g) of butter in with your spinach over medium heat to get it going.Advertisement
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Add in the cream cheese one box at a time. Stir well, adding the second box only once the first half of the cream cheese has mostly melted. Switch to low heat and allow the cream cheese to blend in well with the spinach, while stirring continuously.
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Remove from the heat, stir, and serve! Have this dish alone, with hot dinner rolls, or as a great side dish with a meal.Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 2:
Traditional Method
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Prep your ingredients. That's code for grabbing your cutting board, knife and veggies.
- Cut the onion in half. Make vertical slices very close together. Then, rotate it and cut it the other way to dice it.
- Mince your garlic finely. Once you think it's small enough, do it a teeny bit more.
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Grab a pot for your cream sauce. Put in 1 stick of butter over medium-low heat. If your stove runs a bit colder, put it on medium.
- Once the butter is melted, add in 8 tablespoons (90 g) of flour.
- Immediately start whisking and cook for five minutes. It should turn golden brown.
- Add garlic and onions to your roux. Stir together to combine and cook for another minute.
- Slowly add in 2 cups (475 ml) of milk. Whisk constantly. Cook it for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. It should start to thicken.
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Sauté the spinach. If you have another pair of hands at your disposal, make him or her whisk the cream sauce while you do the spinach.
- Put 3 tablespoons of butter into a pot and let it melt.
- Throw in as much of the spinach as you can. As it heats, it will shrivel and shrink and you'll be able to add more. This may take a few additions. Stir it well, flipping it to cook it evenly.
- You want to stop cooking the spinach when it’s completely wilted but not mushy and overcooked. Grab a leaf from the pan and give 'er a taste test. It should be cooked and wilted, but still have a tiny bit of crunch to it.
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Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg to your cream sauce. By now it should be thick like gravy.
- Spoon the spinach into the cream. Stir it gently to entirely incorporate the greens into the creaminess. Try it before you deem it too creamy or to vegetable-y. Also, if you want to spice it up, add some cayenne. Then serve!
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Finished.Advertisement
Community Q&A
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QuestionIf the dish is frozen, should I thaw it before baking or microwaving?Community AnswerYes. Typically you want to thaw the dish on the bottom shelf of your fridge overnight. Then you can bake or microwave the dish as needed the next day.
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QuestionI boiled spinach and it turned out gritty. What should I do?Community AnswerDon't worry about it. It only represents that it is fully cooked and safe to eat.
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Tips
- For people who may like a little fire with their meal, a few (nacho slices) of jalapeño peppers can be added.Thanks
- Cream spinach goes well with the Delicious Stuffed Mushrooms (see link below) recipe on wikiHow.Thanks
- You could top off this dish with a little picante sauce as another option.Thanks
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Warnings
- Be sure that any extra moisture is removed from the spinach before adding the cream cheese. If left in, the sauce becomes very watery.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
Quick & Easy Method
- Pot
- Large spoon
Traditional Method
- Knife
- Cutting board
- 2 pots
- Whisk
- Spoon
- Measuring cup
About this article
Article Summary
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To make cream spinach, start by melting a stick of butter in a small saucepan and whisking in flour to make a paste. Then, cook the paste until it’s golden brown before adding chopped onions, garlic, and milk and simmering the sauce until it starts to thicken. Next, sauté spinach with butter in a skillet until it’s wilted, then add it to the cream sauce. Finally, mix everything together and season the cream spinach with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. For tips on how to make cream spinach with just cream cheese, read on!
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 280,556 times.
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