Creamed Spinach Spinach Maria Urban Farmie

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💭Why you’ll love this recipe

Hints of spice. I use mustard and red pepper flakes along with yellow onions and garlic to add some nice aromatics and break the richness of the heavy cream and cheese. Fresh cheese to keep things light. The traditional recipe uses cream cheese, which adds a sour note. I use mozzarella and cheddar jack in my recipe for extra cheesiness. Make-ahead and freezer-friendly dish. This dish can be made ahead of time (up to 3 days) and can also be easily frozen.

📋 Ingredients and notes

This easy creamed spinach recipe is inspired by Spinach Maria from Calhoun’s, an east Tennessee steakhouse. It’s a spicy creamed spinach casserole. To make this recipe, you’ll need spinach, butter, heavy cream, yellow onion, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, Dijon mustard, mozzarella, and cheddar jack cheese.

Variations and substitutions

Spinach. Use fresh or frozen spinach. Frozen spinach makes it easy to throw this dish together, but fresh spinach typically has a more vibrant green color finish. You can also use baby spinach. Heavy cream. You can also use half and half or whole milk for a less creamy version. But don’t go any less fatty than whole milk! Cheese. I used a combination of mozzarella and cheddar jack cheese. Make sure to grate or shred them fresh, for the best flavor. You can also add parmesan cheese for a depth of flavor. Garlic. You can also use minced garlic cloves, but saute them with the onions. Spices. I only used Dijon mustard and red pepper flakes but you can also use other warm spices like nutmeg or cayenne pepper to adjust it to your taste preference. Salt. I find that additional salt is not necessary for this recipe, but if you prefer, you can add a pinch to the cream mixture.

👩🏽‍🍳 How to make creamed spinach from scratch

I like to use a cast iron skillet for this recipe because it allows me to throw it straight into the oven for the last step. However, if you don’t want to bake the top, you are welcome to use a regular pan or any large skillet and transfer to an oven-proof container for the last step. Step 1:If using fresh spinach, blanch in a pot of hot water, drain the water and set aside - you can use an ice bath to preserve the color as desired. You can also chop up the blanched spinach if you want smaller bites (but I prefer not to do this!) Step 2:If you do the optional baking step at the end, preheat oven to 350°F. Step 3:In a cast iron skillet (or oven safe skillet) melt butter on medium heat and then sauté the onions until they are fully sweated (about 3 to 4 minutes). Step 4:Add heavy cream and stir to combine until bubbles start to appear. Reduce the heat to low and then add Dijon mustard, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer. Step 4:Next, add the Mozzarella and 4 oz of the Cheddar Jack cheese and whisk to create a thick gooey cheese sauce. If you’re not planning to bake in the last step, add all the cheese at this step! Step 5:Squeeze all possible excess water out of the spinach and then add to the cheese sauce. Give everything a good mix until combined. Step 6:Add the 2 oz of Cheddar jack on top and bake in the oven for about 3-4 minutes until the top layer melts really well. Top with a bit more red pepper flakes and black pepper and serve hot!

When adding the heavy cream, stir continuously to prevent it from scorching. Let it come to a gentle simmer to help the flavors meld together. If the cheese sauce seems too thick after adding the spinach, you can add a splash of milk or additional cream to achieve your desired consistency. If you choose to bake it, keep an eye on it to avoid burning the cheese. You want it to melt and bubble, not brown too much.

🍴 How to serve creamed spinach

Creamed spinach can be served as a side all year long, though it’s also a fantastic side for any Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday meal. After all, who doesn’t love creamy goodness? It’s also a great way to get your kids to eat spinach if they don’t love it normally. I like to serve it as a side dish alongside my vegan turkey roast, mushroom wellington, or stuffed acorn squash. You can also use it as a dip for tortilla chips, crackers, or vegetable sticks.

🍴Storage and reheating suggestions

This creamed spinach casserole is a great make ahead side dish. You can make it 3 days before you need it and just store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Skip the last step when you make it ahead. Then, when you’re ready to eat, reheat the spinach on the stove top, add the topping and bake for 10 minutes. It’s also freezer friendly. Again, skip the last step. Then store the spinach in an airtight container in the freezer - it can last as long as three months! I love making a big batch of this spinach casserole (as large as my skillet will accommodate usually) and then freezing leftovers in individual portions for dinners. To thaw frozen creamed spinach, throw in a microwave safe container, add a spoonful of water, and then heat in a microwave for around 2 minutes. I typically increase in 30 second intervals and watch the spinach as it thaws. Alternatively, you can move it from the freezer to the fridge the night before.