Print
clockclock iconcutlerycutlery iconflagflag iconfolderfolder iconinstagraminstagram iconpinterestpinterest iconfacebookfacebook iconprintprint iconsquaressquares iconheartheart iconheart solidheart solid icon
Healthy creamed spinach baked in a white oval dish with a golden parmesan top, spinach leaves and grated parmesan beside it on a wooden Thanksgiving table

Healthy Creamed Spinach

Creamed spinach rebuilt around a real cooked sauce: a light roux with milk and parmesan, two pounds of spinach squeezed properly dry, and Greek yogurt stirred in off the heat for freshness and protein. About 125 calories and 10 grams of protein per serving, with the nutmeg and glossy finish of the steakhouse classic, ready for the Thanksgiving table.

  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds fresh spinach, tough stems trimmed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 cup 2 percent milk, plus a splash more if needed
  • 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan, plus more for serving
  • 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt, at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place a large dry Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the spinach in big handfuls, turning with tongs as it wilts, 2 to 3 minutes per batch, and move each finished batch to a colander. Work through all 2 pounds.
  2. Let the spinach cool until you can handle it. Press it firmly in the colander, then pile it on a cutting board and chop it roughly into bite size pieces.
  3. Squeeze the chopped spinach by the handful over the sink, pressing hard, then squeeze each handful a second time. The spinach is ready when a squeezed ball holds together and no longer drips.
  4. Wipe out the pot and warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of the salt and cook, stirring now and then, for 4 to 5 minutes, until soft and sweet. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
  5. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and stir constantly for 1 minute, until the paste smells faintly toasty and coats the bottom of the pot in a thin, pale layer.
  6. Pour in the milk in a slow stream, whisking as you go. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  7. Lower the heat and stir in the parmesan until it melts completely. Season with the remaining salt, the pepper and the nutmeg, and taste the sauce on its own; it should be well seasoned before the spinach returns.
  8. Fold the squeezed spinach into the sauce and warm it through over low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring gently. Do not let it boil, which would dull the color.
  9. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the Greek yogurt and the lemon juice, if using. Rest 2 minutes, taste once more for salt, and serve with extra parmesan over the top.
  • Author: Nora Ellis
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 3
  • Calories: 125
  • Sugar: 4
  • Sodium: 395
  • Fat: 5
  • Saturated Fat: 2
  • Unsaturated Fat: 3
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 12
  • Fiber: 4
  • Protein: 10
  • Cholesterol: 6

Find it online: https://nourishtable.com/healthy-creamed-spinach/