Low-fat Creamed Spinach
Submitted by linzaphi
Low-fat creamed spinach: fresh spinach wilted with shallot and garlic, then folded into a light milk-based bechamel with nutmeg and Parmesan. All the creamy comfort with far less fat.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
10 minREADY
20 minClassic creamed spinach is a heavy cream bomb, but this lighter version proves you don’t need all that fat for a rich, silky result. The trick is a proper bechamel built on milk instead of cream: a quick butter-and-flour roux whisked with milk thickens into a sauce that clings just as well, for a fraction of the richness.
Flavor still comes first. Shallot and garlic get sauteed until fragrant before the spinach wilts down, and a pinch of nutmeg in the sauce adds that warm, classic creamed-spinach note.
A handful of Parmesan stirred in at the end brings a salty, savory depth that makes it taste far more indulgent than it is.
Kitchen Tips
- Cook the flour in the butter for a minute before adding milk; it keeps the sauce from tasting pasty.
- Whisk the milk in constantly so the sauce thickens smooth, with no lumps.
- Squeeze the wilted spinach of excess water before saucing, or it thins the bechamel.
Variations
- Use frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, to make it even quicker.
- Add a pinch of cayenne or a squeeze of lemon for lift.
- Stir in a spoon of cream cheese or Greek yogurt for extra tang and body.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add shallot and garlic, cook, stirring until fragrant, 30 seconds - 1 minute.
Add spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted.
Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add flour and cook, stirring until smooth and bubbling, about 30 seconds.
Add milk, nutmeg, salt & pepper, cook, whisking constantly until thick.
Stir the spinach into the sauce.
Stir in Parmesan cheese and serve.
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