• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Sinful Nutrition

Healthy recipes on the cheap

  • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Recipes
  • Work With Me
  • Cookbook
  • Contact

Lightened Up Creamed Spinach

November 16, 2020 by Emily Cooper Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
Healthy Creamed Spinach Recipe with Text Overlay
Healthy Creamed Spinach Recipe with Text
Healthy Creamed Spinach Recipe with Text Overlay
Healthy Creamed Spinach Recipe Collage with Text

This healthy creamed spinach recipe is an easy & lightened up version of a classic holiday side dish made with just a few simple ingredients.

Healthy Creamed Spinach in Bowl with Spoon

If you could only have one side dish at Thanksgiving, what would it be? Mine hands down would…not be creamed spinach. It would be stuffing, duh.
But creamed spinach is up there! It’s one of my mom’s favorites around the holidays, so I lightened it up with my own take on this classic.

What makes this creamed spinach recipe delicious and healthy

  • butter
  • garlic
  • shallot
  • frozen spinach
  • plain Greek yogurt
  • low-fat milk
  • parmesan cheese
  • nutmeg
  • salt and pepper

How to make this healthy creamed spinach recipe

In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1/2 tablespoon butter. Once melted, add in 1 minced shallot, (or 1/3 finely chopped yellow onion) and 2 minced cloves of garlic, and cook until softened, or about 2 minutes or so. Add in 1 (10 ounce) bag of frozen spinach that has been thawed and drained to the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until warm.

healthy creamed spinach recipe cooking in pan

While spinach is cooking, stir together 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup low-fat milk (or milk of choice) , 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, a pinch of nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
*This is the IMPORTANT step! To the yogurt mixture, slowly stir in spoonfuls of spinach until about half of the spinach mixture has been added. This helps temper the yogurt so it doesn’t separate when cooking, and is a MUST for this recipe. Once you have added half the spinach to the yogurt, add the entire yogurt mixture back to the pan, and continue cooking on medium low until heated, or about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese if desired before serving.

Healthy Creamed Spinach Recipe in Pan

Pro Tips

  • DON’T skip the tempering step outline above! This is a must when cooking with yogurt.
  • If you want a little creamier, add 1/4 cup more milk, yogurt, and parmesan cheese.

FAQs

My yogurt came out all watery and chunky when I added it to the pan. What happened?

This is why I can’t emphasize the tempering part enough. If you don’t slowly bring the temperature of the yogurt up, you risk breaking it, which results in a watery, chunky, and totally unappealing mess. Don’t skip this step, and continue cooking spinach over a lower heat to help prevent breaking.

Can I use fresh spinach?

Certainly! I used frozen for a budget-friendly and quicker recipe, but you can use fresh baby spinach instead if preferred. I would start with 1 pound of fresh spinach, and cook in the pan with the shallots and garlic. You will probably need to cook it in batches, as all of that spinach won’t fit in the pan at once. Continue cooking the rest of the recipe as-is.

My spinach came out super watery. What went wrong?

Make sure you really thawed and drained your frozen spinach before adding to the pan. I usually thaw mine in the fridge overnight, and squeeze it in between my hands to remove all the water. If you find it is watery in the pan, just continue cooking without a lid until water is evaporated before continuing with the rest of the recipe.

Money-Saving Tips for this Healthy Creamed Spinach Recipe

Buy frozen. While you certainly can make this recipe with fresh spinach, using frozen is quicker and more economical.
Buy in bulk. Purchase items like Greek yogurt in bigger containers for a more cost-effective option. That is, only if you use and enjoy them, and the extra won’t go to waste!
Chop yourself. Pre-chopped veggies are super convenient, but more expensive. If you have the time, chop your own garlic and shallots for a more affordable option.

more side dish recipes:

Basic Mashed Butternut Squash
Garlic Parmesan Smashed Brussels Sprouts

Extra Gingery Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Did you make this recipe? Leave me a comment and a rating to let me know how it came out!

Healthy Creamed Spinach Recipe Overhead in Bowl

Pin this to your Side Dish board!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Healthy Creamed Spinach Recipe Overhead in Bowl

Lightened Up Creamed Spinach


  • Author: Emily Cooper, RDN
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This healthy creamed spinach recipe is an easy & lightened up version of a classic holiday side dish made with just a few simple ingredients.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 tablespoon butter
  • 1 shallot, minced (or 1/3 yellow onion finely chopped)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (10 ounce) bag frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess water
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup low-fat milk
  • 1/3 cup +1 tablespoon  grated parmesan cheese 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • pinch nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add butter.
  2. Once melted, add garlic and shallot, and cook until softened.
  3. Add in spinach, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until warmed.
  4. In a mixing bowl, stir together Greek yogurt, milk, 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
  5. One spoonful add a time, stir spinach mixture into bowl of yogurt mixture until 1/2 of spinach is used. Add all of the yogurt mixture to the pan, and continue cooking over low heat until warmed thoroughly. 
  6. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese before serving.
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
  • Calories: 115
  • Sugar: 2
  • Sodium: 562
  • Fat: 4
  • Saturated Fat: 2.5
  • Unsaturated Fat: 1.5
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 7
  • Fiber: 0.5
  • Protein: 10
  • Cholesterol: 14

Keywords: spinach, side dish, vegetarian, holiday, thanksgiving

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sinfulnutrition on Instagram and hashtag it #sinfulnutrition

Filed Under: 10 Ingredients or Less, 30 Minutes or Less, Holidays, Sides, Vegetarian Tagged With: gluten free, holidays, recipe, side dish, Spinach, thanksgiving, vegetarian

Previous Post: « Slow Cooker Baked Sweet Potatoes
Next Post: White Christmas Bourbon Smash »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Emily Cooper Sinful Nutrition Headshot

Hi there! I’m Emily, a registered dietitian, food lover, and peanut butter enthusiast. I’m here to show you that eating & living healthy doesn’t have to be boring, expensive, or difficult. I share my passion for cooking with quick & healthy recipes made with simple and affordable ingredients. Learn more!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube



Search

Grab Your Copy of My Book!

The Easy Superfoods Cookbook by Emily Cooper, RD Cover

Categories

Footer

Meet the Blogger

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Hi there! I'm Emily Cooper, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, and sarcastic peanut butter enthusiast.
I'm here to show you that cooking healthy, delicious meals can be simple, approachable, and affordable for all. Read More…

Recipes

Breakfast

Lunch/Dinner

Snacks

Dessert

Drinks

Pages

  • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Cookbook
  • Recipes
  • Work With Me

Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro & The Genesis Framework