Creamed Spinach Recipe: Old Lady Recipes # 1

Creamed Spinach

Truthfully, I can not state that I’ve ever had creamed spinach made by an actual Old Lady.

But it’s one of the recipes that I lump into that category of my brain along with creamed onions, liver and onions, and gelatin salads. All of which are delicious. (Except maybe liver and onions; although I remember loving my grandma’s liver’n’onions as a child, I haven’t had them in 20-odd years and can’t be sure I’d still feel the same devotion. So it’s a “maybe”.)

Indeed, the fact that a recipe is something that might appeal to an Old Lady generally means it’s super-yummy in my book. Creamed spinach is no exception. Unnecessary and gluttonous as it may be, covering spinach with creamy sauce is a delight when done right. (See what I did there? I made a rhyme!)

Try this creamed spinach recipe with your holiday meals as a nice change from the standard Old Lady Recipe: green bean casserole.

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Creamed Spinach

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Spinach and bacon in a homemade cream sauce

  • Author: Hilah Johnson
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds spinach, for instructions on washing spinach see this post
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons minced onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (many Old Ladies would leave this out, though.)
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • Salt and Pepper to taste (I like cayenne pepper, too!)
  • Grated nutmeg
  • Optional, for topping: 3-6 strips cooked, crumbled bacon (How much does your inner Old Lady like bacon?)

Instructions

  1. Chop the spinach finely.
  2. Melt the butter over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic a few minutes until beginning to brown.
  3. Add the flour and combine to make a thick paste (“roux”). Reduce heat and cook 2-3 minutes over medium-low until the flour begins to smell toasty.
  4. Add the milk and whisk quickly to make a thick sauce.
  5. Add the spinach and cover.
  6. Steam 2 minutes, then stir. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach is done to your liking. (I like to stop when it’s still bright green, but you can keep going until it’s real cooked.)
  7. Taste for salt and pepper.
  8. Top with a grating of nutmeg and some bacon bits.
  9. Serve HOT.

Notes

*You can make this a couple days ahead of time, waiting to add the nutmeg and bacon until you serve. Reheat over low heat or in the microwave.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 87
  • Fat: 5
  • Carbohydrates: 8
  • Protein: 4

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11 Comments

  1. Rachael Macry on November 10, 2011 at 12:36 pm

    Oh nom. Nom. Nom. Garlic, yes, bacon, yes! I was getting a little weary of my standard olive oil/garlic/sea salt spinach treatment. Thanks!

    • Hilah on November 10, 2011 at 9:57 pm

      Yeah, Rachael, I know what you mean. I love spinach simple but sometimes, you gotta put some cream on it.

  2. David Reading on November 10, 2011 at 1:40 pm

    How about some old man recipes – MEAT N POTATOS

    • Hilah on November 10, 2011 at 9:56 pm

      YEP. Comin’ up.

  3. David Reading on November 10, 2011 at 1:42 pm

    By the way congratulations for the next You Tube Chef. You are the best I’ve found there! Keep up the good work, and I hope you get a TV show out of all of this!

    • Hilah on November 10, 2011 at 9:56 pm

      Thank you, David! It’s very exciting to not know what will happen next! But, I guess we never know, do we? 😉

  4. Inge Schön-Valdez on November 11, 2011 at 11:10 am

    My mom used to make a creamed spinach – I guess you could call it that… we had it with salt potatoes and eggs over easy. It was sooooooooooo good! But I haven’t had it in about 30 years :(… But thank you for bringing back the memory 🙂

    • Hilah on November 12, 2011 at 10:50 am

      Oh, man, Inge, that sounds FAB. I really am wishing I’d made that breakfast instead of waffles this morning! I guess there is always tomorrow…
      Did you mom make that for breakfast or supper? Seems good at either time.

      • Inge Schön-Valdez on November 13, 2011 at 1:02 am

        It was Hilah! She made it usually for a late lunch/early dinner. I have to try to remember to ask her how to make the spinach next time I call her…

  5. Andrea on November 22, 2015 at 8:10 pm

    I find myself drawn to your posts again for menu inspiration. This semi-aging lady finds this recipe & many of your others simple & ageless. I really like the use of unpretentious ingredients. My children have told me that I can’t have a cooking show because I curse too much. I’ll live vicariously through you girl. Classy Sassy & A Lil Bad Assy

    • Hilah on November 23, 2015 at 10:20 am

      Hahaha! Thank you so much, Andrea. 😀

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