Mediterranean Style Creamed Spinach and Arugula
This is not your Grandma’s Creamed Spinach recipe but a refreshing twist on a popular steakhouse classic. A quick and easy 15-minute side dish that combines tender baby spinach and peppery arugula with sweet red bell peppers, garlic, sharp Pecorino Romano and is finished with a splash of fresh lemon juice for a bright, zesty flavor.
Why this recipe rocks!
This is my spin on the classic Creamed Spinach recipe; I find the traditional version a bit bland so I experimented with several ingredients and found the perfect balance for a somewhat “gourmet-ish” version. This pairs beautifully with a nice steak, Beef Wellington or beef tenderloin.
- The combination of tender baby spinach with arugula (also known as “Rocket”) adds a slight peppery flavor and depth to the flavor
- Microwaving the greens for a short amount of time ensures the final dish isn’t horribly soggy
- Diced red bell peppers deepend the flavor, add texture and color to the dish
- Grated Pecorino-Romano cheese offers a sharp and salty flavor that is further enhanced with a splash of fresh lemon juice
- White pepper enhances the zesty flavor of the peppery arugula
Food Facts
Cooked spinach offers better mineral absorption of iron and calcium than raw spinach? Raw spinach provides more vitamin C and folate.
Ingredients
I used a box of pre-washed greens that had a blend of baby spinach and arugula. If you can’t find a blend, use an equal amounts of greens.
- Greens: baby spinach and arugula
- Butter – unsalted
- All-purpose flour
- Heavy cream
- Onion– I used a sweet yellow onion but you could substitute with yellow or white, or a shallot
- Red Bell Pepper
- Garlic – fresh or jarred–your call
- Garlic powder – (optional) I added this because I wanted a more garlicky flavor than what the fresh garlic provided
- Grated Pecorino Romano cheese – you could substitute with Parmesan cheese, but I strongly recommend the Pecorino blend– it has a slightly sharper flavor than Parm
- Lemon juice – fresh; just a little
- Salt and white pepper – you can use black pepper, but I used white because it is stronger
Instruction Overview
This is a quick overview of how to make this creamed spinach dish. See the recipe card below for exact ingredient measurements and step-by-step instructions.
- Microwave the spinach and arugula for about 1-2 minutes
- In a large saucepan on low heat, melt butter; sprinkle in flour to make a roux
- Add onion, red bell pepper and garlic; saute a minute or two until the onions are translucent
- Add softened greens to the skillet and combine well; add grated cheese; season to taste with salt and white pepper; remove from heat, sprinkle a little lemon juice, stir and serve
The image below is what you want the texture of the greens to be after you microwave them for a minute or two.
The beauty of this Mediterranean-style creamed spinach dish is that it’s quick and easy and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients or cookware.
Recipe Tips
A few notes about this recipe to take into consideration.
- 10-ounces of loose, pre-washed greens cook down to about 1.5-2 cups of lightly cooked greens; when combined in the sauce, this recipe yields a total of two cups of creamed greens which yields eight 1/4 cup servings
- If you’re cooking for more than four people, double the recipe
- You can substitute with thawed and drained frozen spinach
- I strain some of the cream sauce off of the greens before serving because I don’t want the greens to be drowning in a sea of sauce
Storage and make ahead
Creamed spinach and arugula is best when served immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze it for up to about 2 months, but the texture will slightly change.
Creamed Spinach and Arugula
Equipment
- Microwave and microwave-safe bowl
- Tongs or a spider
Ingredients
- 10 ounces Baby Spinach and Arugula blend ( if you can't find a blend, use 5 oz. of each)
- 1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons, divided)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 1-1½ teaspoons minced garlic ( adjust to your preference)
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- 1 tablespoon grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
- salt to taste
- 1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Place greens in a microwave safe bowl and top with 4 tablespoons of butter; microwave uncovered 1-2 minutes on high until greens are slightly wilted, but not soggy10 ounces Baby Spinach and Arugula blend
- In a large skillet on low heat, melt the other half of the butter; once melted sprinkle in flour and cook 1 minute; add onion and bell peppers; saute 1 minute then add garlic and cream2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, ½ cup finely diced onion, ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper, 1-1½ teaspoons minced garlic , 1¼ cups heavy cream
- Using tongs, transfer cooked greens to skillet and add cheese and pepper; taste for salt and adjust to your preference; add garlic powder (optional), sprinkle lemon juice over the mixture, stir and serve immediately⅛ teaspoon garlic powder (optional), 1 tablespoon grated Pecorino Romano cheese, ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper, salt to taste, 1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
