This amazing vegan creamed spinach is an easy and fast holiday appetizer with frozen spinach, garlic, cashew cream and dairy-free yogurt.
Back with another healthy side dish for you and it's a good one! Creamed spinach has always been a staple on my family's Thanksgiving table. My grandmother always made it with plenty of cream and butter. This year, I decided to make a healthier version—this vegan creamed spinach. It's a healthy, dairy-free creamed spinach recipe that is an absolute breeze to make, is packed with flavor and tastes just like traditional creamed spinach.
Why You'll Love This Vegan Creamed Spinach Recipe
- The easiest holiday side dish. Stuffing and casseroles and even mashed potatoes take some work, but this vegan creamed spinach is practically effortless. It's also great for making ahead!
- A side for everyone. Unlike the vegan turkey, which ONLY the vegans at the table will eat, this creamed spinach is so good, everyone will love it. Dinner's always easier when you can find recipes everyone can agree on!
- Rich and creamy. Just like the traditional version, this vegan creamed spinach has a rich, creamy texture that makes it irresistible.
What You'll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Frozen spinach – Using frozen instead of fresh spinach gives your dish more flavor because it's concentrated. It's also easier to handle because it's already chopped and compact. You're going to get way more bang for your buck this way as well. Just make sure to thaw and drain before cooking!
- Garlic – Sauteed garlic is one of the secrets to giving this a ton of flavor!
- Shallots – I like using shallots in recipes that have a more delicate flavor like this one because I find them to be a bit sweet and also more tender than onions.
- Cashew cream – I'm full-on obsessed with cashew cream – it's such an easy way to add rich creamy flavor with no dairy.
- Coconut yogurt – This is optional, but I love adding it to savory recipes (like my vegan mushroom stroganoff) because it adds creaminess and some tang. If you don't want to use it, use additional cashew cream and some lemon juice.
- Miso paste – A simple way to add umami flavor to your dish is with miso paste. It's fermented and tangy, but also salty and really helps to round out the flavor of this dish.
How to Make Vegan Creamed Spinach
- Thaw the spinach. Thaw it as much as you can beforehand. You can do this in the microwave or by leaving the spinach in the refrigerator overnight. And before you add it into the pan, just drain any excess liquid that collects in the bag/bowl.
- Sauté. While the spinach is thawing, saute the garlic and shallot in a skillet. You're looking for the garlic to be golden brown and the shallot to be almost translucent. It should also be quite fragrant!
- Finish. The last step is the add the rest of your ingredients! I like to start with the spinach and make sure that it's fully warmed through and mixed in, and then I add the cream, yogurt, and miso. The miso might take a little bit of time to dissolve, so just continue stirring until everything is fully incorporated.
Tips for Success
- Drain the spinach well. To make sure your vegan creamed spinach is creamy instead of watery, it's important to drain out as much of the liquid as possible after you thaw the spinach.
- Make the cashew cream in advance. It takes a bit of time, so you'll need to have it ready to go before you start making the creamed spinach.
- Double it for a holiday. This makes 6 servings as written, but for a big holiday party, I recommend doubling it! Click on the 2x button in the recipe card and it will automatically re-calculate the ingredient amounts for you.
What To Serve with Vegan Creamed Spinach
I'll admit that creamed spinach is probably not something I will make much outside of the holidays, but it's the absolute perfect dish to serve at Thanksgiving. It's not only a great way to get greens into the spread, but it also pairs really nicely with other traditional Thanksgiving recipes, including:
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: You can store leftover creamed spinach in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze vegan creamed spinach in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Warm leftovers in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-low heat.
What to Make with Leftovers
The beauty of creamed spinach is that you can also use it for other recipes. If you have leftovers, here's what I would make with my vegan creamed spinach:
And it's also delicious on top of a pizza which we made the other night! BUT – my guess is – if you are making this for Thanksgiving, there won't be any leftovers because it's that darn good!
More Healthy Holiday Side Dish Recipes
Vegan Creamed Spinach
Ingredients
- 20 oz frozen spinach
- 1 shallot , diced
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup cashew cream
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened vegan yogurt*
- 1 teaspoon miso paste
- Generous pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Thaw the spinach and press out any excess liquid.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and shallot and saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Once the garlic and shallots are cooked, add the spinach and saute until the spinach is warm.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients and continue to cook until the miso is fully dissolved.
- Season with salt and pepper, taste and adjust your seasonings if needed. Serve warm or allow to cool completely and reheat before serving.
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Nutrition
