Fresh Spinach teams with Asian Pear, Coconut Milk, Ginger and aromatic spices. Creamy deliciousness! Makes a big batch, great party-side dish. Try this Asian Style Creamed Spinach… Gluten Free Too
Why this recipe is D-E-L-I-S-H!
You might think adding coconut milk in place of cream will make it taste… well coconutty.
Not true.
While there is an essence of coconut flavor, the crisp, clean and sweet flavor of the spinach shines through!
Fragrant additions of Garlic, Ginger, Nutmeg, Allspice, Gochugaru Pepper Flakes lean the taste to an Asian essence, yet not overwhelming!
I do love Asian Pear!
Once peeled and diced – they add a fabulous crunchy dimension with a sweet finish to the creamed spinach.
Asian pears are aromatic and have a sweet-tart flavor with delicate floral-fruity notes and low acidity. They hold their texture and I really LOVE the addition of them with the spinach.
Asian pears are called that because they are a species of pear native to East Asia.
This Recipe: Not heavy like some heavy cream creamed spinach recipes. Light and delicious – filled with interesting warming spices and texture.
For this recipe I used half Fresh Spinach from my local farmers’ market and half of this large leaf spinach – triple washed.
Spinach Tips:
- Fresh is best, yet you can use frozen (tips on that below)
- Look for firm leaves with a bright green color, free of blemishes
- I use ONLY whole leaf spinach for sautéing! I really dislike using “Baby Spinach” in this recipe! Too many stems, lot enough thick leaves for the best flavor
- The three types of fresh spinach available at markets are savoy, semi-savoy and smooth (smooth is mostly grown for processing)
- Asian Malabar Spinach is delicious, although has a slightly slippery texture when cooked. Mostly grown in tropical Asia, including the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia
- If using Frozen Spinach – thaw and squeeze out the excess moisture first to prevent your dish from becoming watery
Asian Pear, Sweet Onion, Ginger, Garlic, Coconut Milk, Vegetable Broth, Coconut Oil, Nutmeg, Allspice, Gochugaru Pepper Flakes, Gluten Free All Purpose Flour and Lemon Juice (optional)… and of course Spinach
Let’s Get Started, The Method:
First point – Important to squeeze the spinach dry before adding to the “cream sauce.”
- Cook Spinach, ring dry and chop coarsely (not too finely.)
- Make the Vegan Cream sauce – steps below…
- Fold in the Spinach and toss together, simmer just a few minutes.
A Great Dish for a Party or large group! Yes, you can double the recipe as well.
Make ahead of time, add to a casserole dish and place in a warm oven covered or microwave until just warmed through.
PLEASE squeeze dry! Otherwise the sauce will be too watery
Add Flour, then Coconut Milk, Vegetable Broth and Sea Salt – simmer… perfect!
I make this sauce Gluten Free – you can simply swap for regular flour if you like.
Coconut milk will melt into the spinach – only a hint of coconut flavor.
Love this Recipe, but want to use Heavy Cream:
Sure… you can simply swap coconut milk for heavy cream.
Enjoy!
Perfect for weeknight meals or and party or holiday gathering
Karen
I’m serving this Creamed Spinach at Thanksgiving.
Here is some early inspiration ~ Side Dishes for Thanksgiving:
RECIPES: Karen’s Thanksgiving Recipes: Turkey, Gravy and All the Sides to Make, Serve & Devour!
Creamed Spinach with Asian Flair – and it is Vegan!
Equipment
- 1 large pan or skillet
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach, (24 ounces) cleaned
- 3/4 cup filtered water
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, I use virgin, organic
- 1/2 medium asian pear, peeled, 1/3 inch dice
- 3 teaspoons garlic , peeled, minced (3 – 4 cloves)
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon gochugaru pepper flakes, or your favorite chili flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated fine
- 2 tablespoon flour, I used gluten free flour blend
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth*
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk, (not "lite")
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt , or to taste
Instructions
Cooking Spinach:
- Add 3/4 water to a large pot or skillet. Bring to a boil, add spinach, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for just 3 minutes until cooked and bright green. Remove to a colander in the sink, run cold water over until cool.Squeeze dry, pat with paper towels. Add to a cutting board and chop coarsely. Alternately, you can chop the spinach coarsely before cooking it.
Finishing the Dish:
- Add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to a big skillet. (I use my enameled cast iron Paella Pan), works great. Set heat to low, add Asian Pear, Garlic, Ginger, Allspice, Pepper Flakes, and Nutmeg. Sauté 2 minutes stirring until softened.
- Add 2 tablespoons flour (gluten free or regular) and stir in. Cook one minute. Add Coconut Milk, Vegetable Broth and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes, stirring with a wire whisk.
- Add cooked chopped spinach, give a big stir. Cook on low simmer for just one minute. Taste for seasonings, add salt if needed and a splash of lemon juice if you like. Remove from heat and enjoy.
To Serve:
- Eat immediately or add to a casserole dish, cool and refrigerate for later. Reheat in a 350 degree oven until just warmed through, or cover with waxed paper and microwave until just warmed through, stirring up once.
Notes
Only use organic, regular has unwanted ingredients.
It is salty, so taste before adding more salt in recipe. I like Vegetable Broth in this recipe for flavor, you can swap coconut milk here if you like. This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this recipe after you posted it, got so excited as it looked wonderful.
So, it was fabulous! Creamy with the perfect thickness. I did buy fresh spinach, it really cooks down a lot. I am familiar with Asian pears, yet would never think of adding it to a recipe like this. Well, added crispness and natural sweetness, loved that.
I will share this recipe and make for a Thanksgiving side. Like you expressed, not an overwhelming coconut flavor. Thank you.
Thanks Pam! Thank you for the comment. So happy you thought the recipe was fabulous! Think I’ll make for Thanksgiving too!
😀Karen