Spinach with Bechamel
Submitted by shemmy
Fresh spinach draped in a classic homemade béchamel sauce, ready in just 20 minutes. This French-inspired vegetable side dish turns simple greens into something silky and elegant with only four ingredients.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
5 minCOOK
15 minREADY
20 minThis is the side dish that makes steakhouses charge $14 for spinach. A simple béchamel, nothing more than butter, flour, and warm milk, transforms plain cooked spinach into something luxurious.
The technique is straightforward French cooking 101. Cook the roux low and slow, add the milk gradually while whisking, and you’ll have a smooth, lump-free white sauce every single time.
Two pounds of fresh spinach cooks down to almost nothing, so don’t be alarmed by the volume. Once it’s drained, squeezed dry, and folded into that warm béchamel, it becomes a rich, creamy side that pairs with just about any protein on the table.
Kitchen Tips
- Squeeze the cooked spinach in a clean towel until absolutely dry. Water trapped in the leaves will thin out your béchamel.
- Warm the milk before adding it to the roux. Cold milk hitting hot butter causes lumps.
- Cook the flour in the butter for a full 2 to 3 minutes before adding milk. This cooks out the raw flour taste that can ruin a white sauce.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg or white pepper to the béchamel for a more traditional French finish.
Ingredients
Directions
SPINACH: Cook spinach briefly by either boiling or steaming.
Drain and squeeze out excess moisture.
Mix with 1 cup white sauce and warm over low heat, 3 to 5 minutes.
WHITE SAUCE (BECHAMEL): Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.
Add the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, 2 to 3 Remove from heat, add the hot milk gradually, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return to the heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
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