We love bringing you reimagined classics, and this garlicky vegan creamed spinach is no exception! It’s easy, elegant, and the perfect side for your holiday table and beyond.
Spinach and garlic simmer until buttery and tender in a creamy, flavorful cashew-miso sauce. The result is incredibly savory, nourishing greens that are lighter than your average creamed spinach! Plus, just 20 minutes and 8 ingredients required. Let us show you how it’s done!
This dairy-free dream dish starts off with a creamy, savory sauce made by blending cashews with miso paste and nutritional yeast for cheesiness, salt and pepper for flavor, and lemon juice to balance it out.
Next, we sauté spinach with garlic and (optional) red pepper flakes to create a subtly spicy, flavorful base.
After cooking, the spinach shrinks down A LOT and we stir in the cashew-miso sauce.
The mixture becomes thick and saucy and the spinach gets melt-in-your-mouth tender. Top with crispy fried onions (optional, but worth the effort) and prepare for spinach-haters to have their minds changed.
We hope you LOVE this vegan creamed spinach! It’s:
Creamy
Garlicky
Savory
Quick & easy
Rich yet light
& SO delicious!
It pairs well with nearly any main or alongside other sides. For a comfort food feast, pair it with our Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes and Vegan Lentil Nut “Meatloaf.” You won’t be disappointed.
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If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Servings 4 (~1/2-cup servings)
CREAM SAUCE
- 1/2 cup raw cashews*
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp white miso paste (or sub chickpea miso // find our guide to miso here)
- 1/2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
SPINACH
- 2 Tbsp vegan butter (or olive oil)
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (5 cloves garlic yield ~3 Tbsp)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 16-20 oz. fresh baby spinach (or loosely chopped if using bunches)
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CREAM SAUCE: In a high-speed blender, blend together all the ingredients for the sauce until completely smooth. It will be liquidy, that’s okay — it will thicken when cooked!
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SPINACH: Add the vegan butter (or olive oil), garlic, and red pepper flakes (optional) to a Dutch oven (or large pot) and bring to low-medium heat. Cook until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant — about 1-2 minutes.
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Add the spinach, a few handfuls at a time, stirring occasionally. As it starts to wilt it will shrink and make space to keep adding more.
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Once all the spinach is wilted, add in the cream sauce and bring to a simmer. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the spinach is very tender — about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more lemon juice for brightness or salt to taste.
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Serve warm, garnished with crispy fried onions or shallots (optional). It’s delicious served with mashed potatoes and Vegan Lentil Nut “Meatloaf.” If not vegan, it would pair nicely with turkey or salmon.
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Leftover spinach will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a little water as needed to thin.
*If nut-free, you can sub 10-oz. (283 g) silken tofu + 2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil in place of the cashews and water.
*We didn’t find soaking the cashews necessary. If not using a powerful blender, you can soak the cashews to help them break down better.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Serving: 1 serving Calories: 174 Carbohydrates: 11.4 g Protein: 7.1 g Fat: 12.6 g Saturated Fat: 5.3 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.5 g Monounsaturated Fat: 3.9 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 310 mg Potassium: 783 mg Fiber: 3.5 g Sugar: 1.8 g Vitamin A: 10620 IU Vitamin C: 35 mg Calcium: 127 mg Iron: 4.3 mg
