Vegan Creamed Spinach
This Vegan Creamed Spinach is rich and full of flavor, all without the dairy. Fresh baby spinach is sautéed until tender, then simmered in a creamy coconut milk sauce to give it the taste and texture of steakhouse creamed spinach.
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Sometimes your meal just needs added greens, and this Vegan Creamed Spinach delivers in a big way. It’s rich, silky and dairy free thanks to the use of coconut milk to provide the creaminess and texture of popular steakhouse creamed spinach recipes.
Why This Recipe Works
I first started making coconut creamed spinach as a Whole30-compatible side dish and quickly realized it’s a recipe that can be added to many meals. It’s a plant-based dish that’s also gluten-free, dairy-free and friendly for a wide variety of dietary needs.
Plus, this Vegan Creamed Spinach is well-rounded with salt, fat from the olive oil, acid from a squeeze of lemon juice and heat from some red pepper flakes. You can amp up the heat index by adding a few extra pinches of pepper flakes to your liking.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Less than 10 ingredients are needed for this Vegan Creamed Spinach.
- Baby spinach – Fresh, pre-washed spinach works best for this recipe. It wilts down quickly and gives the creamed spinach a vibrant green color.
- Olive oil – Used to sauté the spinach, onions and garlic.
- Coconut milk – Choose full-fat coconut milk for a thicker, creamier dairy-free sauce.
- Yellow onion – Diced small to blend into the sauce.
- Garlic – A must for any creamed spinach, you can add a little more or less to your liking.
- Salt and black pepper – Simple seasoning that enhances all the flavors.
- Red pepper flakes – Start with a pinch for balanced heat, and add a few more after tasting the dish.
- Lemon – A squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens the creamy sauce and balances the richness.
How to Make Coconut Creamed Spinach
Just 5 minutes of prep and 15 minutes at the stove stand between you and this coconut creamed spinach recipe. Here are the simple steps to success.
Sauté the spinach. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the spinach and let it wilt before adding the rest. It cooks down quickly, in 2 to 3 minutes. You might need to work in smaller batches to get it to fit in the skillet.
Drain the spinach. Transfer the cooked spinach to a colander and press gently with the back of a wooden spoon to remove excess liquid. Because spinach is watery, you might need to let it cool for a few minutes, and press it with your hands or a clean kitchen towel. This step keeps your sauce creamy instead of watery.
Cook the aromatics. In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add diced onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.
Make the coconut cream sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the coconut milk. Stir and let it warm through for 2 to 3 minutes, until it starts bubbling. Add in the drained spinach and stir to combine.
Season and finish. Add salt, black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and stir well. Cook for another minute or two until heated through and thickened slightly. Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
This Vegan Creamed Spinach pairs nicely with any hearty protein. It’s a great alternative to a simple salad. Try it with baked cod or serve it family style with a fillet of lemon salt salmon.
No matter how you serve it, this creamed spinach recipe is great to keep in your back pocket for when you need to add a little something extra to the dinner table.
Vegan Creamed Spinach
Ingredients
- 16 ounces baby spinach, pre-washed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- ½ lemon, juiced
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add baby spinach, half at a time, so it cooks down and makes room in the pan.
- Transfer spinach to a colander and use the back of a wooden spoon to press out the liquid. This will help your coconut creamed spinach from becoming too watery.
- Meanwhile, add another 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Once heated, add in diced onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until onions are soft.
- Add garlic and continue stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Reduce heat to medium-low to medium and pour in 1 cup coconut milk. Heat for 2 to 3 minutes and return spinach to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Squeeze in juice of ½ a lemon. Stir and cook until heated through.
- Transfer to a bowl and serve.
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The best creamed spinach!