Our Low FODMAP Creamed Spinach will satisfy those of you craving this classic dish. Every time we take a classic and re-create it as low FODMAP we get a certain kind of thrill! This side dish is easy and will take you back to childhood – or your favorite steak house!
Some creamed spinach recipes are based on a roux, made with flour, and we find them to be a bit heavy, and the spinach flavor is diluted. There are many recipes that include cheeses, often several cheeses. Even cream cheese! But we decided to go for a very simple and straightforward approach using cream and a tiny bit of Parmesan.
Hit Of The Party
This recipe might look plain and simple, but let me tell you that when I served a meal of roasted lamb and a side dish of potatoes, this spinach was a stand-out star! Don’t overlook it.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can eat generous amounts of raw spinach on the low FODMAP diet, even during the Elimination Phase. Unfortunately, raw spinach cooks down to an incredibly small volume, so the serving size of our cream spinach will look quite small.
More below on spinach in our FODMAP Information section.
The heavy cream used in this dish is considered a fat, not a carbohydrate, and as you hopefully know, FODMAPs are carbohydrates. Being a fat, and very rich (since we are using heavy cream), this dish would not be suitable for those who cannot tolerate rich, fatty foods.
For more info, read our article, All About Cream & FODMAPs. If you can find lactose-free heavy cream, by all means consider using it, but you do not have to, and the dish will still be considered low FODMAP.
Perhaps you have only reached for nutmeg when whipping up a pumpkin pie or making gingerbread cookies. There are many dishes that contain spinach and/or cream that have a tiny bit of nutmeg and trust us when we tell you that it is essential and lovely even in this small amount. Nutmeg is the one spice that I work with where I ask you to use freshly ground. Nutmeg is so incredibly fragrant, and it loses a lot of its aromatic qualities once it is ground and packaged in a jar.
I recommend buying whole nutmeg and using a rasp-style zester to grate the nutmeg as you need it. Please note that freshly grated nutmeg is quite fluffy, and the measurements will not be the same if you’re using pre-ground. If you are using pre-ground, please use about half the amount – or to taste.
Conventional garlic powder is made from dried and granulated or powdered garlic cloves and is considered high FODMAP. There are a couple of low FODMAP garlic powders on the market: FreeFod Garlic Replacer and Fodmazing Garlic Substitute Replacer. The FreeFod has been lab tested and is certified low FODMAP by FODMAP Friendly. They both contain the same ingredients – maltodextrin and natural garlic flavor. We find them to be excellent additions to your herb and spice collection. Use them as you would conventional garlic powder.
How To Make Creamed Spinach
Choose a large skillet or sauté pan that will hold all of the spinach, which is voluminous. Heat the butter and oil in the skillet over medium heat until butter melts.
Add the spinach. Cook, tossing frequently (I find tongs helpful), until the spinach is cooked and wilted down. Here below you can see how voluminous it as at first.
Then it begins too cook down quite quickly.
And here below you can see how it looks once wilted and cooked down completely.
Scrape all the spinach and any juices into a colander and press as much liquid out of the spinach as possible. Use the back of a sturdy wooden spoon and truly press as hard as you can. The drier you get the spinach at this stage, the better. At this point you can chop the spinach, if you like. I often don’t.
Heat the same skillet again over medium heat and add the cream and nutmeg. Make sure to use freshly ground nutmeg for best favor. I like this small spice grater.
Bring cream to a simmer and cook until it reduces a bit, about 5 minutes. Here it is before the nutmeg is whisked in.
Add the spinach, parmesan, and low FODMAP garlic powder, season with salt and pepper.
Toss well and cook until the spinach heated through, about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.
FODMAP Information
All recipes are based upon Monash University & FODMAP Friendly science at time of initial publication.
- Butter: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested butter. Monash states that a low FODMAP Green Light portion is 1 tablespoon or 19 g and also states that “butter is high in fat and does not contain carbohydrates (FODMAPs)”. FODMAP Friendly gives it a “Pass” at 1 tablespoon or 19 g. Both recommended serving sizes are presented as part of healthy eating guidelines, not as maximum FODMAP serving size. Fat can affect guy motility and trigger IBS symptoms in some people. Eat to your tolerance.
- Cheese: Many cheeses have low FODMAP serving sizes. The low FODMAP diet is not a dairy-free diet. Hard cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano have been lab tested by Monash University and are low FODMAP in 40 g amounts.
- Dairy: The low FODMAP diet is not a dairy-free diet. It is, however, low in lactose. Many dairy ingredients are low in lactose, such as heavy cream and many cheeses.
- Garlic-Infused Oil: Make your own Garlic-Infused Oil or buy a commercial equivalent for the easiest way to add garlic flavor to your food. Fructans in garlic are not oil-soluble, so garlic-infused oil is low FODMAP.
- Low FODMAP Garlic Powder: There are a couple of low FODMAP garlic powders on the market, made from maltodextrin and garlic flavor, that you can use like traditional garlic powder. FreeFod Garlic Replacer is certified low FODMAP by FODMAP Friendly. From what we can tell, Fodmazing Garlic Replacer Substitute contains the same ingredients, and we use both.
- Spinach: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested spinach. Monash makes a distinction between “baby” spinach and what they call “English”, which appears to be a mature spinach. According to Monash, “baby” spinach has a low FODMAP serving size of 1 ½ cups or 75 g. The “English” type has a serving size of 2 cups or 75 g. FODMAP Friendly shows one kind of spinach (it is hard to distinguish what it is) and their lab tests show low FODMAP serving sizes of 2 cups or 75 g.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. Foods will be retested from time to time; in the case of raw ingredients, such as fruits and vegetables, results may vary. All lab tested results are valid and represent a snapshot in time. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.
Low FODMAP Creamed Spinach
Our Low FODMAP Creamed Spinach will satisfy those of you craving this classic dish. Every time we take a classic and re-create it as low FODMAP we get a certain kind of thrill! This side dish is easy and will take you back to childhood – or your favorite steak house!
Our Low FODMAP Creamed Spinach will satisfy those of you craving this classic dish. Every time we take a classic and re-create it as low FODMAP we get a certain kind of thrill! This side dish is easy and will take you back to childhood – or your favorite steak house!
Ingredients:
- 3- pounds (1.4 kg) well washed and NOT dried spinach – leave water clinging; we suggest young “English” style leaves
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons Low FODMAP Garlic-Infused Oil, made with olive oil, or purchased equivalent
- ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream, lactose-free if possible
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan
- ½ teaspoon low FODMAP garlic powder, such as FreeFod or Fodmazing
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
-
Choose a large skillet or sauté pan that will hold all of the spinach, which is voluminous. Heat the butter and oil in the skillet over medium heat until butter melts, then add the spinach. Cook, tossing frequently (I find tongs helpful), until the spinach is cooked and wilted down. Scrape all the spinach and any juices into a colander and press as much liquid out of the spinach as possible. Use the back of a sturdy wooden spoon and truly press as hard as you can. The drier you get the spinach at this point, the better. At this point you can chop the spinach, if you like. I often don’t bother.
-
Heat the same skillet again over medium heat and add the cream and nutmeg; whisk the spice in. Bring to a simmer and cook until it reduces a bit, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, parmesan, and low FODMAP garlic powder, season with salt and pepper, toss well and cook until the spinach heated through, about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes:
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
• Butter: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested butter. Monash states that a low FODMAP Green Light portion is 1 tablespoon or 19 g and also states that “butter is high in fat and does not contain carbohydrates (FODMAPs)”. FODMAP Friendly gives it a “Pass” at 1 tablespoon or 19 g. Both recommended serving sizes are presented as part of healthy eating guidelines, not as maximum FODMAP serving size. Fat can affect guy motility and trigger IBS symptoms in some people. Eat to your tolerance.
• Cheese: Many cheeses have low FODMAP serving sizes. The low FODMAP diet is not a dairy-free diet. Hard cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano have been lab tested by Monash University and are low FODMAP in 40 g amounts.
• Dairy: The low FODMAP diet is not a dairy-free diet. It is, however, low in lactose. Many dairy ingredients are low in lactose, such as heavy cream and many cheeses.
• Garlic-Infused Oil: Make your own Garlic-Infused Oil or buy a commercial equivalent for the easiest way to add garlic flavor to your food. Fructans in garlic are not oil-soluble, so garlic-infused oil is low FODMAP.
• Low FODMAP Garlic Powder: There are a couple of low FODMAP garlic powders on the market, made from maltodextrin and garlic flavor, that you can use like traditional garlic powder. FreeFod Garlic Replacer is certified low FODMAP by FODMAP Friendly. From what we can tell, Fodmazing Garlic Replacer Substitute contains the same ingredients, and we use both.
• Spinach: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested spinach. Monash makes a distinction between “baby” spinach and what they call “English”, which appears to be a mature spinach. According to Monash, “baby” spinach has a low FODMAP serving size of 1 ½ cups or 75 g. The “English” type has a serving size of 2 cups or 75 g. FODMAP Friendly shows one kind of spinach (it is hard to distinguish what it is) and their lab tests show low FODMAP serving sizes of 2 cups or 75 g.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. Foods will be retested from time to time; in the case of raw ingredients, such as fruits and vegetables, results may vary. All lab tested results are valid and represent a snapshot in time. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
