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Southern Spinach Madeline

White baking dish with creamy, cheesy, Spicy Spinach Madeline, sitting on a gray striped towel.

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Spicy Spinach Medeline is a take on the classic Southern side dish. It’s spicy, creamy, and ready in 30 minutes. It pairs well with both poultry and beef, making it a lovely side for your holiday table.

Ingredients

Scale

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, drained very well and reserving ⅓ cup of the spinach liquid

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 small onion, finely diced

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup evaporated milk

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, pressed and drained of liquid (I used medium heat chiles, but you can pick the heat level that your family enjoys.)

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper

⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional, more or less to taste

2 cups grated pepper jack cheese, divided

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Butter a 1.5– to 2-quart baking dish and set aside.

In a microwave-safe bowl, cook the spinach until hot.

Place a fine mesh sieve over a large measuring cup or bowl.

Pour the spinach and its liquid into the sieve.

Squeeze the spinach, pressing as much liquid out as possible into the bowl.

Reserve ⅓- ½ cup of the liquid and set it aside.

Make the roux.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the minced onions.

Cook until softened – about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir it into the butter and onions.

Cook, stirring often, until the flour is light browned and smells like baked pie crust – 8 – 9 minutes.

Gradually whisk in the evaporated milk and reserved spinach liquid.

Whisk until the mixture begins to thicken, and the roux is incorporated into the sauce.

Bring the sauce to a low simmer and reduce the heat to low.

Stir in the drained chiles, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, celery salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne.

Add the spinach and 1.5 cups of the grated cheese.

Stir until the cheese has melted completely and the spinach is fully incorporated into the sauce.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the mixture is bubbling.

Serve hot.

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