Chopped spinach in a creamy cheesy sauce makes a great side dish to go with just about any meal!
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This is a quick and easy Keto side dish that is loaded with healthy fats! Mascarpone, cream cheese and heavy whipping cream make this spinach super indulgent and if that wasn’t enough cheese, there is also freshly grated Asiago cheese added at the end!
For this recipe, you are going to use frozen spinach. Fresh spinach is another option, but, honestly, frozen spinach is ideal because it’s much easier to always have on hand.
If you love spinach as much as I do, you will want to always have at least 1-2 boxes in your freezer, so you can make this anytime you want.
Ingredients for Keto Creamed Spinach
- Chopped Frozen Spinach
- Heavy Cream
- Mascarpone Cheese
- Cream Cheese
- Grated Asiago Cheese
- Garlic Clove
- Butter
- Salt and Pepper
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
How to Make Low Carb Creamed Spinach
You start by defrosting the spinach and then squeezing every bit of water out that you can, making sure it is as dry as possible.
Next, add the butter to your skillet and heat over medium until melted. Add your garlic to the butter and sauté for about 20 to 30 seconds, being careful not to burn it.
Once the garlic has finished sautéing add in the heavy cream, mascarpone, cream cheese, salt and pepper and mix until the cheese has all melted.
Next goes in the grated Asiago! Stir until incorporated well with the melted cheese mixture.
Finally, the star of this recipe! The spinach is added to the cheesy goodness. Mix it together until the spinach is well distributed, then simmer (uncovered) on low for 5 minutes, or until thickened to your liking.
You will want your creamed spinach to cool slightly before serving. Sprinkle with an additional grating of Asiago cheese over the top.
And there you have it, the best Keto creamed spinach recipe you’ll ever make!
Tips for Making Keto Creamed Spinach
How to Store Leftover Spinach
Not that you are likely to have any leftovers of this delicious, low carb creamed spinach, but if you do, you can store it in the fridge for a few days or freeze for up to 30 days.
Substitutions to Consider for this Keto Creamed Spinach
- If you can’t find mascarpone, you can use all cream cheese. This will change the total carb count so be sure you take this into account if you are counting carbs.
- For a more “soupy” version of creamed spinach, all you have to do is add a little more heavy cream. Be sure to add a little more salt as well.
- This recipe uses Asiago cheese, but you can substitute with Parmesan or Romano cheese if that’s what you have on hand.
- If you prefer to use fresh spinach instead of frozen, you’ll need to remember that one pound of fresh spinach is the equivalent to one 10 oz. package of frozen.
Why is Spinach Good for a Low Carb or Keto Diet?
It really should come as no surprise that because most of the carbs in spinach consists of fiber, it is considered a cornerstone vegetable for Keto.
In addition to being low in carbs and high in fiber, spinach is loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. It is attributed to many healthy benefits, such as healthy eye sight, skin, hair and bone health, making it a superfood for any diet.
To learn about all the other healthy benefits of spinach, read this article.
How Many Carbs in Spinach?
There are only 3 net carbs in a cup of cooked spinach, which definitely makes this an excellent choice for your low carb diet!
Try These Other Tasty Low Carb Spinach Recipes
- Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole
- Salmon Piccata with Spinach
- Italian Sausage and Spinach Quiche
- Chicken Florentine Casserole
More Keto and Low Carb Side Dishes…
- Easy Cole Slaw
- Cauliflower “Potato” Salad
- Easy Broccoli Salad
- Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
- Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower
- Buffalo Cauliflower “Mac” and Cheese
- Cheesy Roasted Asparagus
Shop my favorite products on Amazon and check out my Keto Pantry List!
Easy Creamed Spinach – Keto and Low Carb
INGREDIENTS
- 2 – 9 ounce packages of chopped frozen spinach thawed and drained
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup mascarpone cheese room temperature
- ⅓ cup cream cheese  room temperature
- ⅔ cup grated asiago or parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt and pepper to taste
PREPARATION
- Defrost the spinach and squeeze every bit of water out that you can, making sure it is as dry as possible. Heat a skillet over medium and sauté the garlic in the butter for about 20 seconds, careful not to burn it.
- Add in the heavy cream, mascarpone, cream cheese, salt and pepper and mix until the cheese has melted. Â Then add in the grated asiago. Â Add in the spinach and simmer (uncovered) on low for 5 minutes, or until thickened to your liking.
- Allow to cool slightly before serving with a grating of asiago cheese over the top. Â Store leftovers in the fridge for a few days or freeze.
NOTES
I made this exactly as written and it is absolutely delicious! So much better than other spinach au gratin recipes I have made. It’s a winner!
Awesome, thanks for letting me know and I’m glad you liked it!
What is considered a serving size, please?
1/6th of the entire recipe is a serving.
What is a serving? One cup? Half cup?
What would you substitute for marscapone? Riccotta?
I would say cream cheese would be a better substitute.
I have a lot of kale in my garden and made creamed kale… yummy! Just another idea using the same ingredients. Just make sure to cook the kale a bit as it’s a bit more sturdy than spinach is!
Great idea to use kale in place of spinach, thanks for sharing!
Hello Keto Cooking Christian, wondering how I can make this using fresh spinach? Will I start with the garlic and spinach first?
Hi Sandy,
I would actually sauté the spinach before the garlic, add it in batches as the spinach wilts. Once all the spinach has been added, remove any excess liquid then make a well in the center of the pan, add in a little butter and sauté the garlic. Then continue with the rest of the recipe. I hope that helps you and if you do make it, please let me know how it turns out!
Thank you, I’ll be sure to do that!