Creamed Spinach Souffle

Fans of creamed spinach, be prepared to have your socks knocked off by this recipe for a delightful Creamed Spinach Souffle by Megan Keatley of Health Bent. Thanks, Megan!

More often than not, meals in our home are inspired by what’s sitting around in the fridge or pantry. Some weeks I’m extremely ‘wifey’ and make a menu and then make a grocery store list, organized by ingredient, but those weeks have become increasingly fewer and farther between. Sorry hun. This meal was inspired by the egg whites that desperately needed to be used up from making mayo awhile ago, a pint of cream that was reaching expiration and a clamshell of fresh spinach that was looking less and less fresh. Creamed spinach, meet your new friend spinach souffle.

Creamed Spinach Souffle

The Players

• 1 T butter (yes, butter is better!)
• 1 shallot, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 oz fresh baby spinach
• 1 c heavy cream
• 2 T potato starch (where to find potato starch)
• 1/2 t nutmeg (where to find organic spices)
• 1/2 c egg whites (from about 4 eggs) (from pastured hens)
• salt, to taste (where to find real salt)
• grated parmesan or cheddar, optional

The How-To
Preheat your oven to 325F.

In a large saute pan, melt the butter. Add the shallot and garlic, and cook until golden.

Toss in the spinach and let it wilt. Add the cream, nutmeg and potato starch. Season with salt and pepper. You want the creamed spinach seasoned relatively assertively, since we’ll be diluting the flavor with whipped egg whites. Stir to get everything combined and then remove from the heat.

Either by hand or with the whisk attachment of a mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks have formed.

While the egg whites are going, go ahead and set up your baking vessels. Use whatever you have on hand, just make sure it’s oven safe. I toyed with the idea of using a casserole dish, but I didn’t think that would bake evenly enough, so instead, I used individual ceramic ramekins. Each can hold about 2 cups and I ended up using 3 of them. (Here’s my own set of larger ramekins. I use them when making chicken pot pies and French Onion Soup!) You may be able to get away with using a muffin tin. Place whatever you’re using on top of a baking sheet.

Once the creamed spinach mixture has cooled, fold the mixture into the egg whites.

Portion out the souffle batter into your baking vessels/ramekins, top with some grated parmesan or cheddar, if you’d like, and gently place the souffles in the oven.

Bake until the edges have browned and the tops spring back to the touch, about 25 minutes. Cooking time will depend on what you’re baking the souffles in.