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The Best Creamed Greens You’ll Ever Taste – Low Carb and Keto Friendly

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Get ready to enter a whole new level of yum. Think creamed spinach on steroids (if the steroids were butter and brie and cream of course).

I don’t think I’ll ever want to eat greens any way other than this again. I thought I died and went to creamy garlic heaven when I took the first bite.

A close-up of creamed greens with text overlay.

The recipe is simple and makes great use of greens that might not be in your normal rotation. You can use the more common greens like chard, kale, collards, and spinach or you can be a resourceful cook and even use your beet tops, turnip tops, and radish tops. I used a combination of chard, kale, and beet tops! Creamed greens are a great way to use up greens that might otherwise become compost.

This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart’s Easy Creamed Spinach.

To Make the Creamed Greens:

Wash and remove any tough stems from your greens. This will be especially important if you are using kale. Put the greens, water, and salt in a large pot and bring to a covered boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.

A colander full of washed greens.

In a small saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until the garlic is just starting to brown. Turn the heat down to low and add the cubed cream cheese, cream, salt, brie, and half the parmesan. Stir gently while the mixture melts together. Make sure you go slow with the sauce; if it gets too hot it may break and get oily.

When the greens have cooked for 20 minutes there shouldn’t be much excess water in the pot. Remove the greens to a cutting board and make a neat round pile in the center of the board. Using the lid from your pot press on the greens while tilting your cutting board into the sink. Press the greens until very little water remains. Using a sharp knife cut the pressed greens in one direction about every half-inch. Make a quarter turn to your cutting board and cut through the greens again across the previous cuts. This will give you nice even pieces to add to the sauce.

Preheat your broiler to high.

When the sauce is smooth and all the cheese has fully incorporated remove it from the heat and stir in the chopped greens. Pour the greens into a medium-sized casserole dish and smooth them into a single layer. Top the dish with the remaining parmesan cheese and broil it for several minutes just until the top is getting browned. I know this from experience, don’t walk away from the broiler!!! 

Serve the creamed greens as a side dish to your favorite protein.

A plate with creamed greens and roasted chicken.

The Best Creamed Greens You'll Ever Taste

Creamed Greens

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

This recipe is simple and makes great use of greens that might not be in your normal rotation. You can use the more common greens like chard, kale, collards, and spinach or you can be a resourceful cook and even use your beet tops, turnip tops, carrot tops, and radish tops

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Wash and remove any tough stems from your greens. This will be especially important if you are using kale. Put the greens, water, and salt in a large pot and bring to a covered boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
  2. In a small saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until the garlic is just starting to brown. Turn the heat down to low and add the cubed cream cheese, cream, salt, brie, and half of the Parmesan. Stir gently while the mixture melts together. Make sure you go slow with the sauce. If it gets too hot it may break and get oily.
  3. When the greens have cooked for 20 minutes there shouldn't be much excess water in the pot. Remove the greens to a cutting board and make a neat round pile in the center of the board. Using the lid from your pot press on the greens while tilting your cutting board into the sink. Press the greens until very little water remains. Using a sharp knife cut the pressed greens in one direction about every half inch. Make a quarter turn to your cutting board and cut through the greens again across the previous cuts. This will give you nice even pieces to add to the sauce.
  4. Preheat your broiler to high.
  5. When the sauce is smooth and all the cheese has fully incorporated remove it from the heat and stir in the chopped greens. Pour the greens into a medium-sized casserole dish and smooth them into a single layer. Top the dish with the remaining Parmesan cheese and broil it for several minutes just until the top is getting browned. I know this from experience, don't walk away from the broiler!!!
  6. Serve the creamed greens as a side dish to your favorite protein.
A collage of creamed greens with text overlay.

Kimberly

Sunday 19th of July 2020

Absolutely delicious! I paired the greens with "Onion and Brown Gravy Meatloaf" from Food.com. Great dinner! Thank you for the great recipe!

Butter For All

Sunday 19th of July 2020

Hi Kimberly!

That sounds like my kind of dinner! So happy you enjoyed the greens!

Courtney

Sue

Saturday 13th of June 2020

I loved this so much I made it twice!! It's delicious & garlicky & luscious! Yum!!

Butter For All

Monday 15th of June 2020

Hi Sue,

I'm so happy to hear it!

Jan

Monday 11th of May 2020

Can this be made ahead and reheated? What about reheating leftovers?

Butter For All

Monday 11th of May 2020

Hi Jan,

Yes. You can just reheat it in the oven until it bubbling! Enjoy!

Lisa

Monday 16th of March 2020

This was really good! The sauce is amazing. We used frozen chopped kale (turns out, not even a cheesy decadent sauce can make me like kale). Oh well, going to make it with spinach next time! We had planned on eating meatballs alongside the creamed kale, but at the last minute we nestled the pre-cooked meatballs in the kale and put it under the broiler. Definitely a keeper.

Butter For All

Thursday 19th of March 2020

Oooo, Lisa!

That does sound good! I only like kale cooked to smithereens, lol! So I can relate!

I'm glad the recipe was a success in any case!

Courtney

Jane Fowler

Wednesday 16th of August 2017

Thanks for sharing your recipes. Creamed greens sound delicious, I have so much kale and swiss chard in the garden at the moment that I shall be trying this soon.

Butter For All

Tuesday 22nd of August 2017

I'm so happy you are enjoying my recipes Jane! Thanks for taking the time to write a note!

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