Spinach Madeleine
A Louisiana classic: creamy spinach in a spicy jalapeno cheese sauce with Worcestershire, hot sauce, and celery salt. Spinach Madeleine is the Cajun side dish that steals the show at every gathering.
YIELD
5 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minBorn in the heart of Louisiana, Spinach Madeleine has been a staple at Southern holiday tables and potlucks for decades. And honey, there’s a reason it never gets old.
Frozen spinach gets stirred into a roux-based sauce made with evaporated milk and jalapeno cheese sauce, then seasoned with Worcestershire, celery salt, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and a splash of hot sauce.
It’s creamy, spicy, and rich in that distinctly Cajun way that makes you go back for seconds before your plate is clean.
Add cooked shrimp and a touch of liquid crab boil for a fancier version, or spoon it into pastry shells for an appetizer that’ll have folks asking for the recipe.
Chef Tips
- Drain the spinach in a colander and press out every bit of liquid. Save a quarter cup of that green stock to adjust the consistency later.
- Make the roux smooth before adding the milk. Lumpy roux means lumpy sauce, and there’s no fixing that.
- The jalapeno cheese sauce is doing most of the flavor heavy lifting. Don’t substitute mild cheese or the whole dish falls flat.
- Serve it hot. This is not a room-temperature side. The cheese sauce thickens as it cools and loses its silky texture.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook spinach as directed.
Drain very well in a colander.
Save ¼ cup spinach stock.
Melt butter and sauté onions until translucent.
Add flour stirring until smooth, do not brown.
Reduce heat, add evaporated milk and cheese sauce stirring until well blended.
Add drained spinach and stir.
Add spices and adjust consistency with reserved spinach stock.
Can add ¼ teaspoon liquid crab boil and cooked shrimp.
Also can be served in prebaked pastry shells.
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