Creamed Super Greens

If you’re going to eat your greens, they might as well be bathed in a creamy, garlicky cheese sauce, right? I think we can all agree that traditional creamed spinach is long overdue for an update. I’ve added kale and chard to the party, bringing the total super greens to a whopping 1½ pounds. As long as we’re upping the ante on the leafy greens, we might as well replace the cream cheese with its richer, smoother cousin: mascarpone. The result is a versatile creamed veggie side that would be more than happy to accompany anything from steak or pork to chicken or seafood.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Heat the butter in a large heavy-bottomed stockpot set over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the spinach, kale, and chard in batches. Cook, stirring, until the greens have wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Stir in the flour, then stir in the milk, mascarpone cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in the Parmesan cheese, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.