These easy to make, creamy and healthy mashed potatoes with spinach are a delicious side dish, perfect for entertaining. They are low in fat, full of colour, goodness and lots of flavour!
You might also like celery root puree and roasted mashed rutabaga.
This recipe for healthy mashed potatoes with spinach is really simple and yields fantastic results!
Mashed potatoes are probably the least popular side dish in my house. The main complaint is that they are boring and I find it hard to disagree. So to save them from extinction I've decided to liven them up by adding spinach to the mash for more colour and flavour.
It only takes a few extra minutes to transform a tired old mash into an exciting, tasty and nutritious side dish. Which is handy if you are hosting a party and need a quick and easy side dish that's a bit more special.
Ingredients
Best potatoes to use in this recipe
I recommend either Maris Piper, Rooster, Marabel or Vivaldi varieties as they are all great for mashing. If you live in North America a good option is Yukon Gold or Russet or another variety that's starchy and not waxy.
How to make mashed potatoes with spinach: step-by-step
1.Peel the potatoes and cut into quarters, place in a pot, add the bay leaf and approx. 1 tsp coarse sea salt, cover with water and boil until tender.
2. Drain, discard the bay leaf, add the butter and cream cheese and mash until creamy and there are no lumps left. Keep covered while you prepare the spinach.
3. Place the spinach in a large pan and wilt over a high heat stirring all the time, not allowing the spinach to cook.
4. Puree the spinach and add into the pot along with the onion granules, pepper to taste and more salt if needed.
5. Combine using a potato masher and serve!
How to make really fluffy mashed potatoes
There are two main steps involved. First of all, your potatoes will need a bit of fat and moisture. So you could add cream, butter or cream cheese (as I have done in this recipe), or a splash of milk for example. And secondly, you have to mash the potatoes using a potato masher, not a fork. Do this really thoroughly, until there are no lumps left and the mixture is fluffy.
If I am making plain mashed potatoes I tend to use a combination of butter and milk, but in this recipe the spinach has replaced the milk. After you've added it to the mash be sure to mix it in well using a potato masher.
Expert tips and FAQs
- Potatoes: use starchy, floury varieties such as Maris Piper, Vivaldi, Russet or Yukon Gold.
- It is important to mash the potatoes while hot for a super creamy consistency. Keep them covered as you are preparing the spinach.
- Spinach: I recommend using baby spinach if possible as it is sweeter than regular spinach. If you wilt it over a high heat it will reduce in volume before actually starting to cook (it is not necessary to cook the spinach for this recipe).
- Cream cheese: I used full fat Philadelphia cream cheese but reduced fat cream cheese is fine too.
- Best served immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
More potato side dishes
- Mashed Roasted Carrots
- Easy Spiced Potato Wedges Recipe
- Potato Dumplings with Polenta
- Vegan Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Herbs
Keep in touch
If you make this mashed potatoes and spinach recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Recipe
Healthy Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Spinach
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds (675 g) potatoes peeled, cut into quarters, peeled weight
- 8.82 ounces (250 g) fresh spinach
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ teaspoon onion granules
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes in salted water with the bay leaf, drain, discard the bay leaf, add the butter and cream cheese and mash until smooth. Cover and set aside.
- Place the spinach in a large pan and wilt it over a high heat, stirring constantly not allowing it to cook. Puree and add to the mashed potatoes. Add the onion granules, season to taste and combine using a potato masher. Mash thoroughly until the mixture becomes fluffy. Serve!
Notes
- Potatoes: use starchy, floury varieties such as Maris Piper, Vivaldi, Russet or Yukon Gold.
- It is important to mash the potatoes while hot for a super creamy consistency. Keep them covered as you are preparing the spinach.
- Spinach: I recommend using baby spinach if possible as it is sweeter than regular spinach. If you wilt it over a high heat it will reduce in volume before actually starting to cook (it is not necessary to cook the spinach for this recipe).
- Cream cheese: I used full fat Philadelphia cream cheese but reduced fat cream cheese is fine too.
- Best served immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Sharon says
I love these potato recipes
Monika says
Thank you:)
Robin says
Do you know what I can use instead of cream cheese? I'm vegan but would love to try this recipe.
Monika says
If you could get vegan cream cheese that would be best. You can also use vegan yogurt or mashed silken tofu (for creaminess) with a drop of lemon juice.
Patrick says
I didn’t hold out much confidence in this going down well with a 3 year old, but thought I would give it a try.
First impressions weren’t great, but bit of encouragement and he tried some and loved it! Really tasty dish, and even he was surprised how nice it was. 🙂
Will be making this regularly without a doubt. Thankyou. 👍🏻🙂
Monika says
Thanks so much for letting me know! I am thrilled a 3-year-old enjoyed this, young kids can be so fussy especially when it comes to green coloured food.
Patrick says
No problem. And to be honest as he’s a Hulk fan I did call it hulk food which went down a treat. 💪🏼😂
It was awkward but as you say the green colour was the initial put off for him, once he tasted some his response was “not yuk, nice food”. Already wants it again. 🙂
Mandy Mazliah says
Highly unlikely that my picky kids would eat green mashed potato but you never know until you try it! Must give this a go. Spinach is so good for you that I'd love it if they ate it more often. Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare
[email protected] says
Thanks Mandy, they may not be too keen on the mushroom but you might be able to convince them it's alien food, Martians' favourite, (that's if they are young enough to believe that). My own kids are unfortunately too old to believe in aliens:(
kirsty Hijacked by Twins says
Oh my kiddies would love this! These mash potatoes are going on my to try list! Thank you for sharing with #cookblogshare x
[email protected] says
Thanks Kirsty!
Patrick says
Just to follow up, we had some leftover from yesterday so covered and kept in fridge. For lunch today I mixed in some flour and knocked up some fritters, fried in a little olive oil and just tinned beans (Low salt & sugar) as a side.
Went down well for lunch too! Will try be a bit more creative next time though, I think sour cream might work well. 🤔
Monika says
Sounds delicious!
booandmaddie says
What a brilliant idea! Although I have to say that being a child in the 80s means that I love mashed potato pretty much more than anything (although plain boiled veg leaves me a bit cold!) but this looks like a great take on the traditional. Yummy! X #TastyTuesdays
[email protected] says
Thanks! I quite like plain mashed potato too but my 3 boys aren't keen, they are a bit more enthusiastic about this version:)
Louise Fairweather says
Now this appeals to me, but knowing my boys they would be picking out the "green stuff" Might give them the boring mash and do this for me and my OH #cookblohshare
[email protected] says
Thanks Louise! My boys usually aren't crazy about the green stuff either, but if I blitz it a bit more they can't pick anything out:) only they might eat a smaller portion...