Our creamed spinach recipe is a classic steakhouse side that seems to pair with just about everything.
Made with baby spinach, parmesan cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream, onion, garlic, and mozzarella, this easy-to-make side dish comes together in just 20 minutes.
It’s the perfect side dish for your next holiday meal, grill night, or just to break up the boredom of tired vegetable side dishes.
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Creamed spinach is also one of those very forgiving sides that you can make a day or two before your next holiday event and reheat it when you’re ready to serve.
We love preparing ahead of time when hosting, as it allows us to focus on the main entree or tackle some last-minute cleaning on the day of the event.
Even your kids will enjoy this vegetable side, because the cheesy, creamy goodness hides the flavor of those leafy greens; If it’s a vegetable and they’re eating it (even covered in cheese), it’s a win in my book.
If you are looking for the perfect proteins to pair with our creamed spinach, our Smoked Beer Can Chicken is a delicious, low-effort recipe you’re whole family will love. Add our sauteed mushrooms with garlic butter to round out the meal! It’s another easy-to-make side dish that we love to serve up on steak nights.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our creamed spinach recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I make adjustments to the recipe?
Absolutely. We used mozzarella and Parmesan cheese to make the dish, but you can use Gruyere, Swiss, or cheddar. Swap out the Parmesan for Locatelli Romano. I’ve even been known to add a little bleu cheese or Gorgonzola to the sauce.
In place of the cream cheese, you can use mascarpone, or swap it out for sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (these two will cause the sauce to be a little looser).
For a change of pace or a make-ahead dish, place the finished creamed spinach in a casserole dish and top it with crushed Ritz crackers (I won’t tell anyone if you mix a little melted butter in with the cracker crumbs).
How to Make Creamed Spinach
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make creamed spinach in your home kitchen.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Then add the spinach.
- Blanch for 30 seconds.
- Use a colander and carefully drain the spinach.
- Then place it into a bowl of cold ice water. This stops the cooking, which keeps the flavors bright and fresh.
- When thoroughly cooled, remove from the ice water and squeeze out excess water using paper towels. Then, set it aside on a paper-towel-lined plate until needed.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat, and add the butter.
- Heat until the butter has melted.
- Add the chopped onion to the pan. Cook until soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Add the chopped garlic to the pan, and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
- Add the milk, heavy cream, and cream cheese to the skillet.
- Simmer the mixture until the cream cheese is fully melted. We suggest cutting the cream cheese into small pieces before adding it to the pan.
- Add salt and pepper to the pan and mix well.
- Add spinach, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese to the pan.
- Stir to combine, breaking up any large chunks of creamed cheese and cooked spinach.
If the creamed spinach is too thick, add a little milk or heavy cream until it reaches the desired consistency.
Serving Suggestions
- Perfect with steak, prime rib, roast chicken, roast pork, and lamb.
- Serve alongside holiday roasts like turkey, ham, and roast beef.
- Spoon it over baked potatoes or pasta for an easy, cozy meal.
Our creamed spinach recipe is proof that simple ingredients can create a side dish that steals the show.
It’s a delicious, rich, and velvety classic that never disappoints. Give it a try and see why it’s been a steakhouse favorite for generations!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 -3 days. It can be stored frozen for up to two months.
To reheat, transfer it to a heat-proof dish, cover with tinfoil, and bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. is reached.
To reheat on the stove top, place it in a frying pan over low to medium heat. You may need to add a bit of heavy cream or milk to thin it out.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen spinach, but quickly blanching fresh spinach gives this recipe a brighter taste, and it is quicker than waiting for frozen spinach to thaw.
If you do use frozen spinach, thaw it thoroughly and squeeze out as much liquid as possible to keep the dish from getting watery.
Steak is our favorite dish to serve it with, but it pairs well with any meat or seafood entree. On busy nights, I like to pair creamed spinach with rotisserie chicken and oven-roasted potatoes.
Yes, you can. You can make it a day or two in advance. Store it refrigerated in an airtight container or well wrapped with plastic wrap. Add a little milk or cream and reheat it gently on the stovetop. Place it in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees F until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
As long as you make the side dish without any flour, it’s both keto and gluten-free. Just make sure to check the Parmesan and other cheeses to make sure there are no additives.
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Creamed Spinach
Equipment
- large skillet
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup sweet onion chopped
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 20 oz fresh baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 4 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese or Locatelli Romano
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
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Instructions
Instructions:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Then add the spinach. Blanch for 30 seconds.
- Use a colander and carefully drain the spinach.
- Then place it into a bowl of cold ice water. This stops the cooking, which keeps the flavors bright and fresh.
- When thoroughly cooled, remove from the ice water and squeeze out excess water using paper towels. Then, set it aside on a paper-towel-lined plate until needed.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat, and add the butter.
- Heat until the butter has melted. Add the chopped onion to the pan. Cook until soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Add the chopped garlic to the pan, and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
- Add the milk, heavy cream, and cream cheese to the skillet and allow to simmer until the cream cheese is melted fully. We suggest cutting the cream cheese into small pieces before adding.
- Add salt and pepper to the pan and mix well.
- Add spinach, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese to the pan and stir to combine, breaking up any large chunks of cooked spinach.
- Transfer to a bowl and serve.
Notes
- Perfect with steak, prime rib, roast chicken, roast pork, and lamb.
- Serve alongside holiday roasts like turkey, ham, and roast beef.
- Spoon it over baked potatoes or pasta for an easy, cozy meal.
If you do use frozen spinach, thaw it thoroughly and squeeze out as much liquid as possible to keep the dish from getting watery. What can I serve this with? Steak is our favorite dish to serve it with, but it pairs well with any meat or seafood entree. On busy nights, I like to pair creamed spinach with rotisserie chicken and oven-roasted potatoes. Can I make creamed spinach ahead of time? Yes, you can. You can make it a day or two in advance. Store it refrigerated in an airtight container or well wrapped with plastic wrap. Add a little milk or cream and reheat it gently on the stovetop. Place it in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees F until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Is creamed spinach keto and gluten-free? As long as you make the side dish without any flour, it’s both keto and gluten-free. Just make sure to check the Parmesan and other cheeses to make sure there are no additives.
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