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This quick and easy creamed spinach recipe is rich, creamy, and ready in minutes! Made with tender spinach, cream cheese, and a handful of simple ingredients, it’s the perfect side dish for weeknight dinners, holidays, or anytime you need a cozy and delicious side.
Make your favorite steakhouse-style creamed spinach right at home in just 10 minutes! It’s a classic comfort food side dish that’s rich, creamy, and always a crowd-pleaser next to oven-grilled steak.
My version of this classic steakhouse side uses baby spinach, cream cheese, and Parmesan to keep things simple, flavorful, and even keto-friendly and low-carb.
Reasons to Love This Easy Creamed Spinach Recipe
- Rich and creamy sauce. The subtle flavors of onion, garlic, and a pinch of nutmeg bring it all together, while the cream cheese adds creaminess without going over the top.
- A perfect side dish. This creamed spinach is the perfect side for steak, poultry, or pork steak, and it works just as well for holiday dinners or a cozy Wednesday night at home.
- Versatile. My homemade creamed spinach doubles as a cooking sauce in recipes like creamy spinach chicken, and a tasty pasta sauce in creamy spinach fettuccine. I even use it in my spinach feta wraps.
Ingredients
The ingredients you’ll need to make homemade creamed spinach are very simple! Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable measurements and recipe details.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted. I love using butter because it brings more flavor to the sauce, but you can use olive oil if you’d like.
- Onions and Garlic – Easy aromatics that round out this creamed spinach. I recommend a white or yellow onion and fresh garlic. If you don’t have fresh garlic, substitute 1 tablespoon of jarred garlic per clove.
- Cream Cheese – Full-fat cream cheese will have the best flavor and texture.
- Milk or Heavy Cream – You can use either one, depending on how rich you’d like your cream sauce. Half-and-half will also work in this recipe.
- Baby Spinach – Fresh or frozen. If you’re using frozen spinach, you’ll need to thaw and drain it first. You can also make creamed spinach with Swiss chard.
- Seasonings – Ground nutmeg highlights the flavor of the spinach, and I like to add a pinch of cayenne for a little heat. Add salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated cheese melts more smoothly into the sauce than pre-grated cheese.
Recipe Tips
- Fresh vs. frozen spinach. This recipe works well with both. If you’re using frozen, defrost it and squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible so it doesn’t water down the sauce. You’ll need about 1 pound of frozen spinach.
- For a purer flavor, use freshly grated nutmeg if you have it, instead of pre-ground nutmeg.
- Keep stirring! Stir constantly until the cheese is melted and completely creamy, to prevent it from clumping.
- Don’t overheat the sauce. Overheating the cream sauce will make the dairy split and curdle. Keep it over steady heat and don’t let the creamed spinach boil.
What to Serve With Creamed Spinach
Creamed spinach makes the perfect pairing for a juicy seared ribeye or crispy air fryer chicken for a steakhouse-style dinner at home. I also love serving creamed spinach as a holiday side dish with our Christmas ham or Thanksgiving turkey. Serve with more sides, like buttermilk mashed potatoes, roasted mushrooms, and stuffing!
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Creamed Spinach Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces
- ½ cup milk or heavy cream
- 2½ to 3 pounds baby spinach
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes; add garlic and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the onion softens.
- Add cream cheese and milk. Stir in the cream cheese and milk (or heavy cream); cook while continuously stirring until the cream cheese is melted and smooth.
- Add the spinach and spices. Stir in the spinach; add nutmeg and cayenne pepper, and simmer over medium heat until spinach wilts and mixture thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and serve.
Notes
- If you’d prefer to use frozen spinach, defrost and squeeze out as much water as possible. Use 1 pound of frozen spinach.
- Store leftover creamed spinach in the fridge, covered, for up to three days.
- You can make creamed spinach up to 1 day ahead: Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Reheat over low heat.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How To Make Creamed Spinach
All you need to make this easy side dish is one pan and 10 minutes! Let’s get started.
- Sauté. Start by heating the butter and cooking the onions and garlic until soft and fragrant.
- Mix. Add the cream cheese and milk (or heavy cream) to the pan. Once the cream cheese has melted, stir in the baby spinach and cook for a few more minutes, just until wilted and the mixture thickens.
- Finish. Season to taste and serve. That. Is. It. If you’re feeling extra, toss in a handful of freshly grated Parmesan; it’s kind of amazing and gives serious Boston Market vibes. You’re welcome!
Make Ahead
You can prepare this creamed spinach up to one day ahead. To prevent a skin from forming on top, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the spinach and cream sauce.
Cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate it airtight. When it’s time to serve, remove the plastic and reheat the creamed spinach over low heat.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store leftover creamed spinach in the fridge, covered, for 2-3 days.
- Reheat. Warm this creamed spinach gently on the stovetop until it’s hot throughout. Don’t overheat it or the sauce may split and curdle.
GREAT recipe
So delicious. I’m a bad cook, but somehow I managed this recipe and it got raving reviews!
Yay, I’m so happy everyone liked it!! My grandma used to say, “There are no bad cooks! If you can read and follow a recipe, you can make good food.” 😃
P.S. She didn’t like cooking. 😆
Had an over abundance of spinach out of the garden. Came across your recipe. Pretty sure this is the best creamed spinach I have ever had. Great recipe!
I made this last night and my family said it was one of the best meals I have ever made!! I poured it over baked chicken breast! It was phenomenal!! It’s perfect for my low carb high protein diet!! I cannot tell you enough how delicious this recipe is!!!
This recipe is fabulous. Totally restaurant tasty and so easy. I cut the recipe on half easily because didn’t have but one bag of fresh spinach. This will be my creamed spinach recipe from now on.
That’s great to hear! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂
Hi, can this be used as part of the picnic roll, borek or quiche filling? Thanks
This was the best creamed spinach! I love it and order it at favorite restaurants and in a little grocery store nearby, but this beats all of them. My onions had turned, so I used a bunch of green onions, whites and greens, and it was delicious. Will definitely be making it with proper onions soon.
Have you tried it with any other vegetables? I want it for everything!
Excellent! Thank you!
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Does it really call for 2 1/2 pounds(40oz.) of spinach?
Hi!
Yes, you will need 2.5 pounds (40-ounces) of baby spinach.