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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.
Easy Creamed Spinach Recipe
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.
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. 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.
This creamed spinach is the perfect side for oven grilled steak, poultry, or pork steak, and it works just as well for holiday dinners or a cozy Wednesday night at home. You can even take inspiration from this recipe and use it in dishes like creamy spinach fettuccine or my spinach feta wraps.
Ingredients
A dash of nutmeg highlights the flavor of the spinach, and a good dose of garlic highlights the creamy sauce.
- butter
- onions
- garlic
- cream cheese
- milk or heavy cream
- baby spinach
- ground nutmeg & cayenne pepper
- salt & pepper
- grated parmesan cheese
How To Make Creamed Spinach
We will need just one pan and six ingredients to cream that spinach.
- 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!
How to Make Ahead
You can make creamed spinach up to one day ahead. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate. Reheat over low heat.
Recipe Tips
- If you’d prefer to use frozen spinach, defrost and squeeze out as much water as possible. Use 1 pound of frozen spinach.
- Stir, and ensure to continue to stir until cheese is melted and completely creamy.
- Store leftover creamed spinach in the fridge, covered, for up 2-3 days.
Serving Suggestions
Creamed spinach makes the perfect pairing for a juicy seared ribeye or crispy air fryer chicken. Serve it as an easy veggie side at your holiday dinner to add some fancy factor to your ham or turkey.
Spinach Side Dish Recipes
- Spinach, Kale and Spaghetti Squash Fritters
- Spinach Lentil Fritters
- Quinoa and Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes
- Spinach and Garlic Potato Patties
- Sweet Potato Noodles with Spinach
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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.
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.