Creamed Spinach
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This rich and creamy creamed spinach recipe is easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for the holiday table.
I learned to appreciate a good creamed spinach while working at Sam & Harry’s, a fine-dining steakhouse in Washington, DC, that was the place to be back in the ’90s—guess that dates me a bit, doesn’t it? This creamed spinach recipe is my take on that classic steakhouse side dish, with bright green spinach in a rich, cheesy cream sauce. It may be old-school, but it’s so good it never goes out of style.
I start frozen spinach, so no washing, blanching, or chopping pounds of fresh spinach. And instead of making a flour-thickened sauce, I simply simmer heavy cream until it reduces and thickens, then add Parmigiano-Reggiano, a touch of nutmeg, and the spinach. The whole thing takes about 30 minutes and can be made entirely ahead of time. Serve it alongside steak, beef tenderloin, roast chicken, or pan-seared salmon.
“Loved this…Tastes just like a good steakhouse side.”
What You’ll Need To Make Creamed Spinach
- Frozen cut-leaf spinach: A great shortcut here—look for cut-leaf rather than chopped spinach, which has a better texture. Be sure to squeeze it very dry so excess water doesn’t thin the cream sauce.
- Butter, shallots & garlic: Create the savory base of the dish. Shallots are milder and slightly sweeter than onions, which works especially well with the cream.
- Heavy cream & nutmeg: The cream is simmered until reduced and thickened, so there’s no need for flour. A touch of nutmeg is a classic pairing with spinach and cream.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano: Adds salty, nutty flavor and helps give the sauce a rich, silky consistency. For the best flavor, use freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano rather than pre-grated Parmesan cheese.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Creamed Spinach
Cook the aromatics: Melt the butter and cook the shallots until soft and translucent, then add the garlic and cook briefly. Keep the heat gentle so the garlic doesn’t brown.
Make the cream sauce: Add the cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and simmer until noticeably reduced and thickened. You’ll know it’s ready when the cream coats a wooden spoon. Reducing the cream this way creates a rich, velvety sauce without the need for flour. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano until smooth.
Add the spinach: Stir in the well-drained spinach until evenly coated in the sauce and heated through. If the creamed spinach seems a little loose, let it cook briefly to evaporate any excess moisture. Serve right away, or let cool and refrigerate until ready to reheat and serve.
More Veggie Side Dishes You’ll Love
Creamed Spinach
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup finely chopped shallots, from 1 to 2 shallots
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 pint (2 cups) heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg, or use ground nutmeg
- ½ cup finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 pounds frozen cut leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry (see note)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Do not brown.
- Add the heavy cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and bring to a gentle boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the cream is thick enough to coat a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until melted.
- Add the spinach and stir until evenly combined with the cream sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. (If the spinach seems a little watery, cook over medium-low heat until any excess liquid evaporates.) Serve warm.
Notes
- Cut leaf spinach is not the same as chopped spinach. If your market doesn’t carry cut leaf spinach, look for frozen whole leaf spinach. (Chopped spinach will work, but the texture won’t be as appealing.) Some markets carry 1-lb (454-g) bags, and some carry 10-oz (283-g) boxes; if you can only find the 10-oz boxes, you’ll need three of them. If you’d like to start with fresh spinach, you’ll need about 2 lbs (907 g) baby spinach leaves. Steam and drain the baby spinach, then roughly chop and measure out 2 packed cups.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: This dish can be made and refrigerated a day ahead of time. Reheat in the microwave, uncovered, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until hot, a few minutes. When reheated, the spinach won’t be quite as creamy-looking as it was originally (though the taste will be the same); you can add a bit of cream when reheating to get a creamier consistency, if you’d like.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Jenn,
Wow!! I made this recipe today as a part of our Easter dinner and what a hit. I had to substitute using Parmesan and onions since that is what we had on hand. My non spinach eating spouse even loved it. The bonus is that this is Keto friendly. Everything I make from your cookbook or blog turns out so well. You make me look good. Keep up the great work.
Lena
I made this for the first time last night. I only had an 8 oz. bag of fresh spinach, half and half, and onions, instead of frozen spinach, cream, and shallots. I pared everything down a little since I didn’t have enough spinach and added a pinch of xanthan gum to thicken the sauce before I put the cheese and spinach in. I CANNOT WAIT to make the full recipe. Fortunately there were only 2 of us, but if there had been more spinach, I know we would have polished it all off. Jenn – you did it again! I have never had a clinker from your site, even when I had to make substitutions like I did here.
I made this today and it is wonderful! My daughter licked her plate clean. I’ve tried many creamed spinach recipes and this is the winner. I wasn’t able to get true Parmesan Reggiano due to the product restrictions happening so I had to use regular shredded Parmesan but it was still awesome. Your recipes never fail. Thank you Jenn.
Delicious and easy. Even the spinach haters ate it. Thanks Jenn.
Absolutely the best cream of spinach I’ve ever made. If I need any type of recipe, you are the first person I go to. Thanks
This is the best creamed spinach I have ever had. Uncomplicated and easy to find ingredients. I’ve made it twice this week! I prepared it as directed but at the end I put it in a nice looking baking dish and sprinkled some Parmesan on top. I then put it in a 350 degree oven just long enough to melt the Parmesan. Delicious!
Thanks Jenn.
Loved this!! Paired this with sous vide steak & had a fancy steakhouse feel 🙂
I made this for Christmas dinner and like many others have stated it was a hit! My family loved it so I will be making it often.
Hi Jenn. LOVE your recipes and even more, LOVE your instructions!!!
What would you suggest as the lowest fat substitute for the heavy cream to keep this recipe delicious? Thanks.
Honestly, I wouldn’t use anything other than the heavy cream here as it’s really necessary to get the right consistency. Instead, you may want to consider a creamed spinach that uses a bechamel sauce as it will be a bit lower in fat. Sorry!
I added a pinch of xanthan gum to half & half because I didn’t have any cream. That works wonderfully.
We would love to try this recipe as I’m sure it is delicious. Unfortunately in our family, we cannot consume it due to dietary restrictions.
I wont rate this since I tweaked it to be non-diary and it is a work in progress. I am including my changes for other families that are in a similar situation. I made a roux with oil and flour, then added cashew beverage instead of the cream. I didn’t add enough flour and required a last minute slurry of cornstarch to thicken the sauce. I used fresh spinach. The result was very good but needed something to replace the cheese flavor which I omitted.
Absolutely prefect side dish for beef tenderloin. The best spinach recipe I have ever tasted. Thanks for another one Jenn!