Creamed Spinach
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Creamy, garlicky and unapologetically good, this creamed spinach recipe is one you’ll want to make again and again.
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 classic steakhouse side dish, with bright green spinach in a rich, cheesy cream sauce, may be old-school, but it’s so good it never goes out of style.
You might be surprised at how quick and easy it is to make. This version uses frozen spinach and can be made entirely ahead of time, then reheated in the microwave. Whether you’re cooking for a festive holiday or a simple family dinner, this creamed spinach never disappoints. It’s especially good alongside pan-seared steaks, roast beef tenderloin with red wine sauce, roast chicken, or pan-seared salmon.
“Loved this…Tastes just like a good steakhouse side.”
What You’ll Need To Make Creamed Spinach
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and is used to sauté the shallots and garlic, creating the flavorful base of the dish.
- Shallots and garlic: Finely chopped and sautéed together for a sweet, aromatic foundation that enhances the cream sauce.
- Heavy cream: Forms the rich, velvety base for the sauce, making the dish indulgently creamy.
- Freshly grated nutmeg: Adds a warm, subtle spice that complements the richness of the cream and spinach.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano: For the best flavor, use authentic Parmigiano Reggiano. You can always tell if it’s the real deal by looking at the rind, which is embossed with the name over and over. (If the cheese is already grated, it should be labeled “Parmigiano Reggiano,” not “Parmesan.”)
- Frozen cut leaf spinach: Cut leaf spinach is not the same as chopped spinach. If your market doesn’t carry “cut leaf,” look for frozen whole leaf spinach. (Chopped spinach will work but the texture won’t be as appealing.) If you’d like to start with fresh spinach, you’ll need about 2 pounds baby spinach leaves. Steam and drain the baby spinach, then roughly chop and measure out 2 packed cups.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the shallots. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat, then add the shallots. Cook, stirring often, until they’re soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute more, stirring constantly—don’t let it brown.
Step 2: Add the cream and seasoning. Add the heavy cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and bring to a gentle boil.
Step 3: Thicken the base. Cook the cream base, uncovered, until it is thick enough to coat a wooden spoon. It should take about 10 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in the cheese. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir until melted into the sauce.
Step 5: Stir in the spinach and serve. Stir until the spinach is evenly combined with the cream sauce, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and serve warm. This creamed spinach recipe can be made a day ahead of time and reheated in the microwave.
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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Question: Would I lose anything substituting with Gruyere?
It will taste a little different but should still be great. 🙂
Just made a small recipe of this but I tried using “goutweed” in place of the spinach, which has invaded our garden. I was looking for recipes for spinach to use it up. I read that “anything spinach can do goutweed can do cheaper”. Haha, and in this case it did. Simple and tasty. I just wish I had made more. Oh well, I have A LOT of goutweed so it’s not a problem. Thanks for the recipe.
I’ve made a different variation of this recipe before and found the proportion of ingredients to be better in this recipe. I saw a British chef’s recipe for creamed spinach where he used Devonshire Double Cream instead. So I tried the double cream instead of the heavy cream. It was to die for! My guests could not stop eating it and raving about it. Thank you for posting such delicious recipes!
This creamed spinach recipe was not only SOO delicious, but SUPER easy and quick to make! We loved the flavor profile as well how quickly it came together! Thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe – one that can be made during a hectic evening!
Wow. I love heavy cream. I love parmeg… regg…. I fixed this for my wife on our last night of staycation. She actually stopped knitting to ooh and ahh. Thank you Jenn for making it so easy to bank husband points.
I made this to go along with our Christmas Dinner and everyone loved it! Super delicious and super easy to make. Jen, your recipes never disappoint. Thank you!
I first (and last) had creamed spinach as an exchange student in W. Germany in 1986. Today, I decided to introduce my husband to this long-ago favorite. Your recipe was absolutely perfect, and he can’t stop raving.
Thank you!
Good morning,
I made your creamed spinach recipe and I loved it. The only thing is that the spinach seemed too al dente for my liking. I used the frozen cut spinach. Do you recommend I cook the spinach before adding it to the sauce or should I add it to the sauce first and then keep it in the pan longer after it’s mixed in with sauce? Thank you!
Hi Gina, I would just cook it longer with the sauce; if it gets too thick, you can thin it with a bit of water.
So good and so easy! A Thanksgiving hit and the leftovers were good, too. Next time I will likely be lazy and use dried onion but that’s only because I had to open the door to help keep me from looking like I had had hysterics (I usually start tearing up after the first onion/shallot cut!).
Jenn, thank you, thank you for such a full proof recipe. For the first time, I hosted a majority vegan Thanksgiving crowd this year. I made a vegan version of this creamed spinach, substituting vegan “grated cheese”, vegan no soy “butter”, and vegan cashew/almond combo “cream” in place of the three dairy ingredients, at the same quantities. It was devoured. Luckily, the other recipes I made (Orange Cranberry sauce and Balsamic Brussels Sprouts) needed no changes. You made this year’s meal better than ever!