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Creamed Spinach is a classic and delicious side dish! It is loaded with fresh spinach and has the creamiest garlic parmesan sauce. Serve it alongside any meal!
Reasons to Make Creamed Spinach
- Easy Step-By-Step Instructions: If you’ve never creamed spinach before, don’t you worry. I walk you through every step of the way!
- Perfect Side Dish: This tasty side goes perfectly with so many great dinner options! Serve it with my Lemon Garlic Butter Herb Chicken or Brown Sugar Garlic Air Fryer Salmon!
- A Surprising Crowd-Pleaser: This creamed spinach recipe will not disappoint! Even people who say they don’t like spinach end up loving this recipe.
Creamed Spinach Ingredients
This recipe uses fresh spinach! My preference is to buy a big bag of pre-washed baby spinach. It might look like a lot, but it wilts down to a very small amout. Check out the recipe card below for exact measurements for the ingredients in this cream spinach recipe.
- Baby Spinach: Fresh spinach is best, but check out my tips below for using frozen spinach.
- Unsalted Butter: I like to use unsalted butter so I can control the salt flavor.
- Shallots: Minced shallots add delicious flavor!
- Garlic: Fresh is always the tastiest.
- All-Purpose Flour: Thickens the sauce for the roux.
- Milk: Use any kind of milk! I used 2% milk.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: I used freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Cream Cheese: The creamiest addition to this recipe!
- Salt and Pepper: Helps balance and enhance the creamed spinach flavors.
- Nutmeg: Freshly grated nutmeg is out of this world! Use bottled if you need, but I highly reccommend grating it yourself.
Creamed Spinach Recipe
There are a lot of creamed spinach recipes out there, but I can assure you that this tried and tested recipe is simply the best. Follow my step-by-step instructions below on how to make creamed spinach!
- Blanch the Spinach: Fill a large bowl with ice and water and bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the spinach to the boiling water and stir for about 1 minute until it has wilted. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the spinach into the ice water.
- Squeeze and Drain the Water: Cool the spinach then use both hands to squeeze as much water from the spinach as you can. Set aside the drained leaves in a medium bowl.
- Saute: Add the butter, shallots, and garlic to a large skillet and cook over medium heat for a couple minutes. Cook until the shallots lose some of their color and the mixture becomes fragrant.
- Whisk in the Flour and Milk: Whisk in the flour and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture is bubbling. Slowly whisk in the milk.
- Add the cheeses and Seasonings: Add the parmesan and cream cheese then stir until they are fully melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Stir in the Cooked Spinach and Serve: Add the drained spinach to the cheese mixture and stir until the spinach is heated through. If necessary, heat over low to warm everything evenly while stirring continuously. Serve immediately, topping with a light dusting of freshly grated nutmeg.
Tips For Success!
Follow my tips below to help make your creamed spinach a success! It is easy to make and the best part is that it’s a one-pan side dish.
- Fresh Spinach: The easiest spinach to use is pre-washed baby spinach, but you can use any spinach you prefer. Baby spinach will result in the least bitter flavor. Make sure to wash your spinach!
- Frozen Spinach: You may substitute the fresh spinach for frozen spinach. Skip steps 1-3 and instead thaw and drain the frozen spinach, squeezing out the excess liquid. You will need about 15 ounces of frozen spinach to equal the 24 ounces of fresh spinach the recipe calls for.
- Shallot Substitute: You may substitute white, yellow, or sweet onion for the shallots.
- Nutmeg: I used fresh nutmeg that I grated on a microplane, but you may use a pinch of ground nutmeg instead.
Storing Leftover Creamed Spinach
Here are my tips for storing leftover creamed spinach! I also have tips for making some of the recipe ahead of time to help you out.
- In the Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store in an airtight container.
- To Reheat: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, or in the microwave in 20-30 second increments.
- Make Ahead: Creamed spinach is best served right after being prepared, but you can blanch the spinach up to 48 hours in advance. Follow the recipe through step 3, placing the drained spinach in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to finish making the dish. Drain off any excess liquid the spinach may release as it sits.
Delicious Recipes Made With Spinach
Spinach is such a versatile ingredient in so many dishes! From dips, to pasta dishes, and in a classic spinach pie. Spinach adds nutrition, color, and the tastiest texture. Try adding more spinach to your recipes!
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Creamed Spinach
Creamed Spinach is a classic and delicious side dish! It is loaded with fresh spinach and has the creamiest garlic parmesan sauce. Serve it alongside any meal!
Ingredients
- 24 ounces baby spinach, washed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup minced shallots, about 2 large shallots
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic, about 3 large cloves
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup milk
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with ice and water and bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat.
- Add the 24 ounces baby spinach, to the boiling water and stir for about 1 minute until it has wilted. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the spinach into the ice water.
- Once the spinach has cooled off, use both hands to squeeze as much water from the spinach as you can. Set aside the drained leaves in a medium bowl.
- Add the 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup minced shallots,and 1 tablespoon minced garlic, to a large skillet and cook over medium heat for a couple minutes, until the shallots lose some of their color and the mixture becomes fragrant.
- Whisk in 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture is bubbling. Slowly whisk in ⅔ cup milk.
- Add ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese and 2 ounces cream cheese and stir until they are fully melted. Remove from the heat and stir in ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg.
- Add the drained spinach to the cheese mixture and stir until the spinach is heated through. If necessary, heat over low to warm everything evenly while stirring continuously.
- Serve immediately, topping with a light dusting of freshly grated nutmeg.
Nutrition
Calories: 208kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 8gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 480mgPotassium: 926mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 13220IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 245mgIron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
I’m not much for writing but love reading recipes. I should send more thank-you messages to all the people for their hard work. Enjoy making some and reading all. You are all doing a great job. Thank you for sharing.
No need for cream cheese or heavy cream! Two words for this recipe – OH, YUMMM!!!
This is really the best creamed spinach I have ever had! Very easy to make and my husband loved it.
A note for those on a Keto diet, you not only would sub out the milk for heavy cream (actually 1/2 heavy cream and 1/2 almond milk or other non-dairy liquid to make a 1/2 & 1/2), but you also need to omit the flour. Thank you for including a note about a Keto adjustment in your recipe. It’s much appreciated.
Hi the recipe of CREAMED SPINACH is awesome. Nicely written article, and explained everything in detail.
Thanks