Creamed Spinach

August 2024 · 5 minute read

This creamed spinach recipe is a perfect easy side dish for holidays and weeknights alike. It's fresh, delicious, and ready in 15 minutes!

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Creamed spinach

Creamed spinach is a classic steakhouse side dish, but there’s no reason you shouldn’t be making it at home. My recipe comes together in 15 minutes, and it delivers rich flavor with just a few basic ingredients!

I used Jack’s mom’s creamed spinach as a starting point for this recipe. She made it for Thanksgiving every year when Jack was growing up, and he still raves about it. In developing this recipe, I wanted to capture the luxurious flavor and silky texture of her creamed spinach while putting the fresh greens front and center.

Many creamed spinach recipes use frozen spinach, butter, and cream cheese. To put the focus more on the greens, I use fresh spinach here, which provides more texture than frozen (though you can use frozen in a pinch!). Once I cook the greens down, I make a light, tangy cream sauce that gives the spinach brightness and richness, but—crucially—doesn’t overwhelm it. No cream cheese required!

Jack and I both love this creamed spinach recipe, and I hope you do too. Quick, easy, and packed with flavor, it’s perfect for holidays and busy weeknights alike. Enjoy!

What You’ll Need to Make Creamed Spinach

Here’s what you’ll need to make this creamed spinach recipe:

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Substitutions and Variations

How to Make Creamed Spinach

This easy creamed spinach recipe takes under 15 minutes from start to finish. Here’s how to make it:

  • First, cook the spinach. This recipe calls for a full pound of spinach, so you’ll likely need to work in batches. Sauté the leaves just until they wilt—they should keep their bright color and plenty of texture.
  • Next, squeeze out the excess water. Allow the sautéed spinach to cool slightly, and then squeeze out any excess water from the leaves. Don’t skip this step, or your creamed spinach will be watery!
  • Then, make the cream sauce. First, sauté shallot and garlic. Then, add the spinach back into the pan and stir in the cream, cornstarch, and Dijon mustard. Finish it with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice!
  • Serve. Taste and adjust the seasonings, and you’re ready to eat.
  • This recipe is an excellent holiday side dish, but it’s also a good one to have in your back pocket for dinner any night of the week. Serve it with your favorite protein, a baked potato, veggie lasagna, or creamy polenta.

    Storage

    I like this creamed spinach recipe best just after it’s made, but leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    To reheat leftovers, warm them over low heat on the stove, or quickly zap them in the microwave.

    More Easy Side Dishes

    If you love this creamed spinach recipe, try one of these simple side dishes next:

    Creamed Spinach

    rate this recipe:4.75 from 12 votesPrep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes Serves 3 to 4Save Recipe Print RecipeThis creamed spinach is an easy, delicious side dish! We love this recipe with fresh baby spinach leaves, but feel free to use frozen spinach if you prefer. Find instructions for using it in the blog post above.

    Ingredients

    Instructions

    Notes

    For a dairy-free alternative, replace the heavy cream with 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk.

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