This creamed spinach recipe is a side dish that earns a permanent spot on the holiday table. It’s rich and velvety, but the fresh spinach keeps it tasting light and vibrant. Best of all: it’s shockingly simple to make.
Our version of easy creamed spinach offers the kind of shortcuts that make sense for home cooks — fewer steps, fewer dishes and the same silky, restaurant-style texture every time.
Creamed Spinach Ingredients
Here’s Everything You’ll Need
Fresh Baby Spinach = Cleaner Flavor and Texture
Instead of frozen spinach, our recipe calls for 20 ounces of fresh baby spinach. That matters. Because baby spinach is tender, it cooks in seconds — no bitterness, no fibrous stems.
Tested insight: When we compared frozen spinach side-by-side, the frozen version released excess water, which thinned the sauce.
Half-and-Half = Perfect Balance of Rich and Light
Heavy cream can make the dish feel overly rich, while milk can cause the sauce to break or separate. Half-and-half lands in that sweet spot. When combined with the cream cheese, it creates a sauce that thickens as it simmers without curdling or separating.
Nutmeg
is the classic secret ingredient — it enhances the dairy and brings a hint of warmth without making the creamed spinach “spicy.”
Expert Tips From Our Test Kitchen
Blanch and Shock: Key to Steakhouse-Like Color
A quick 30–60 second blanch followed by an ice bath isn’t just for looks. It locks in the bright green color. Avoid over-blanching. Once spinach turns bright green, it’s done. Overcooking makes it mushy.
Squeeze Out Every Drop of Water
Spinach holds a surprising amount of liquid. Even after draining, you’ll get nearly a cup of extra water if you squeeze it by hand. That’s why our step of pressing it dry before adding it to the sauce is so crucial. If that water goes into your pan, it ruins the texture.
Butter + Onion + Garlic = Balanced, Savory Base
Cooking butter, onion, and garlic together over medium heat builds a flavor foundation. The onion’s natural sweetness softens the spinach’s earthiness, and the garlic adds depth without overpowering. This layering of flavor is why our recipe tastes more balanced than many shortcut recipes.
Cream Cheese Over Roux — A Modern Update
Old-school creamed spinach recipes usually start with a roux — that’s just butter and flour cooked together to thicken the sauce. It works, but it can be fussy.
Using cream cheese instead is a total game-changer. It melts right into the half-and-half, thickens the sauce naturally, and gives a subtle tang that makes everything taste richer.
Low And Slow For A Perfectly Creamy Sauce
Once the cream cheese has melted, don’t rush it — give the sauce a few quiet minutes to simmer gently. That little bit of time helps it thicken just enough to coat the back of a spoon. It’s tempting to turn up the heat to make it go faster, but dairy doesn’t like high heat — it can separate or look curdled in a blink.
Creamed Spinach
Ingredients
- 20 ounces fresh baby spinach, stems removed and roughly chopped (two 10-ounce packages)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup minced sweet yellow onion, vidalia
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus additional for boiling water
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup half-and-half
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add ice water to a large bowl and set aside.
- Add the spinach in 1-2 batches to the boiling water. Blanch for 30-60 seconds or just until wilted and bright green.
- Using a large slotted spoon, remove the blanched spinach from the pot of boiling water and place it into the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Transfer the cooled spinach to a colander, set in the sink, and squeeze out as much moisture as possible from the spinach.
- To a medium skillet over medium heat, add the butter, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onion is tender and translucent.
- Add the half-and-half to the skillet. Stir in the cream cheese until it has completely melted and no lumps remain. Allow the sauce to simmer for 2-3 minutes or until it has thickened.
- Break apart the spinach as you add it to the cream sauce. Stir to evenly incorporate the spinach into the cream sauce. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl.
Notes
- You can substitute a 10-ounce box of frozen chopped spinach (thawed according to package directions) for the fresh spinach in this recipe. You will skip the blanching process used for the fresh spinach however, you will still need to squeeze the thawed spinach well to remove as much of the excess moisture as possible before adding to the cream sauce.
- For a slightly thicker, and richer, cream sauce you can substitute heavy cream for the half-and-half in this recipe.
- Squeeze as much excess moisture out of the blanched spinach as possible. This prevents thinning the sauce.
Nutrition
Serving Ideas
This creamed spinach pairs beautifully with:
- Baked chicken, turkey breast or ham
- Prime rib or steak bites
- Mashed potatoes or mac and cheese for a full comfort-food spread
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerate: Up to three days in an airtight container.
- Reheat: On the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of cream or milk to restore creaminess.
- Freeze: Not ideal — the texture can separate
Make-ahead tip: Prepare the sauce and blanch spinach up to a day ahead. Combine and reheat gently on the stove when ready to serve.
Final Thoughts
I know creamed spinach doesn’t usually steal the spotlight, but this one really deserves it. Every time I make it, I’m reminded that simple ingredients can taste like something special when you slow down a little — soften the onions until they’re sweet, really squeeze the spinach dry, and give the sauce a few quiet minutes to come together.
It’s creamy without feeling heavy, rich but still fresh, and it turns a simple dinner into something that feels restaurant-worthy. Once you make it this way, the jarred or frozen versions just don’t stand a chance.
More Recipes With Spinach
- Spinach and Artichoke Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Spinach Alfredo
- Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Spinach Artichoke Quesadillas
- Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese
Comments
Linda Knisley says
This recipe is delicious!! It’s easy to make and tastes as good as any restaurant serving. The instructions were easy to follow and very detailed. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Linda Knisley says
This recipe is delicious.