The BEST Creamed Spinach Recipe (2024)

ByJaclyn Shimmel On Updated

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This creamed spinach recipe is so rich and delicious that you will forget you are even eating spinach!

It is a wonderful spinach side dish to serve up during the holiday season–or any time of year really.

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Like creamed corn, this easy side dish is perfect to make and serve with any of your favorite main dishes.

Creamed spinach with creamed cheese really helps to add such rich flavor to the recipe. I love the flavor and it is great paired with chicken, pork tenderloin, or even meatloaf or steak.

Creamed Spinach

If you are craving something different, I recommend this easy spinach side dish. I have served this up all year round, and I love the tang from the parmesan cheese in it.

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What is creamed spinach?

Creamed spinach is fresh spinach leaves that get wilted in a pan on the stove and paired with a homemade creamy sauce. I used butter, onions, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and more for the best-creamed spinach recipe ever. It is so rich and incredible, but so easy to whip up.

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How to make creamed spinach

To make this, all you need to do is grab a large skillet and toss your butter in and let it melt down on medium heat. Then add in your diced onions and cook until softened and translucent in color.

Now add in your garlic and give a quick stir until nice and fragrant.

Then in the microwave, you will want to heat your milk in the microwave just enough to warm it up. Then whisk in the cornstarch, and then pour the mixture into the skillet stirring.

It will thicken, add in your cream cheese, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese. Then stir in the spinach and let it wilt down a bit. Once it is fully creamed and wilted, serve, and enjoy.

How to make creamed spinach using frozen spinach

If you have frozen spinach on hand and want to use that in replace of fresh go right ahead. Just thaw your spinach and then squeeze off the excess liquid. If you skip this step it will water down your sauce.

Once it is thawed, you will stir in at the end of the cooking of the cream sauce. Then just heat until warmed, and then serve just like it was fresh spinach.

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Can you make creamed spinach ahead of time?

Personally, I prefer creamed spinach fresh. You will find it offers the best texture and flavor. If you want to make ahead of time, you can do so. Just know that when you go to reheat it will have a softer spinach texture that is more broken down.

Go ahead and make it, and then store leftovers in the fridge until ready to serve. Then reheat in the skillet until warm. If the sauce is too thick add in a little chicken stock to help thin out the sauce as you reheat.

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How long does creamed spinach last

You are more than welcome to store this for up to three days in the fridge. Make sure you store in an airtight container. Always use your best judgment in terms of quality. When in doubt, toss it out.

What to serve with creamed spinach

You can serve creamed spinach with so many things. From the classic Thanksgiving or Christmas feast to meatloaf, steak bites, pork, or chicken. While great for the holidays, this spinach side dish is so versatile, and we eat it all year round. Just like these crockpot glazed carrots.

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Expert Tips

  • Use half and half in replace of whole milk for a thicker and creamier texture
  • Or reach for heavy cream for a richer flavor overall
  • Feel free to add 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg for even more flavor
  • You can double the recipe if you plan to serve a crowd

More Delicious Side Dishes

  • Sweet potato casserole
  • Brussels sprouts with bacon
  • Copycat Cracker Barrel fried apples
  • Pan-seared asparagus
  • Corn casserole

Recipe

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Recipe

4.69 from 119 votes

Creamed Spinach

Author: Jaclyn

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 15 minutes mins

Creamed spinach - a classic spinach side dish with a rich and creamy sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 small onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed and sliced
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1-2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 ounce cream cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
  • 12 ounce spinach washed and dried

Instructions

  • In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent (about 3 minutes). Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring often.

  • Heat the milk in a microwave for 25 seconds; whisk in the cornstarch. Pour mixture to skillet.

  • Add salt, pepper, cream cheese, and Parmesan cheese to skillet; whisk until well combined.

  • Stir in the spinach, coating the spinach completely in the cream mixture. Serve warm.

Notes

You can use frozen spinach in place of fresh. Just thaw and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible before adding to the skillet in step 4.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 156kcal

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The BEST Creamed Spinach Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long can you keep creamed spinach in the fridge? ›

Serve it as an easy veggie side at your holiday dinner to really add some fancy factor alongside your Thanksgiving turkey. Storage and reheating. If you have any leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can also freeze your creamed spinach for around 3 months.

What is creamed spinach made of? ›

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!).

Is creamed spinach anti inflammatory? ›

It reduces inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is associated with heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer, according to the American Heart Association. Spinach contains a host of anti-inflammatory properties to keep your body healthy.

How do I cook spinach without it going soggy? ›

The high heat and stirring will help any liquid the spinach releases evaporate quickly, which is what you want to avoid wet or slimy spinach when all is said and done. To cook more spinach, add it in batches so that as the leaves wilt; any liquid given off will evaporate right away.

Can you eat spinach 2 weeks out of date? ›

Those packages of salad mixes, spinach and arugula are fineto eat past the due date. If the leaves have wilted, just cut off those bits before use. When your greens are starting to decay though (think mushy, slimy leaves), it's time to chuck.

Does creamed spinach go bad? ›

It'll stay good for about three days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also make this dish ahead of time and reheat it over low heat in a saucepan on the stove. (Low heat is important so the cream sauce doesn't separate!)

Is it OK to eat spinach every day? ›

When eaten in moderation, spinach helps in reducing the risks of high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and cancer. Although it is safe for most people to eat a bowl of spinach per day, you should be careful to eat it in moderation. Spinach is a dark leafy green crop with an impressive nutrient profile.

How do you make creamed spinach less bitter? ›

Citrus juice can efficiently cover the bitterness of the spinach and give a fresh flavour to it. You can use either lemon, lime or even orange juice for the purpose. As soon as the leaves get cooked, take them out in a bowl. Drizzle some citrus juice over them, give a light stir and let it sit for 15 minutes.

Why is my creamed spinach bitter? ›

To prevent spinach from becoming bitter during the sautéing process, it's important to avoid overcooking. Overcooking can cause the natural compounds in spinach to break down, leading to a bitter taste. By sautéing the spinach just until it wilts, you can preserve its delicate flavor and avoid bitterness.

How long is creamy spinach dip good for after opening? ›

The date printed on the container is an “unopened” date - meaning the dip will stay fresh if unopened until that date. Once the dip container has been opened, we recommend consuming the dip within about 10-14 days for optimum flavor and freshness and follow the “refrigerate after opening” instructions on the label.

How long does pureed spinach last in fridge? ›

This delicious super green spinach puree recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24hours and frozen up to 2 months. It's also perfect for creating healthy spinach veggie ice pops or a bright and healthy delicious pasta sauce!

Can spinach last a week in the fridge? ›

Refrigerated spinach leaves will stay good for up to a week or even 10 days, according to Allrecipes. The fridge will even work well to keep both fresh and cooked spinach good, so long as you plan to use either within several days of storing it.

How do you know when spinach goes bad? ›

It is very easy to tell if spinach has gone bad: it will be dark green or greenish brown, wet or slimy, and will smell a bit like algae or garbage—and taste like it, too.

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