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Restaurant quality Creamed Spinach is so easy to make at home – it’s definitely worth the effort! This classic dish is beloved for a reason – it’s just so dang good! The spinach is so tender and creamy, and it’s the perfect side to go with a nicely seared steak!
Read on for my key tips and techniques and be prepared to make it on repeat for the holiday season.
Watch the Creamed Spinach Recipe Video Below!
Table of Contents
- Watch the Creamed Spinach Recipe Video Below!
- Ingredients for Creamed Spinach
- Creamed Spinach: Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Dry Spinach is Key
- Warmed Baking Dish
- What Should I Serve with Creamed Spinach?
- Expert Tips for Making The BEST Creamed Spinach at Home!
- Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead Tips
- Creamed Spinach Recipe
My favorite meal for splurges and celebrations is a classic steakhouse dinner – and Creamed Spinach is one of the sides that I would always order! Once I realized that cooking a Steak at home is just as good as ordering it at a restaurant, I knew I had to develop a recipe for this classic side.
Ingredients for Creamed Spinach
- baby spinach – I prefer the size of baby spinach for this dish. You can also use regular sized spinach but I recommend removing the stems before wilting – I personally did not enjoy how the stems turned tough.
- Have leftover spinach? Make my other spinach dishes like Spinach Artichoke Dip or Korean Spinach Side Dish!
- unsalted butter – use unsalted butter, as there is kosher salt in this dish, as well as parmesan cheese, which is already salty. If anything, you can always add more salt to taste but you can’t take away saltiness.
- shallot
- garlic
- flour – this is for the roux
- whole milk – if you want to subsitute whole milk with almond milk, you can do so but the results will be less creamy and rich.
- parmesan cheese – I recommend using freshly grated cheese, as this will be whisked into the roux – pre-grated cheese have additives and preservatives to keep the cheese from melting, which in turn will make sauces grainy.
- If you don’t have parmesan cheese, you can use another cheese, like gruyere or Pecorino Romano
- I use freshly grated cheese in dishes like Fettuccine Alfredo and Garlic Noodles!
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- nutmeg, freshly ground – this is my secret ingredient to restaurant quality Creamed Spinach! I got this idea from my Baked Mac and Cheese recipe, where I add a pinch of nutmeg to the bechamel sauce. I find that freshly ground nutmeg adds a vibrance and depth of flavor that warms up any creamy, savory dishes. It’s a tiny bit but it makes a world of difference! Make sure to use freshly ground nutmeg for the most aroma and flavor.
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
Creamed Spinach: Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
1. Wilt the Spinach and Strain
In a large pot, add 2 tbsp of butter and heat over medium high until melted.
Turn the heat to high and add half of the spinach and stir until just wilted, then add the second half along with a big pinch of kosher salt. Cook until wilted and the liquid has evaporated out of the spinach, about 10 minutes. Use the spatula to push the liquid out of the spinach when cooking. Once the liquid has evaporated, set it aside to cool while you move onto the roux.
Key Tip
Dry Spinach is Key
The best Creamed Spinach is creamy and the perfect amount of thickness – NOT runny or watery! To achieve this, you must wilt the spinach and squeeze out all remaining liquid once cooled. The spinach needs to be as dry as possible before going into the roux. Do NOT skip this step and make sure to dry out the spinach thoroughly. This will make all the difference in cooking a restaurant quality Creamed Spinach!
2. Make the Roux
In a medium sized saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté for 1 minute.
Add the flour and mix to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes to cook out the raw flour and the roux is a light blond color.
Slowly whisk in cold milk so that it is incorporated evenly into the roux and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until thickened.
Add the whole garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir to combine for 1 minute to allow the flavors to meld.
3. Add the Spinach
Strain and squeeze out any remaining liquid from the cooled spinach. Add the drained spinach and stir to combine. Serve in an optional warmed baking dish and enjoy!
Key Tip
Warmed Baking Dish
This is optional but I love to serve Creamed Spinach in a warmed baking dish. It keeps the dish warm and slows down the thickening and congealing that inevitably happens with creamy dishes.
There are two ways to warm up a dish – you can fill it with hot water until it’s time to serve OR you can pop it into your oven at a low temperature (150-200F max) for 15 minutes.
Serving food in warmed dishes is an easy way to elevate your meal at home and impress your guests!
What Should I Serve with Creamed Spinach?
Creamed Spinach is the perfect side for so many of my favorite main dishes – a classic Steak with Peppercorn Sauce or Grilled Steak would so perfectly! You can also serve it alongside Meatloaf, Fried Chicken, Baked Chicken Thighs (or Air Fryer Chicken Thighs) or Braised Short Ribs.
It’s also great amongst other vegetable sides like Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Cauliflower, Crispy Smashed Potatoes, Honey Glazed Carrots, Mashed Potatoes, and Roasted Green Beans with Bacon.
PRO TIPS
Expert Tips for Making The BEST Creamed Spinach at Home!
- I recommend using baby spinach (I prefer the size when wilted); you can also use regular sized spinach but consider removing the stems before wilting – I personally did not enjoy how the stems turned tough.
- The best Creamed Spinach is creamy and the perfect amount of thickness – NOT runny or watery! To achieve this, you must wilt the spinach and squeeze out all remaining liquid. The spinach needs to be as dry as possible before going into the roux. Do NOT skip this step and make sure to dry out the spinach thoroughly.
- Use unsalted butter, as there is kosher salt and parmesan cheese in this dish. You can always add more salt to taste.
- If you want to subsitute whole milk with almond milk, you can do so but the results will be less creamy and rich.
- I recommend using freshly grated cheese, as this will be whisked into the roux – pre-grated cheese have additives and preservatives to keep the cheese from melting, which in turn will make sauces grainy.
- You can substitute parmesan cheese for another type of cheese like gruyere or Pecorino Romano.
- Freshly ground nutmeg is my secret ingredient for restaurant quality Creamed Spinach. I find that it adds a vibrance and depth of flavor that warms up any creamy, savory dishes. It’s a tiny bit but it makes a world of difference! Make sure to use freshly ground nutmeg for the most aroma and flavor.
- I love to serve Creamed Spinach in a warmed baking dish. It keeps the dish warm and slows down the thickening and congealing that inevitably happens with creamy dishes.
- There are two ways to warm up a dish – you can fill it with hot water until it’s time to serve OR you can pop it into your oven at a low temperature (150-200F max) for 15 minutes.
Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead Tips
Creamed Spinach can be made ahed of time and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. To heat in the microwave – I recommend stirring it every 30 seconds until it’s warmed through (mine usually takes 2-3 minutes).
You may find that it’s not as creamy as when it was first made – however, it’ll still taste great! You can try adding in a splash of milk or cream when heating it up – this will make the dish taste a bit creamier.
I personally prefer making it fresh – I think it tastes best this way.
If you tried this Creamed Spinach Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Creamed Spinach
Ingredients
- 2 lbs baby spinach
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 ¾ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp nutmeg, freshly ground
Instructions
- In a large pot add 2 tbsp of butter in a largepot and heat over medium high until melted. Turn the heat to high and add the spinach and stir until just wilted, and the second half and do the same about 10 minutes. Set aside to let cool.
- In a medium sized saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat until melted. Add the shallot and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the flour and mix to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes to form a roux. Slowly whisk in cold milk so that it is incorporated evenly into the roux and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Add the whole garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until thickened. Turn off the heat and fold in the parmesan cheese.
- Strain and squeeze out any remaining liquid from the spinach. Add the drained spinach to the roux mixture and stir to combine. Serve in a warmed baking dish and enjoy!
Notes
- I recommend using baby spinach (I prefer the size when wilted); you can also use regular sized spinach but consider removing the stems before wilting – I personally did not enjoy how the stems turned tough.
- The best Creamed Spinach is creamy and the perfect amount of thickness – NOT runny or watery! To achieve this, you must wilt the spinach and squeeze out all remaining liquid. The spinach needs to be as dry as possible before going into the roux. Do NOT skip this step and make sure to dry out the spinach thoroughly.
- Use unsalted butter, as there is kosher salt and parmesan cheese in this dish. You can always add more salt to taste.
- If you want to subsitute whole milk with almond milk, you can do so but the results will be less creamy and rich.
- I recommend using freshly grated cheese, as this will be whisked into the roux – pre-grated cheese have additives and preservatives to keep the cheese from melting, which in turn will make sauces grainy.
- You can substitute parmesan cheese for another type of cheese like gruyere or Pecorino Romano.
- Freshly ground nutmeg is my secret ingredient for restaurant quality Creamed Spinach. I find that it adds a vibrance and depth of flavor that warms up any creamy, savory dishes. It’s a tiny bit but it makes a world of difference! Make sure to use freshly ground nutmeg for the most aroma and flavor.
- I love to serve Creamed Spinach in a warmed baking dish. It keeps the dish warm and slows down the thickening and congealing that inevitably happens with creamy dishes.
- There are two ways to warm up a dish – you can fill it with hot water until it’s time to serve OR you can pop it into your oven at a low temperature (150-200F max) for 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
