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Creamed spinach is one of those love-it-or-hate-it foods. I always thought I fell into the latter category, but when I figured out how to make creamed spinach at home, I discovered it’s absolutely decadent when done right. The key is not to overcook it… and use plenty of cream. 😉 If you or your family are on the fence about it — or just tired of regular sauteed spinach — I hope my easy creamed spinach recipe will convert you, too. Make it with me!
Why You Need My Creamed Spinach Recipe
- Rich and creamy, without thickeners – The rich, silky cream sauce is a perfect match for the bold flavor and tender texture of the spinach leaves. This is not a “light” dish, but I do use real food ingredients and thicken it naturally without any flour (so it’s also keto and gluten-free).
- 6 simple ingredients – Plus salt and pepper. Grab a bag of spinach and a carton of cream, and chances are you have everything else.
- Fast and easy – This recipe takes me just 15 minutes. And unlike most sides, there’s no chopping involved (except the garlic, but I’ve got a shortcut for that, too).
- Versatile side dish – I serve creamed spinach with steak dinners, for the holidays (like my Thanksgiving dinner, but readers tell me they also make it for Christmas), and just regular weeknights. It goes with so many mains! I even make a variation of this to top my chicken Florentine.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my best creamed spinach recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Spinach – I prefer baby spinach leaves for their mild flavor and less bitterness, but you can use any fresh spinach. You can even make my recipe for creamed spinach using frozen spinach! Just use 6 ounces of frozen spinach in place of 10 ounces fresh. Make sure to drain well and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. The saute time after adding the spinach will be shorter, but the time after adding cream will be the same.
- Heavy Cream – The main component of the sauce. Coconut cream can work as a substitute if you don’t mind the flavor. I don’t recommend using regular milk, but if you really want to, you’d need a lot more cream cheese (below) to thicken the sauce.
- Cream Cheese – My “secret” ingredient to make the cream sauce thick! I also love the hint of tang it provides. I always use plain, but neufchatel or light cream cheese would work fine. You can also thicken the sauce with grated parmesan instead, if you like a cheesier flavor.
- Butter – I use this for extra richness when sauteing the garlic and spinach. Feel free to use olive oil or avocado oil instead.
- Garlic – Mince it fresh, or take my easy shortcut with jarred minced garlic.
- Spices – I keep it simple with just Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. You can add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg if you like the flavor — it’s a common addition to creamed spinach recipes, but I prefer mine without. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper if you want some heat.
- Parmesan Cheese – It’s optional, but adds another savory element for topping.
VARIATION: Add onions!
You can saute 1/2 a diced onion before adding the spinach. I left it out to make my easy creamed spinach recipe come together faster, but I’ve done it before and it tastes great.
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How To Make Creamed Spinach
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Saute the garlic. Melt butter in a large skillet with tall sides (I used this one). Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
- Wilt the spinach. Add the spinach, and cook until just barely wilted. You can see how much it cooks down in my pictures below!
- Add the heavy cream, cream cheese, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens. Garnish with parmesan cheese (if using) before serving.
My Recipe Tips
- This cast iron skillet is my favorite for this creamed spinach recipe. It retains heat so well, has a lot of room to fit the leaves, and doesn’t overcook the spinach as easily as other pans I tried. Bonus: you can bring it straight to the table!
- Add the spinach in batches if needed. Don’t worry if it doesn’t all fit in the pan at first! Just add half, cover with a lid to let it wilt, then add the rest. I also find it helpful to use tongs to mix it. If you don’t want to worry about this, just use a Dutch oven or large pot instead.
- Use cream cheese at room temperature, and cut into small pieces. This helps it mix smoothly into the sauce. Cold cream cheese will melt, but it takes longer and I find the spinach overcooks by then. Speaking of…
- Be careful not to overcook. Creamed spinach gets mushy easily, and it’s the reason I thought I disliked it for years! Make sure they aren’t fully cooked yet when you add the cream and other ingredients — and don’t cook too long afterward.
- You can adjust the sauce thickness. If your spinach seems done but the sauce is too thin, you can melt in some extra cream cheese or grated parmesan to thicken it quickly.
- The sauce will thicken more as it cools. Keep this in mind when you decide if it’s thick enough. Mine often seems a little thin in the skillet, but thickens up to the perfect consistency once it’s no longer piping hot (but still warm to eat).
- Have extra spinach to use up? You can use similar ingredients to make my spinach dip or spinach soup!
Serving Ideas
Just about anything goes with this easy creamed spinach recipe! Here are some of my everyday and holiday recipes to try:
- Classic Steak – There’s a reason steakhouses always offer creamed spinach! It pairs so well with a juicy steak. I make sirloin steak in the oven for regular days, or my favorite filet mignon or reverse sear steak for special occasions. You can also try my one-pan steak and potatoes, or chuck eye steak for a budget option.
- Holiday Mains – I love this easy side for Thanksgiving with my roasted turkey, roasted turkey legs, or slow cooker turkey breast, because I can make it ahead of the busy day. You can also serve it for other holidays with a sirloin tip roast, prime rib roast, beef tenderloin, or my quick spatchcock chicken.
- Chicken Dinners – Since this side dish takes only 15 minutes and uses ingredients I often have around, it’s an easy solution for regular weeknight chicken dinners. Try it with my bacon wrapped chicken breast, crispy baked chicken thighs, or garlic parmesan slow cooker wings.
- Homestyle Meals – My creamed spinach recipe pairs perfectly with main dishes that taste just as comforting! I like it with smothered pork chops or eggplant lasagna.
More Creamy Spinach Recipes
There are so many ways to enjoy these healthy greens, but I particularly love the comfort food vibes of creamy spinach! Here are some of my other favorite ways to make it:
Creamed Spinach Recipe (Quick & Easy)
By
Make this easy creamed spinach recipe in 15 minutes, with 6 ingedients! Tender spinach leaves pair perfectly with a silky, rich cream sauce.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Heat the butter in a large skillet with tall sides over medium heat. Add minced garlic and saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
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Add the spinach. Saute for 2-4 minutes, until just barely wilted. If the pan is too full to stir or you can't fit all the spinach, add what you can and cover for 1-2 minutes, which will let the spinach at the bottom wilt. Then you can start to stir in a folding motion and add more as needed.
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Add the heavy cream, cream cheese, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Stir constantly until the cream cheese melts, then simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened. (The sauce will thicken more as it cools from hot to warm.)
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If desired, sprinkle with parmesan cheese for serving. (This is optional.)
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/2 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get a smooth consistency without lumps, prevent mushy results, and adjust the thickness. I also have a suggestion if your spinach doesn’t fit in the pan at first.
- Store: You can make creamed spinach in advance, or keep the leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. It does lose some of its bright color after a couple days. I don’t recommend freezing, as the sauce separates and the dish becomes watery.
- Reheat: Warm it up in a pan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Make sure to heat only briefly, so it doesn’t turn to mush. Sometimes I mix the leftovers with extra cream cheese to thicken and use them for spinach stuffed chicken or stuffed salmon.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Creamed Spinach Recipe
262 Comments
Myra
0I’ve made this recipe several times, and it’s my favorite way to eat spinach. When I need a quick vegetable dish, I use a 10 oz. bag (not block) of frozen spinach – so easy. Fixing spinach this way also seems to eliminate that indescribable feeling in/on your teeth from eating cooked spinach. Very yummy!
Sigi
0It’s true, I had it twice now and didn’t get “long teeth”. I didn’t realise before, thanks for making this even more desirable
carolyn
0I normally don’t like spinach, but I gave this recipe a try and it was really good.
Lisa Ownby
0Loved the creamed spinach recipe. Also used as a dip at a party!
Maricela
0This is a great side, great taste and really delicious. Love that it’s so easy to make.
Tracy Timm
0So excited to try this! My husband mentioned years ago when he was on a work trip that he had the best creamed spinach (I have never heard those words from him – he’s a Doritos and Oreos kind of guy!!) and this looks really close to what he had tried to explain.
Mary
0I love Spinash this was great recipe! Thanks Mary
sheila
0Excellent hearty side dish – Because of where we live I use mostly frozen veggies, I love how this turned out…smooth and creamy. Reminds me of my moms creamed spinach. My husband is not a big fan of the Italian seasoning, next time I will leave it out and increase the nutmeg a little.
Carissa
0I’ve never made this, but it sounds and looks delicious. I think it would be a good side dish with steak, chicken, or pork chops.
Elaine LeVan
0I am going to have to experiment to make this recipe safe for my family. I can substitute ghee for the butter, but cannot use coconut or almond for the cream.(too many allergies). Any suggestions? Dairy free, soy free, corn free, gluten free, coconut free, banana free..I am exhausted.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Elaine, Wow, that sounds hard, I can see why you’re exhausted from this. You can replace the butter with oil (though it will be different and I’d probably use less) and replace the cream cheese with a dairy-free alternative. Coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk would be the closest substitute for heavy cream, but since you can’t have those either, you could try using a different milk that works for you (maybe hemp milk?). It won’t thicken the way heavy cream does, so you’d probably need to compensate by using less of the milk and adding more of the cream cheese substitute. Hope this helps!
Rhonda
0I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but it sounds so yummy! I love recipes with cream cheese!
Debbie
0I will def be trying this recipe. My family loves creamed spinach and the frozen, packaged ones aren’t the best ingredients. I’m so glad I subscribe to this page, and that you gave us, what sounds like its delish. I will post pix over the weekend after making it!!!
Dee Jellison
0Love the recipe. I just left the Italian seasoning out.
Kay
0This was super easy and very tasty. However, being new to keto the quantity of cream and cream cheese is a bit overwhelming.
Georgia Gabbard
0Do you happen to have a creamed spinach recipe without cream cheese?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Georgia, No, I don’t currently have a recipe like that.
Bev
0Oh my goodness, this is incredible! I used fresh spinach as I prefer a bit of firmness. I omitted the nutmeg, personal preference.
MJ
0I discovered this terrific recipe a while back and have made it several times. My husband is not a fan of Italian seasoning, but it is great without it!
Barrie
0I love a good creamed spinach. So many of the store bought ones are just ok. This one looks like it will have real flavor.
Lucinda
0WOW! The guys loved this creamed spinach. Doubled the reciepe, ZERO left overs. It went great with the baked chicken & no one asked for potatoes instead. Usually they refuse to eat low carb, it’s our secret.
Carrie
0I have made this before and the whole family loved it – creamy and delicious. Thanks, Maya for all your hard work and for sharing recipes.
Roberta Krouth
0I am not a cooked spinach lover but with the cheesy sauce I may give it a try.