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Top view of a bowl of Creamed Spinach with a wooden serving spoon on the side on a saucer. Board of fresh grated Parmesan cheese on the side.
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5 from 16 votes

Creamed Spinach Recipe

This is the Best Creamed Spinach Recipe you'll ever taste! Three kinds of cheese and vibrant spinach together with fragrant herbs make this a favorite dish at Thanksgiving or anytime.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Creamed Spinach, Side, Side Dish, Spinach
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 228kcal
Author: Erica Walker

Ingredients

  • 20-24 ounces fresh spinach (about 1 ½ pounds)
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 2 cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese (fresh, shredded-- not the powdered kind)
  • ½ cup mozzarella cheese
  • 5 wedges creamy Swiss (Laughing Cow) (or 4 oz. cream cheese)

Instructions

  • Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Add spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes or until spinach is wilted but not soggy.
    Large pot of wilted baby spinach in hot water to make Creamed Spinach.
  • Drain spinach well and then wring it out using cheesecloth (preferred) or a kitchen towel. You can also press spinach in a fine mesh strainer to remove excess water. Set spinach aside.
    Hand using cheese cloth to drain water from baby spinach for Creamed Spinach.
  • In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions become soft and transparent. 
    Pan of onions, garlic and butter for Creamed Spinach sauce base.
  • Sprinkle flour over the onions and stir until flour is cooked about 3 minutes.
    Flour added to pan of onions, garlic and butter to make Creamed Spinach sauce.
  • Pour in half-and-half a little at a time, whisking constantly, to make a beschamel sauce. You want it to be the consistency of a thin gravy. Add more half-and-half or milk if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste.
    Whisk combining sauce base for Creamed Spinach.
  • Add spinach and stir until spinach is well mixed in.
    Whisk mixing in baby spinach to a Creamed Spinach sauce.
  • Add Parmesan, mozzarella, and Creamy Swiss cheese. Stir until all cheeses are melted and completely mixed in.
    Pan of spinach and sauce with unmelted cheeses on top to make Creamed Spinach.
  • Serve immediately. 
    Pan of finished Creamed Spinach.

Video

Notes

  • Unsalted butter is best so you can control the amount of sodium in the recipe.
  • You can substitute whole milk and a splash of heavy cream if you don’t have half-and-half on hand.
  • When adding half-and-half to the skillet, pour just a little at a time, whisking constantly until it’s the consistency of a thin gravy.
  • Fresh baby spinach is best, but you can substitute a package of frozen spinach. The trick is to thaw it completely and press out as much water as possible. After it's been cooked, the spinach may be very hot. Handle it with care and allow it to cool if needed. You may be surprised to find that you have only 1-2 cups of spinach after you've cooked it and pressed the water out. This is totally normal. 

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 289mg | Potassium: 511mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 7175IU | Vitamin C: 21.9mg | Calcium: 256mg | Iron: 2.3mg