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The Best Creamed Spinach

Use frozen or fresh spinach for this easy creamed spinach recipe that's the ultimate cozy side dish! It comes together in just 25 minutes and has that restaurant-quality taste you crave.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 300 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 pound frozen chopped spinach or 2 pounds fresh see notes
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3/4 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block Philly) softened
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Frozen spinach: Thaw the spinach, then squeeze out as much of the excess water as you can. Fresh spinach: Boil a pot of water. Add the spinach and cook for about 1 minute. Drain it and rinse it under cool water. Squeeze out excess water. Chop if desired.
  2. In a pot, sauté the butter and onion over medium heat until it's lightly browned (about 5-7 minutes).
  3. Reduce heat (I keep it on medium-low for this step, but you can increase heat as needed). Stir in the garlic, followed by the heavy cream, cream cheese, parmesan, and nutmeg. It will take a few minutes for the cream cheese to melt in. I break it up with my spoon/stir it continuously. The sauce should thicken up as it cooks.
  4. Stir in the spinach and let it heat through. If you want more liquid, add in a splash more cream. If there's too much liquid, you may need to cook the spinach for a few more minutes to reduce the sauce to your liking.
  5. Season with salt & pepper as needed (I am pretty generous with both).

Notes

  • It seems to vary as to what size frozen spinach packages come in, so anything from about 16 ounces (1 pound) to around 20 ounces (you'll sometimes see 10 ounce packages, so use two of these) will work for this recipe.
  • Yes, two pounds of fresh spinach looks like a LOT, but it shrinks down a ton when it's cooked. If you'd prefer to use only one pound of fresh spinach, use 1/2 cup heavy cream, and you may need to cook it for a little longer if you want the sauce to thicken up the same way. 
  • If you forget to take the cream cheese out of the fridge to soften, you can microwave it (try 20-30 sec., but microwaves vary so keep an eye on it). 
  • This recipe also appears on page 247 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.

Nutrition Information

Calories 300kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 7g (2%) Protein 11g (22%) Fat 26g (40%) Saturated Fat 16g (80%) Cholesterol 86mg (29%) Sodium 417mg (17%) Potassium 344mg (10%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 9817IU (196%) Vitamin C 5mg (6%) Calcium 324mg (32%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 300

% Daily Value*

Calories 300kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 7g 2%
Protein 11g 22%
Fat 26g 40%
Saturated Fat 16g 80%
Cholesterol 86mg 29%
Sodium 417mg 17%
Potassium 344mg 7%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 9817IU 196%
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Calcium 324mg 32%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.