I love making this Creamed Spinach—it’s one of my go-to side dishes because it comes together in just 20 minutes and tastes amazing with almost anything. It’s especially perfect for holiday dinners or when I’m serving up a juicy steak. All it takes are a few simple ingredients, and the result is rich, creamy, cheesy, and totally irresistible. I make it all year round!

Best Creamed Spinach

Spinach is definitely a love or hate vegetable, and luckily my family is firmly in the “love” camp. While raw spinach is great for a strawberry spinach salad and a green smoothie, it can also make a great side dish when cooked. This easy creamed spinach is one of my favorite ways to serve it! It’s so creamy, cheesy, and flavorful that even those I’ve served this to who aren’t as enthusiastic about spinach have demanded I hand over the recipe.

Creamed spinach is ideal for holidays because it takes just 20 minutes to make, perfect for whipping up just before serving the turkey. But I make it all year round, since it’s crazy easy and pairs so well with all my favorite mains. This recipe is similar to a steakhouse creamed spinach, one that you’ll find at your favorite restaurant. It’s rich and creamy, with both cream cheese and heavy cream, as well as freshly grated mozzarella and parmesan. DELISH!

Looking for more ways to use spinach? Don’t miss our spinach artichoke dip and spinach casserole.

Helpful Tips

• Frozen cut leaf vs chopped spinach. Cut leaf spinach is not the same as chopped spinach. If your market doesn’t carry cut leaf spinach, look for frozen whole leaf spinach. If you can’t find either of those, chopped spinach will still work fine, but the texture isn’t as appealing.
• Using fresh spinach. You’ll need about 2 lbs baby spinach leaves. Steam and drain the baby spinach, then roughly chop and measure out 2 packed cups. Frozen spinach is so much quicker and easier, cheaper, and you don’t need nearly as much of it, so consider using frozen if you can.
• If the spinach appears watery, cook over medium-low heat until any excess liquid evaporates.
• Add salt and pepper. Since this is a simple dish with few ingredients, you definitely don’t want to skip the salt and pepper. Taste the cooked spinach and season to your preference.

How to Make Creamed Spinach Step by Step

Cook onion: In a large nonstick skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add 1 onion and sauté until softened and translucent, stirring frequently, about 2-3 minutes.

Add garlic and cream cheese: Add 4 cloves garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add 4 oz. cream cheese and cook, stirring, until melted.

Add cream and seasoning: Add 1 cup heavy cream, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, and a pinch of cayenne; cook for 2 minutes.

Mix in cheese: Add 1 cup mozzarella cheese and ½ cup Parmesan cheese. Stir until combined and melted.

Fold in spinach: Fold 2 lbs. spinach into the cream sauce until evenly combined, cooking for an additional minute or so to warm through.

Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. (If the spinach seems a little watery, cook over medium-low heat until any excess liquid evaporates.)

Serve: Serve immediately while the sauce is still shiny and the cheese is gooey.

How to Store

Store leftover creamed spinach in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. You may need to add a few drops of water or milk to loosen it up a bit.

To freeze leftovers, place them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 3 months. You can thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove or in the microwave, or thaw and reheat directly from the freezer in the microwave. Just add a splash of water and microwave in short intervals, stirring frequently.

What to Serve With Creamed Spinach

Serve your creamed spinach immediately, while the texture is smooth and creamy. This is a great side dish to make for the holidays, especially Thanksgiving, because it’s so quick and easy to make.

It’s also a steakhouse favorite and pairs well with many proteins, from honey glazed ham, to savory flank steak and even simple grilled chicken. You can also use it to stuff chicken breasts (so good!), or reheat it the next day and enjoy it as a dip with chips.

More Easy Vegetable Side Dishes

• Mashed Potatoes
• Creamy Cornbread Casserole
• Baked Sweet Potato
• Cheesy Zucchini Casserole
• Mashed Cauliflower Casserole
• Roasted Carrots