Creamed spinach is one of those rare dishes that manages to be both a humble side and a high-end steakhouse staple. It is the ultimate comfort food for vegetable lovers, transforming fibrous, earthy greens into a velvety, decadent masterpiece. Whether you are looking to replicate the iconic side dish from a famous chop house or simply want a way to make your family eat more greens, mastering the art of the cream sauce is a culinary skill worth having.
While the concept seems simple—spinach plus cream—there is a significant difference between a watery, bland mess and a rich, cohesive dish. The secret lies in the technique, the seasoning, and most importantly, managing the moisture content of the spinach itself.
Choosing Your Greens: Fresh vs. Frozen
Before you turn on the stove, you have to decide on your primary ingredient. Both fresh and frozen spinach have their merits, and the choice often depends on how much time you have and the texture you prefer.
Working with Fresh Spinach
If you choose fresh, you will need a surprising amount. Spinach wilts down to a fraction of its original size. For a standard family-sized side dish, you should start with at least one pound of fresh leaves. Mature spinach bunched with the stems attached usually offers a deeper flavor, while pre-washed baby spinach is more convenient and has a more delicate texture. If using mature spinach, be sure to remove any thick, woody stems as they won’t soften sufficiently during the quick cooking process.
The Case for Frozen Spinach
Frozen spinach is a fantastic shortcut. It is picked at peak ripeness and blanched before freezing, which saves you the step of wilting the leaves yourself. However, the most critical rule when using frozen spinach is to thaw it completely and squeeze out every possible drop of water. If you skip this, your cream sauce will turn into a thin, gray soup.
Preparing the Spinach Base
The first step in any creamed spinach recipe is prepping the greens. If you are using fresh spinach, you have two options: steaming or sautéing. Sautéing the spinach in a large pot with a splash of water or a tiny bit of butter allows you to control the wilting process. Once the leaves are bright green and collapsed, move them immediately to a colander.
Regardless of whether you used fresh or frozen, the “squeeze” is the most important part of the process. Once the spinach is cool enough to handle, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel or a few layers of cheesecloth and wring it out over the sink. You want to end up with a dense, dry ball of greens. This ensures that the cream sauce can actually cling to the leaves rather than being diluted by vegetable water. After squeezing, give the spinach a rough chop so you don’t end up with long, stringy pieces in your finished dish.
Building the Perfect Béchamel
The “cream” in creamed spinach is rarely just heavy cream poured into a pan. To get that thick, luxurious consistency, most chefs rely on a light béchamel sauce—a mixture of butter, flour, and milk or cream.
The Roux
Start by melting a few tablespoons of unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is foaming, whisk in an equal amount of all-purpose flour. Cook this mixture for about one to two minutes. You aren’t looking to develop a dark color like you would for a gumbo; you just want to cook out the raw flour taste. The roux should be pale and bubbling.
Incorporating the Liquid
Slowly whisk in your liquid. For an everyday version, whole milk works perfectly fine. For a special occasion or steakhouse-style version, use heavy cream or a mix of half-and-half and milk. Pour the liquid in a slow stream while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer the sauce gently until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This usually happens around 175°F to 180°F.
Infusing Flavor into the Sauce
A plain white sauce can be a bit boring, so this is where you build the profile of the dish. Aromatics are essential. Many traditional recipes call for sautéing finely minced shallots or yellow onions in the butter before adding the flour. A clove or two of minced garlic added just before the flour provides a wonderful punch without overpowering the greens.
The Secret Ingredient: Nutmeg
If there is one “secret” to professional creamed spinach, it is a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Nutmeg has a chemical affinity with dairy and dark leafy greens. It doesn’t make the dish taste like dessert; instead, it highlights the sweetness of the cream and cuts through the earthy bitterness of the spinach.
Cheese and Seasoning
While not strictly necessary, adding cheese can take the dish to another level. A handful of grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano adds saltiness and umami. Some modern variations even use a bit of cream cheese or Neufchâtel for extra tang and stability. Always finish with a generous amount of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Bringing It All Together
Once your sauce is thick and seasoned, fold in your chopped, squeezed spinach. Stir the mixture over low heat for two to three minutes. This allows the spinach to heat through and become fully integrated into the sauce. If the mixture looks too thick, you can thin it out with a tablespoon of milk at a time. If it looks too thin, let it simmer for another minute, but be careful not to overcook the spinach, or it will lose its vibrant color.
Variations to Try
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The Steakhouse Style
To get that classic high-end restaurant vibe, use heavy cream and add a touch of cayenne pepper or a dash of Worcestershire sauce. The goal is a very thick, almost spoonable consistency that can sit on a plate next to a juicy ribeye without running. -
The Healthy Twist
If you want the flavor without all the heavy fats, you can create a “creamed” effect using Greek yogurt or silken tofu blended with a bit of lemon juice. While not traditional, these options provide a similar creamy mouthfeel with significantly fewer calories. -
The Mediterranean Approach
Instead of a flour-based sauce, try sautéing the spinach with garlic and olive oil, then stirring in crumbled feta cheese and a squeeze of lemon at the end. The melting feta creates a natural creaminess that is lighter and more acidic.
Serving and Storage
Creamed spinach is best served immediately while the sauce is glossy and hot. It pairs beautifully with roasted chicken, seared salmon, or a classic steak. If you have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
When reheating, do so gently on the stove over low heat. You may need to add a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce, as the starch in the flour will continue to thicken as it sits. Avoid microwaving on high heat, as this can cause the dairy to separate and become oily.
FAQs
Can I make creamed spinach ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the dish up to 24 hours in advance. Simply follow the recipe, let it cool, and store it in the fridge. Reheat it slowly on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of milk to bring back the creamy consistency. This actually allows the flavors to meld together even further.
Why is my creamed spinach watery?
The most common cause of watery creamed spinach is failing to squeeze enough moisture out of the greens. Spinach is roughly 90 percent water. If you don’t wring it out thoroughly after wilting or thawing, that water will leak into your sauce as it heats, ruining the texture.
Can I use kale or other greens instead?
Absolutely. This technique works wonderfully with kale, Swiss chard, or even collard greens. Keep in mind that heartier greens like kale will need to be blanched or sautéed longer than spinach to become tender before you add them to the cream sauce.
Is creamed spinach gluten-free?
Standard recipes use a flour-based roux, so they are not gluten-free. To make a gluten-free version, you can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend or use cornstarch as a thickener. Alternatively, you can reduce heavy cream by half until it thickens naturally without using any flour at all.
Can I freeze cooked creamed spinach?
While you can freeze it, the texture of the dairy sauce may change slightly upon thawing, sometimes becoming grainy or separating. If you do freeze it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and whisk it vigorously while reheating on the stove to help the emulsion come back together.