Easy Creamed Spinach – 15 Minute Recipe
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Easy creamed spinach is a fast and beginner-friendly homemade side dish the entire family will love. Fresh spinach, cream cheese, and heavy cream are simmered and seasoned to perfection in this easy 15-minute recipe.
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While creamed spinach may look like a basic recipe, the seasonings can make or break it. No one wants bland veggies! This easy creamed spinach recipe gets the taste just right, even picky eaters will love this vegetable dish.
The creamy sauce is seasoned with garlic and Italian seasoning and simmered with heavy cream and cream cheese. Combined with tender spinach, this dish is ready to be enjoyed. It’s amazing how a few simple ingredients can come together to make the perfect side dish!
Love spinach? You’ll also want to try our spinach artichoke dip, spinach mini tarts, and tortellini soup with spinach!
Ingredients
- unsalted butter
- garlic
- fresh baby spinach leaves (see tips below if using frozen spinach)
- heavy whipping cream
- cream cheese
- Italian seasoning, salt and pepper
- Parmesan cheese
Step by step
- Melt butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring often.
- Add the spinach and cook for 4 minutes or until it is wilted.
- Add the cream, cream cheese, and seasonings. Stir the spinach mixture constantly as the cream cheese melts and the mixture begins to thicken.
- Remove from heat and serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Variations
This is a great creamed spinach recipe but it is also a good recipe for “playing” with and experimenting with flavor too so you can make it your own.
- add a pinch of nutmeg to bring out the sweetness
- spice it up with red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper
- sauté chopped onion until translucent in the butter before adding the garlic
Tips for using frozen spinach
If you use frozen spinach in this recipe you need to be sure it is thoroughly drained so the excess moisture doesn’t make the cream mixture runny. Place thawed frozen chopped spinach in cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve and squeeze tightly to drain excess water. Add the drained spinach to the recipe and cook until warmed through before adding the remaining ingredients.
Serving suggestions
There are so many great options for what to serve with creamed spinach! This is a great side dish for a holiday dinner alongside roast turkey or honey-glazed ham but it is also a quick side dish to make on busy weeknights. Serve with baked chicken breast, steakhouse-style steak, or pork chops.
Storage
Store leftover creamed spinach in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
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Easy Creamed Spinach – 15 Minute Recipe
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
Easy creamed spinach is a fast and beginner-friendly homemade side dish the entire family will love. Fresh spinach, cream cheese, and heavy cream are simmered and seasoned to perfection in this easy 15-minute recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
- 16 ounce package baby spinach
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese (brick style, cut into pieces)
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat butter in a large skillet or dutch oven. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add spinach and cook for 4 minutes or until wilted, stirring occasionally.
- Add heavy cream, cream cheese, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper.
- Continue to cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the cream cheese melts and the mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat and serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese
Notes
If you use frozen spinach in this recipe you need to be sure it is thoroughly drained so the excess moisture doesn’t make the cream mixture runny. Place thawed frozen chopped spinach in cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve and squeeze tightly to drain excess water. Add the drained spinach to the recipe and cook until warmed through before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: side
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 168
- Sugar: 1.4 g
- Sodium: 218 mg
- Fat: 15.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.7 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 43 mg
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
- 16 ounce package baby spinach
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese (brick style, cut into pieces)
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Heat butter in a large skillet or dutch oven. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add spinach and cook for 4 minutes or until wilted, stirring occasionally. Add heavy cream, cream cheese, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Continue to cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the cream cheese melts and the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese
