Easy Creamed Spinach (Made with Frozen Spinach)

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This amazing creamed spinach, made with frozen spinach, will make even the most reluctant vegetable eater agree that green leafy vegetables can be delicious!

Creamed spinach is served in a white bowl with a spoon.

I'm always amazed when I order creamed spinach at a restaurant. Made with what must be more butter and cream than spinach, it is incredibly good. In this 15-minute homemade version, made with frozen spinach, I keep the amounts of creamy additions reasonable. It's still absolutely delicious! So good, in fact, that even notoriously picky eaters like it.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.

Spinach: I use frozen spinach because I always have it on hand and don't need to worry about it wilting in the fridge like fresh spinach.
Minced garlic: Freshly minced garlic tastes better than jarred.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and ground nutmeg.
Heavy cream: Start with ¼ cup. If the spinach seems too dry, add up to ¼ cup more.
Parmesan cheese: Use finely grated Parmesan and not coarsely shredded cheese for the best texture.

Variations

Sometimes, I add ¼ cup of finely chopped onions. I cook them first, then add the garlic.
A pinch of cayenne is nice if you like a hint of spice in your food.
You can use softened cream cheese instead of heavy cream. I tried it once when I was out of heavy cream and liked it. You can see it in the photo below - it has a thicker consistency and a great flavor.

Instructions

The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.

You start by thawing the frozen spinach in the microwave. Place the thawed spinach in a colander and press on it repeatedly with a spatula to remove as much liquid as possible.

Cook the garlic in butter. Stir in the spinach, spices, cream, and parmesan.

Spinach with cream and parmesan in a saucepan.

Cook, stirring, just until heated through, then serve.

The creamed spinach is ready in the saucepan.

Great recipe! Easy & delicious. Perfect with prime rib. Thanks.
LD
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Recipe Tips

It's important to remove as much excess water as possible from the thawed spinach. It's the only way to ensure the creamed spinach is thick, creamy, and not soupy or watery.
While I'm trying to keep the creamy ingredients reasonable compared to restaurants, it's not a good idea to skimp on them. The butter, cream, and Parmesan make this dish into the tasty indulgence it is. So, if the mixture is too dry, don't hesitate to add more cream. See the photo below? That's creamed spinach from Fleming's Steakhouse. It's delicious, and practically swimming in cream. Our spinach won't be as creamy, but it will still be very, very good.

A restaurant ribeye and creamed spinach.

Recipe FAQs

Should I add flour?

Flour acts as an efficient thickener and is sometimes added by restaurants, which is why this dish is often not marked as gluten-free on restaurant menus. However, it's not strictly necessary, and as you can see, I don't use it. The grated Parmesan does act as a thickener, so I wouldn't omit it.

Is it OK to substitute whole milk for heavy cream?

For the best, thickest, creamiest results, use heavy cream. This recipe doesn't work with half-and-half or milk.

I don't like nutmeg. Can I skip it, or is it important?

You can absolutely skip it. I often do, simply because I don't always have it on hand.

How long can I keep the leftovers?

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Give them a good stir before reheating and serving them, and reheat them gently in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also reheat them on the stove on low heat or in a 350°F oven.

Serving Suggestions

This indulgent side dish pairs well with meat, chicken, or seafood. It goes especially well with steak. I often serve it with one of the following:

Lamb steak
Picanha steak
Flat iron steak
New York strip steak
Ribeye steak
Pork medallions
Boneless chicken thighs, as shown in the photo below:

Creamed spinach is served as a side dish to boneless chicken thighs.

Recipe Card

Creamed spinach is served in a white bowl.

5 from 37 votes

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Creamed Spinach Recipe (Frozen Spinach)

This creamed spinach, made with frozen spinach, will convince even the most reluctant eater that green leafy vegetables can be delicious!

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 165kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

Video

Ingredients

▢ 1 pound frozen spinach - chopped
▢ 2 tablespoons butter - unsalted
▢ 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
▢ ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
▢ ¼ cup heavy cream - plus up to ¼ cup more if needed
▢ ¼ cup parmesan cheese - grated

Instructions

Place the frozen spinach in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high just until thawed, about 4 minutes.
Place the spinach in a colander and press on it with the back of a large spoon or a spatula to remove as much liquid as possible.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the spinach, salt, pepper, nutmeg, heavy cream, and parmesan.
Cook, stirring, just until heated through, 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes

While I'm trying to keep the creamy ingredients reasonable compared to restaurants, it's not a good idea to skimp on them. The butter, cream, and parmesan make this dish into the tasty indulgence it is. So, if the mixture is too dry, don't hesitate to add more cream. You can add up to ¼ cup of additional cream.
Removing as much excess water as humanly possible from the thawed spinach is essential. It's the only way to ensure the creamed spinach is thick, creamy, and not soupy or watery.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Give them a good stir before reheating and serving them, and reheat them gently in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also reheat them on the stove on low heat or in a 350°F oven.

Nutrition per Serving

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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.

Creamed Spinach

Ingredients

Variations

Instructions

Recipe Tips

Recipe FAQs

Serving Suggestions

Recipe Card