This Creamed Spinach is an easy but special side dish, perfect for a holiday meal. The spinach gets wilted in a homemade Béchamel sauce and is so flavorful from the garlic and parmesan cheese!
Did you grow up eating creamed spinach from the frozen aisle? Because I most certainly did, and it was never my favorite. Until I figured out how to make it from scratch!
Here, fresh baby spinach leaves (frozen spinach is fine to use, but fresh does make it extra-special) are smothered in plenty of homemade Béchamel sauce and seasoned with plenty of garlic and parmesan cheese. Don’t worry, it may sound and taste fancy, but it’s actually very easy to make!
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
Ingredient notes
- Spinach: Use fresh baby spinach leaves for best results. Frozen leaf spinach can be used as a substitute, but you must thaw and drain it first. I do not recommend using frozen chopped spinach.
- Cream: If you want to make a lighter dish, feel free to use more milk in place of the cream. Half and half or evaporated milk are also good substitutes.
- Nutmeg: This may sound like a surprising ingredient in a savory dish, but it’s actually a classic seasoning for both spinach and Béchamel. I first learned about it from my husband who is a trained chef, and I always add it to spinach now (and to mashed potatoes, because it’s so good there, too).
- Parmesan cheese: We love this in our creamed spinach, but it’s not mandatory if you don’t have any parmesan cheese on hand. You can try a different flavorful cheese such as Romano or Pecorino, but even a white cheddar is great.
- Cream cheese: If you’re not a fan, just leave it out. You may need to add an extra splash of milk to make up for the creaminess the cream cheese adds.
How to make Creamed Spinach
1. Start by cooking the onion and garlic in butter over medium heat. Use a wide skillet or sauté pan, the raw spinach has a huge volume and you’ll need enough space for it.
2. Next, stir in the flour until smooth, then cook for 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the flour looks foamy (do NOT brown the flour!).
3. Then, gradually pour in the milk while continuously stirring. Do not let any lumps form, keep stirring!
Stir in the cream and allow to gently simmer until thickened. Add the seasoning and that’s your Béchamel done!
How to make a Roux/Béchamel sauce for beginners
This technique is called making a roux (cooking flour in butter) to make a Béchamel sauce (adding milk/cream to create a creamy, thickened white sauce). Here are my tips to make a roux without messing it up if you are a beginner:
- You must use medium to medium-low heat to cook the flour/butter mixture and the flour mustn’t brown.
- If you are new to making roux, I highly recommend taking the pot off the heat to stir in the flour. This gives you a little more time to avoid lumps and to keep the flour from getting too hot. Once you have fully stirred the flour into the butter, place the pot back over medium heat again and cook for 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the flour is foamy.
- Now take the pot off the heat again and gradually stir in the milk. This is not how you usually make a béchamel sauce (you’d leave it on the heat), but I have tested this several times and for beginners, it’s an absolutely easy way to make a great roux/béchamel without creating a lumpy or burned sauce.
- Once you have fully combined the milk (plus any other liquid your recipe calls for) with the flour mixture, set the pot back over medium-low heat and simmer until thickened while constantly stirring.
4. Now add the spinach (you will probably need to add it in 3-4 batches and allow each batch to wilt a little before there’s enough space to add more). Gently simmer until the spinach has wilted.
5. Finally, stir in the parmesan cheese and cream cheese. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately!
Recipe tips
- The onion needs to be fully cooked and softened in the first step, otherwise it will retain a raw biting taste that can ruin your dish.
- Make sure you do not brown the flour, it needs to stay fully light in color for the Béchamel sauce to come out right. Use medium heat only, or medium-low if your stove is strong. A Béchamel sauce cannot be rushed, and it doesn’t take long too cook as-is, so please do not try to cut prep short by increasing the heat.
- Keep stirring the flour constantly, and make sure to stir well as you’re adding the milk. The flour will seize up and thicken immediately, if you do not continuously stir, you will end up with lumps.
- If you are new to making Béchamel sauce, you may want to try the beginner’s tips I have outlined in the step by step instructions above. (In short, take the pan off the heat while stirring in the flour, and take the pan off the heat again while stirring in the milk).
- Serve the dish right away and avoid it sitting around for any length of time. It tastes best eaten freshly cooked.
Can leftovers be reheated?
There is some debate over the safety of reheating spinach. I have not been able to find any official recommendations by the USDA, but this article seems well researched and has some information in favor of reheating spinach, plus instructions.
I personally do reheat spinach as long as leftovers were immediately refrigerated once cool, and appropriately re-heated (slowly over medium heat until steaming hot all the way through). I am not an expert in toxicology so this reflects a personal decision and not professional advice. If you have any concerns, I recommend you do your own research and make an informed decision for yourself.
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Printable recipe
Creamed Spinach
Recipe details
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg optional
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 (16-oz) bag baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook auromatics: Melt butter in large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened, around 5 minutes.
- Make roux: Stir in flour until smooth, then cook for 30-60 seconds until frothy, stirring constantly.
- Cook Béchamel sauce: Gradually pour milk into pan while continuously stirring. Stir in heavy cream and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Wilt spinach: Add spinach in batches, allowing each batch to slightly wilt to make room for more. Once all spinach has been added, allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes, until wilted.
- Finish: Stir cream cheese and parmesan cheese through spinach, adjust seasoning and serve immediately.
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Spinach: Use fresh baby spinach leaves for best results. Frozen leaf spinach can be used as a substitute, but you must thaw and drain it first. I do not recommend using frozen chopped spinach.
- Cream: If you want to make a lighter dish, feel free to use more milk in place of the cream. Half and half or evaporated milk are also good substitutes.
- Nutmeg: This may sound like a surprising ingredient in a savory dish, but it’s actually a classic seasoning for both spinach and Béchamel. I first learned about it from my husband who is a trained chef, and I always add it to spinach now (and to mashed potatoes, because it’s so good there, too).
- Parmesan cheese: We love this in our creamed spinach, but it’s not mandatory if you don’t have any parmesan cheese on hand. You can try a different flavorful cheese such as Romano or Pecorino, but even a white cheddar is great.
- Cream cheese: If you’re not a fan, just leave it out. You may need to add an extra splash of milk to make up for the creaminess the cream cheese adds.
Recipe tips
- The onion needs to be fully cooked and softened in the first step, otherwise it will retain a raw biting taste that can ruin your dish.
- Make sure you do not brown the flour, it needs to stay fully light in color for the Béchamel sauce to come out right. Use medium heat only, or medium-low if your stove is strong. A Béchamel sauce cannot be rushed, and it doesn’t take long too cook as-is, so please do not try to cut prep short by increasing the heat.
- Keep stirring the flour constantly, and make sure to stir well as you’re adding the milk. The flour will seize up and thicken immediately, if you do not continuously stir, you will end up with lumps.
- Serve the dish right away and avoid it sitting around for any length of time. It tastes best eaten freshly cooked.
How to make a Roux/Béchamel sauce for beginners
This technique is called making a roux (cooking flour in butter) to make a Béchamel sauce (adding milk/cream to create a creamy, thickened white sauce). Here are my tips to make a roux without messing it up:- You must use medium heat here and the flour mustn’t brown.
- If you are new to making roux, I highly recommend taking the pot off the heat to stir in the flour. This gives you a little more time to avoid lumps and to keep the flour from getting too hot. Once you have fully stirred the flour into the butter, place the pot back over medium heat again and cook for 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the flour is foamy.
- Now take the pot off the heat again and gradually stir in the milk. This is not how you usually make a béchamel sauce (you’d leave it on the heat), but I have tested this several times and for beginners, it’s an absolutely easy way to make a great roux/béchamel without creating a lumpy or burned sauce.
- Once you have fully combined the milk with the flour mixture, set the pot back over medium heat again and simmer while gradually stirring in the cream. Then just simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened.
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