This creamed spinach recipe is rich, creamy, and irresistibly cheesy. Its velvety texture and indulgent flavor are so good, you won't find any better at a steakhouse. Serve it with steak, chicken, or your holiday roast for a side dish that steals the show.
"This was so easy and came out so cheesy and creamy! Loved it. Will be making it again. It got my kids to eat spinach!"
★★★★★ - Jenn
If you've ever taken a bite of creamed spinach at a high-end, fancy steakhouse and wondered, "Why can't I make this at home?" Then you are in luck. This version is every bit as rich, savory, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious as the kind served next to a $60 ribeye. And quite frankly, I think my version is even better!
This "better than steakhouse creamed spinach" is loaded with tender spinach folded into a luscious mixture of cream and cheese, then baked until golden brown.
Whether you are dressing up a family dinner or serving alongside a standing rib roast, this dish brings that timeless, indulgent "treat yourself" flavor straight to your table. No reservation required! Enjoy. Xoxo -Katie.
Jump to:
Ingredient notes and substitutions
You will need the following ingredients to make creamed spinach that is even better than what you would find at a steak house.
- frozen spinach- This is the one of those rare times where using frozen spinach is better than using fresh spinach. Why? Because skip steps, saves money, and saves time. If you choose to use fresh spinach, plan on about 3 pounds of fresh spinach and sauté it before adding it into the recipe.
- whole milk
- heavy cream
- mozzarella cheese- For a different flavor profile, you can substitute with Fontina cheese.
- cream cheese- Boursin cheese would be a delicious, creamy substitute.
- garlic cloves- You can substitute with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- minced yellow onion- You will want to finely mince the onion so that you do not end up with big chunks mixed in with the spinach. For an even smoother texture of the onion, substitute with 2 teaspoons of onion powder instead. For a milder, sweeter onion flavor, use shallots.
- flour- You can substitute with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch.
- nutmeg
- parmesan cheese
*The full recipe with ingredient measurements is located at the bottom of the post.
Steps
Follow these simple steps to make restaurant style creamed spinach.
- Defrost frozen spinach and then squeeze out any liquid. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt butter on medium heat. Add butter, onion, and garlic. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in flour.
- Mix in whole milk and heavy cream. Stir until smooth. Mix in nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.
- Stir in cream cheese and mozzarella cheese. Once melted, mix in spinach.
- Add to a baking dish. Top with parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
- Switch to the broil setting and broil for about 5 minutes, or until the parmesan cheese forms a golden brown crust. Remove from heat. Rest 5 to 10 minutes, then serve.
Watch how to make
Cooking tips
- It is important to remove any excess moisture. Otherwise you will have a watery creamed spinach mess.
- For a lighter texture, you can swap out heavy cream for half and half in the cream sauce.
- For a crunchy topping, you can mix in ½ cup panko bread crumbs with the parmesan topping. Or you can substitute parmesan topping with french fried onions.
- For a tiny bit of heat, add ½ teaspoon of red hot chili pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
Can you make creamed spinach ahead?
You can make creamed spinach a day ahead and simply reheat it for your dinner party. Prepare this recipe as written, but skip the parmesan topping. Allow the creamed spinach to cool, then refrigerate. When you are ready to serve, reheat it in the oven at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Add parmesan topping. Bake additional 15 minutes, then switch to broil setting, and broil for about 5 minutes until golden.
When you make this restaurant-style creamed spinach, tell me what you think in the comment section! I would love to hear back! My readers will too.
Also post your picture of your spinach on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale and use #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
📖 Recipe
Better Than Steakhouse Creamed Spinach Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ onion minced
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 4 ounces mozarella cheese shredded
- 20 ounces frozen spinach
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Defrost 20 ounces frozen spinach then squeeze out any liquid. Set aside.20 ounces frozen spinach
- In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter on medium heat. Add ½ onion and 2 tablespoons garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in 1 tablespoon flour.½ onion, 2 tablespoons garlic, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon flour
- Add 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream. Stir until no clumps. Mix in ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste
- Stir in 4 ounces cream cheese and 4 ounces mozarella cheese. Once melted, mix in spinach.4 ounces cream cheese, 4 ounces mozarella cheese
- Add to a baking dish. Top with ½ cup parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.½ cup parmesan cheese
- Switch to the broil setting and broil for about 5 minutes, or until the parmesan cheese forms a golden brown crust. Remove from heat. Rest 5 to 10 minutes, then serve.
Jen says
This was so easy and came out so cheesy and creamy! Loved it. Will be making it again. It got my kids to eat spinach!
Georgina says
I love to serve this dip almost fondue style - lots of bread, potatoes, ham, etc to dunk in. Delicious!