Food & Cooking Recipes Healthy Recipes Gluten-Free Recipes Easy Creamed Spinach 3.4 (488) 25 Reviews This classic side dish makes any dinner feel special. By Martha Stewart Test Kitchen Martha Stewart Test Kitchen The recipes developed by our test kitchen team have undergone a rigorous process of development and testing, ensuring that every element is optimal, from ingredient amounts to method and cooking time. This process includes triple-testing recipes to ensure they meet our high standards. The many stellar cooks and food editors who have been part of our team include Sarah Carey, Lucinda Scala Quinn, Jennifer Aaronson, Shira Bocar, Anna Kovel, Greg Lofts, Riley Wofford, Lauren Tyrell, and Lindsay Leopold. Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 8, 2023 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Prep Time: 20 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 4 Our easy version of classic creamed spinach makes it simple to serve the beloved side dish for any meal—and it’s too good to save for special occasions. Despite it’s name, creamed spinach is not a dish of spinach and cream. It’s usually blanched spinach in a béchamel or white sauce, perhaps with a little cheese added. Our recipe skips the fussy sauce making; there’s no roux needed to thicken the sauce in this method. We use one of our favorite shortcut ingredients—cream cheese. Mixed with milk and stirred into sautéed onion and garlic, it creates a creamy foil for the spinach. Diana Chistruga Preparing the SpinachWhen you're ready to prepare spinach, discard any yellow leaves and tough stems. Spinach can be gritty, so to clean it, swish it around in several changes of cool water until there's no grit left at the bottom of the bowl. Ingredients 3 to 4 bunches (2 1/2 pounds total) flat-leaf spinach, trimmed and cleaned 2 tablespoons butter ½ medium onion, minced 4 garlic cloves, minced 4 ounces bar cream cheese, cut into pieces ½ cup milk pinch ground nutmeg coarse salt and ground pepper Directions Diana Chistruga Cook spinach: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spinach, and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute. Diana Chistruga Rinse spinach and squeeze: Drain in a colander; rinse with cold water until cool. Squeeze spinach to remove as much liquid as possible. Diana Chistruga Chop spinach: Coarsely chop spinach, then set aside. Diana Chistruga Cook onion and garlic: In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 3 to 5 minutes. Diana Chistruga Add cream cheese and milk: Add cream cheese and milk; cook, stirring, until cream cheese is melted and smooth. Diana Chistruga Stir in spinach and cook: Stir in spinach. Simmer over medium heat until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. Diana Chistruga Add nutmeg and serve: Add nutmeg; season with salt and pepper, and serve. Diana Chistruga Diana Chistruga 13 Quick Vegetable Side Dishes You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less Rate it Print