Luxurious, Buttery Creamed Spinach Recipe

A close-up of a bowl of creamed spinach
magnez2/Getty Images
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Creamed spinach is so luxuriously creamy and flavorful that it may seem like a time-consuming, complicated recipe. But it's surprisingly simple: just spinach, butter, cream, and parmesan cheese. Puréeing the spinach gives the dish the silky, velvety texture that makes it so satisfying.

A classic accompaniment for steak, creamed spinach goes well with any meat, fish or poultry, like roasted chicken. It also makes a nice addition to pasta dishes such as macaroni and cheese and spaghetti and blends beautifully with other vegetables like parsnips and potatoes.

Even those who claim to dislike spinach will find it hard to turn down a batch of this warm and delicious green when prepared this way.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds baby spinach leaves, washed

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot (such as an enameled Dutch oven), heat the spinach leaves over medium-high heat. You can add a small amount of water to the pot before adding the spinach, but the leaves will steam in their own liquid as they cook. Stir with a wooden spoon to keep everything moving.

  2. As you cook it, the spinach will soften and turn a bright green color while reducing in volume quite dramatically. This might take 5 to 6 minutes or a bit longer.

  3. Plunge the cooked spinach leaves into a large bowl of ice water. This will stop the spinach from cooking and lock in that bright green color.

  4. Drain the ice water and squeeze the excess water from the spinach. Squeezing by hand, a handful at a time is the best way to do this. You can transfer each squeezed handful directly into the bowl of your food processor since the next step will be puréeing it.

  5. Meanwhile, heat the cream over medium heat. Let the cream reduce slightly while you're squeezing the spinach.

  6. Purée the spinach in a food processor until it's completely smooth.

  7. Return the puréed spinach to the pot and add the butter, cream, and cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until it's hot.

  8. Season to taste with Kosher salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Serve right away.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
188 Calories
16g Fat
7g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 188
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 21%
Saturated Fat 10g 51%
Cholesterol 46mg 15%
Sodium 296mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 3%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 15mg 75%
Calcium 257mg 20%
Iron 5mg 30%
Potassium 735mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)