This is the Best Creamed Spinach Recipe you’ll ever taste! Three kinds of cheese and vibrant spinach together with fragrant herbs make this a favorite dish at Thanksgiving or anytime.
This Cheesy Creamed Spinach Recipe is velvety smooth, richly decadent with tender spinach. This dish even wins over kids who universally hate spinach. If you’ve never had creamed spinach before and you’re unsure of how you’ll like it, we promise one bite and you will be hooked!
What Goes Well with Creamed Spinach?
Creamed Spinach is a popular side dish at steakhouses because it pairs beautifully with a good piece of meat. Steak, prime rib, chicken, pork and roast all taste delicious with a side of cheesy spinach. And of course, this gorgeous recipe is a staple of our Thanksgiving menu. Add it to your menu this year, too!
What Cheese is Best for Creamed Spinach?
For this decadent recipe, the cheeses are the best part (shhhh, don’t tell the spinach). We love using Laughing Cow Swiss cheese. Its mild flavor and smooth texture melts beautifully into the other cheeses. You could also use flavored cream cheeses like Chive and Onion Cream Cheese to give it some added flavor. Add in tangy Parmesan cheese and buttery mozzarella and you’ve got a tasty trifecta of cheese that will melt in your mouth.
Can I use Frozen Spinach Instead of Fresh?
Fresh baby spinach is best to use for a creamed spinach recipe, but if you don’t have any on hand you can definitely use a package of frozen spinach. The trick is to thaw it completely and press as much water out as possible (see instructions below). Once completely dry, add directly to the sauce in the skillet. Cook in the sauce until heated through before adding cheeses.
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How to Keep Creamed Spinach from Getting Runny
The trick to keeping spinach from separating and becoming runny is keeping the moisture out. Make sure you squeeze the water out really well using a cheesecloth, dish cloth or layered paper towels. You could also use a fine mesh strainer. Just be careful though, because the spinach will be extremely hot when you’re wringing it out.
Can Creamed Spinach Be Frozen?
This is one of those dishes that’s best eaten fresh or the day of or the day after. Freezing this creamed spinach would risk the creams and cheeses separating. Enjoy it fresh; you probably won’t have any leftovers anyway!
Is Creamed Spinach Gluten Free?
Because the beschamel sauce is made with flour, most creamed spinach recipes are not GF. However, this can easily be made gluten-free by simply swapping out the flour. Use your favorite substitute instead of regular all-purpose flour and you won’t be able to tell the difference at all.
More Spinach Recipes
Once you get your kids on board with this cheesy, creamy spinach, try a few of these other delicious spinach recipes. They’ll love them too!
- Melting Pot’s Spinach Artichoke Cheese Fondue
- Spinach Enchiladas
- Fresh Spinach Dip
- Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Easy Spinach Dip
- Cheese Tortellini Soup
- Veggie Omlets
Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes
Thanksgiving could not be easier with all your favorite recipes rounded up into one spot. Try a few of our family’s traditional side dishes:
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Cranberry sausage stuffing
- Orange Cranberry Sauce
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
- Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
How to Make Creamed Spinach
The BEST Creamed Spinach Recipe
- 20-24 ounces fresh spinach (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups half and half (or whole milk)
- kosher salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (fresh, shredded-- not the powdered kind)
- 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
- 5 wedges Creamy Swiss (Laughing Cow) (or 4 oz. cream cheese)
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Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Add spinach and cook down for about 2-3 minutes or until spinach is wilted but not soggy.
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Drain spinach well and then wring out using cheesecloth (preferred) or a kitchen towel. You can also press spinach in a fine-mesh strainer to try and remove excess water. Note: the spinach may be VERY hot, handle with care and allow to cool if needed.
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Note: you may be surprised to find that you only have 1-2 cups of spinach. This is totally normal.
Set spinach aside.
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In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions become soft and transparent.
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Sprinkle flour over the onions and stir until flour is cooked (about 3 minutes).
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Pour in half and half a little at a time, whisking constantly making a beschamel sauce. You want it to be the consistency of a thin gravy. Add more half and half or milk if needed.
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Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Add spinach and stir until spinach is well mixed in.
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Add Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese, and creamy Swiss cheese (or cream cheese). Stir until all cheeses are melted and completely mixed in.
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Serve immediately.
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