The Best Creamed Spinach Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

We’re sharingThe Best Creamed Spinach Recipewe’ve ever made! A wonderfulgreen side dishfor the holidays, you can easily make this creamed spinach in theslow cooker.

The Best Creamed Spinach Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (1)

Why We Love Easy Creamed Spinach

These two words tend to have a strong impact on most people. Either a cringe effect or a sigh of cozy nostalgia.

Today I’m serving upThe Best Cream Spinach Recipe, in my humble opinion. It’s easy to make, either quickly on the stovetop or simmering all day long in a crockpot.

This recipe offers a vibrant, grassy note with nutty Parmesan cheese, garlic, and spice.The texture is rich and luxurious.This is the perfect way to eat spinach in the cooler months.

I think even the most resistant spinach eater might have a change of heart after tasting this creamed spinach!

This easy creamed spinach is notorious for being a cozy, comforting recipe that has a creamy flavor but is also packed with vitamins and minerals thanks to the spinach!

The Best Creamed Spinach Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (2)

The Best Creamed Spinach Recipe

When I’m in a hurry I make it on the stovetop in less than 20 minutes. However for big celebration meals, when I need all my burners for other dishes, I start this easy Creamed Spinach Recipe in the slow cooker and let it simmer all day.

It tastes amazing and rounds out comforting meals and holiday feasts, which tend to feature mostlybrown foods. If you are someone whocan’tserve a meal without a green vegetable, this Slow Cooker Creamed Spinach recipe is a true winner.

Forget the green salad that will, no doubt, be overshadowed on the Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter table. This year serve creamed spinach along with yoursweet potatoes,mashed potatoes,Thanksgiving stuffing, andham or roast chicken.

Your family will thank you!

The Best Creamed Spinach Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (3)

Creamed Spinach Ingredients

This easy creamed spinach recipe uses simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Frozen chopped spinach
  • Butter
  • Sweet onion
  • Garlic Cloves
  • All-purpose flour
  • Whole milk or Heavy Cream
  • Salt
  • Ground nutmeg
  • White pepper or Black pepper
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Grated Parmesan cheese

That’s it! You’lllovethe rich, creamy texture that these ingredients create, blended with fragrant garlic and spices that are perfect for the holidays.

The Best Creamed Spinach Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (4)

How To Make Creamed Spinach in a Slow Cooker

1. Sauté– Take the time to cook the chopped onions and garlic in a large skillet before adding them to the slow cooker. Although your onions will cook in a crockpot, they often end up with a rubbery texture and metallic taste. Place the butter, chopped onions, and garlic in a skillet. Set over medium heat and sauté to soften for about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the flour and stir well to break up the clumps.

2. Dump– Scoop the onion mixture into the crock of a large slow cooker. Add the frozen spinach, milk, salt, nutmeg, white pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cover and turn on low.

3. Slow Cook– Slow cook for 8-10 hours until the mixture simmers and thickens. Make sure to stir it every few hours so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.

4. Serve.When ready to serve, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve warm.

Get the Full Recipe Below For Creamed Spinach (From Frozen). Enjoy!

The Best Creamed Spinach Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (5)

Stove Top Instructions

You can easily make the best creamed spinach recipe right on the stovetop! Here’s how to make it.

  1. Cook the onions and garlic in butter as directed above, but do so in a large deep saute pan.
  2. Add additional ingredients to the sauté pan (Step 2) and bring to a simmer.
  3. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to thicken.
  4. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and enjoy!
The Best Creamed Spinach Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (6)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is This Side Dish Recipe Gluten-Free?

No, but you can easily adjust this creamed spinach to be a gluten-free recipe. Just substitute rice flour for the all-purpose flour.

How do you make a Dairy-Free, Vegan version?

Swap thick canned coconut milk for the milk and vegan butter substitute for the butter.

Is This Easy Creamed Spinach Recipe Ketogenic?

No. However, if you removed the flour altogether, it would be keto. Substitute cream for the milk to provide extra fat and a rich luxurious texture.

Can I Use Fresh Spinach?

Yes, you can use fresh baby spinach leaves. Buy the same weight in ounces. Because fresh is not as compact as frozen spinach, you will just have to add it little by little mixing in more as it wilts down.

Can you make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes, you can make creamed spinach up to three days before servings. Rewarm in a crockpot or on the stovetop.

Can you freeze this recipe?

Yes. Just make sure tothaw it slowlyat room temperature before rewarming. If wrapped well, it can freeze for up to 4 months.

The Best Creamed Spinach Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (7)

LOOKING FOR MORE SAVORY SIDE DISHES?

  • Southwest Cornbread Stuffing
  • The Ultimate Mashed Sweet Potatoes
  • Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Beer
  • Fluffy Southern Cat Head Biscuits
  • Best Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
  • Oven Roasted Vegetables with Maple Glaze
  • Honey Butter Roasted Carrots
  • Crispy Kale and Quinoa Salad

See the printable recipe below for nutritional information, including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and calcium percentages.

The Best Creamed Spinach Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (8)

Print Recipe

5 stars (13 reviews)

Leave a Review »

Easy Creamed Spinach Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

The Best Creamed Spinach Recipe – A fabulous Stovetop or Slow Cooker Creamed Spinach Recipe that pairs well with comforting holiday meals.

Servings: 12

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Place the butter, chopped onions, and garlic in a skillet. Set over medium heat and sauté to soften, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the flour and stir well to break up the clumps.

  • Scoop the onion mixture into the crock of a large slow cooker. Add the frozen spinach, milk, salt, nutmeg, white pepper and cayenne pepper. Cover and turn on low.

  • Slow cook for 8-10 hours until the mixture simmers and thickens. Stir every few hours. When ready to serve, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Stovetop Instructions: Cook the onions and garlic in butter as directed above, but do so in a large deep saute pan. Add additional ingredients to the saute pan (Step 2) and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to thicken. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 183kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 478mg, Potassium: 415mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 10380IU, Vitamin C: 6.4mg, Calcium: 275mg, Iron: 1.9mg

Course: Holiday, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Author: Sommer Collier

Making this recipe?Follow us on Instagram and tag @ASpicyPerspective so we can share what you’re cooking!

This site contains affiliate links, if you make a purchase through them, we receive a small commission.

The Best Creamed Spinach Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (2024)

FAQs

How do you make spinach not soggy? ›

It will start to wilt down quite quickly, once it has wilted (about 1-2 mins) drain it through a colander and allow all the excess water to run out, pressing it with the back of a spoon or underside of a ladle will help force excess water out of the spinach through the colander.

Should you blanch spinach before sauteing? ›

Submitted by Barb G. "If you like spinach you will love this. Blanching spinach before sautéing may seem like overkill. But it emphasizes the flavor and texture."

Can you reheat creamed spinach? ›

To reheat, microwave with a damp paper towel covering the top to keep moisture in. Or spinach can be reheated in a pan, stirring occasionally, over low heat and adding more milk if necessary.

How do you make creamed spinach less bitter? ›

That bitter taste is caused by oxalic acid. Stay away from larger, darker leaves, they'll have a higher concentration. Young spinach is more tender and tends to be sweeter. Overcooking spinach can bring out the bitterness, as well.

Does creamed spinach make you gassy? ›

Digestive issues: Eating too much spinach may lead to an excessive buildup of gas, bloating, and cramps because our body needs some time to digest the excessive load of spinach and cannot metabolize it all at once.

How to stop spinach from going soggy? ›

Seal the container tightly. Store the spinach in the crisper drawer of your fridge for about 10 days. If your spinach isn't in an airtight container, make sure you don't store it next to ethylene-producing fruits (such as bananas and apples). Exposure to ethylene gas will cause your spinach to go bad more quickly.

Does baby spinach taste better? ›

In general, the smaller the leaves, the more mild the flavor. Baby spinach are young, smaller leaves that are more tender and sweeter with more tender stems – these are better for salads and using raw while the larger more mature leaves are better suited to quick cooking.

Why does my spinach taste slimy? ›

It is very easy to tell if spinach has gone bad: it will be dark green or greenish brown, wet or slimy, and will smell a bit like algae or garbage—and taste like it, too.

Why is my sauteed spinach bitter? ›

Spinach can become bitter when sautéed due to its high levels of oxalic acid, which can be released when the leaves are cooked for too long or at too high a temperature. Additionally, overcooking can break down the chlorophyll in the spinach, leading to a bitter taste.

Why can't you heat up spinach twice? ›

Every time you reheat spinach or other veggies that are rich in nitrates, they become increasingly toxic. Here's the deal on those spuds. When cooked potatoes are left out at room temperature or warmed up for a second time, they can take a toxic turn for the worst.

How many minutes to blanch spinach? ›

Blanch The Leaves

Place the leaves into a pot of boiling water for 1 minute only. Use 2 quarts of water for every pound or so of spinach. Remove leaves from boiling water and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain and squeeze any remaining water out with your hands.

How long does cooked creamed spinach last in the fridge? ›

Serve it as an easy veggie side at your holiday dinner to really add some fancy factor alongside your Thanksgiving turkey. Storage and reheating. If you have any leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can also freeze your creamed spinach for around 3 months.

Does frozen creamed spinach go bad? ›

Freeze: Freeze leftover creamed spinach in an airtight container for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating as usual.

What to do with old spinach? ›

  1. Sautee it with a little bit of garlic, lemon and parmesan as a side dish.
  2. Add it to a omelette. Or, even better still, make eggs florentine with it. It's like eggs benedict but it uses spinach instead of ham.
  3. Blend it into a soup.
  4. Add it to a smoothie.
  5. There's loads of options to use your spinach.
Nov 4, 2020

What are the ingredients in Stouffer's creamed spinach? ›

SPINACH, SKIM MILK, SOYBEAN OIL, WATER, 2% OR LESS OF BLEACHED ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, DRIED ONIONS, SALT, SEASONING (CORN MALTODEXTRIN, NONFAT DRY MILK, SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR, BUTTER [CREAM, ANNATTO], WHEY PROTEIN ...

Is it OK to mix spinach with milk? ›

However, the absorption of calcium from milk and other rich-in-calcium ingredients won't be impaired by spinach's oxalic acid, which is why pairing spinach with dairy products helps ensure you gain all the nutrients you need. Oxalate may also be produced by body or converted from vitamin C during its metabolism.

Why am I craving creamed spinach? ›

If you're craving yogurt, spinach or beets, you need more calcium. If you're keeping up with your workout routine during the colder season (good for you!), you'll want to amp up your calcium intake known for building and maintaining strong bones.

Should you rinse canned spinach? ›

Each can contains about 3 servings. Rinse canned spinach to remove excess salt.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Edmund Hettinger DC

Last Updated:

Views: 6192

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Edmund Hettinger DC

Birthday: 1994-08-17

Address: 2033 Gerhold Pine, Port Jocelyn, VA 12101-5654

Phone: +8524399971620

Job: Central Manufacturing Supervisor

Hobby: Jogging, Metalworking, Tai chi, Shopping, Puzzles, Rock climbing, Crocheting

Introduction: My name is Edmund Hettinger DC, I am a adventurous, colorful, gifted, determined, precious, open, colorful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.