Steakhouse Creamed Spinach

Steakhouses always have creamed spinach as a side dish. It’s creamy and cheesy. There’s no way you can resist when it’s put in front of you, especially since you know there’s going to be a whole pound of spinach that disappears within 5 minutes of putting it on your plate.

The good news is you don’t need a reservation, because this takes about 25 minutes, only uses a few ingredients, and tastes exactly like the $14-a-side dishes you’d find at a steakhouse.

Why This Recipe Works

Blanching the spinach first. Boiling the spinach for a minute and letting it drain gets rid of the extra water. If you skip this, the water leaks into your sauce and you end up with soupy, thin creamed spinach.

Cream cheese for body. Cream cheese gives the sauce that thick, clingy texture steakhouses are known for without needing flour or a roux.

Real Parmesan. A wedge of Parmesan grated fresh melts smoother and tastes way better than the shaker stuff.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Fresh baby spinach: A 16 oz container. It looks like a ton, but it cooks down to a few cups.

Yellow onion: Half an onion, diced small so it melts into the sauce.

Garlic: I use jarred chopped garlic to save time. Fresh works too.

Butter: For sautéing the onion and garlic.

Cream cheese: Half of an 8 oz block, softened if you can.

Heavy cream: Thins the sauce out just enough.

Parmesan: Freshly grated from a wedge.

Salt: Don’t skip it. Spinach and cream both need it.

How to Make Creamed Spinach

Boil the spinach. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the spinach, and cook for about a minute until wilted. Dump it into a colander and let it drain. Press out as much water as you can with a spoon, then give it a rough chop.

Cook the onion and garlic. While the spinach drains, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, then stir in the garlic for another 30 seconds.

Make the sauce. Add the cream cheese and heavy cream and stir until smooth. Stir in the Parmesan and salt.

Add the spinach back. Fold the spinach into the sauce and cook a couple of minutes until everything is hot and creamy.

Tips for the Best Creamed Spinach

Squeeze it dry. This is the biggest mistake people make. The drier the spinach, the thicker the final dish.

Keep the heat medium. High heat can make the cream cheese split or the Parmesan clump.

Taste before serving. Parmesan is salty, so add salt a little at a time.

What to Serve With Creamed Spinach

Perfect for steak night. Pair with a ribeye or filet, a baked potato, and dinner rolls. It’s also great on the side of roast chicken, pork chops, and salmon. It makes a great holiday side for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Storing and Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of cream to loosen it back up.