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Home » Recipes » Sides

Steakhouse Creamed Spinach

Published: Jan 22, 2024 · Modified: May 10, 2024 by Sarah Baumeister · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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Looking for an elevated side dish for a date night at home? Steakhouse Creamed Spinach is the perfect pick. Garlicky, creamy, and full of fresh spinach, this easy side dish can be made in less than 10 minutes but is rich and decadent and perfect for pairing with steak or salmon.

creamed spinach in a bowl topped with a lemon slice with a serving spoon and ingredients in the background.
Jump to:
  • Why you'll love this recipe
  • Ingredient Notes
  • How to make Steakhouse Creamed Spinach at Home
  • Recipe Tips
  • What to serve with Creamed Spinach
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Side Dishes
  • Steakhouse Creamed Spinach

Why you'll love this recipe

Steakhouse Style Creamed Spinach from restaurants like Peter Luger, Ruth's Chris, and Morton's make the perfect side dish for steak and seafood. It is a quick to prepare vegetable, but because it is prepared in a rich cream sauce, it feels entirely special and fancy. It's a great pairing with Air Fryer T Bone Steak or Air Fryer Salmon.

Sauteeing spinach is so easy, that is one of those things that can hardly be considered a recipe. This fresh creamed spinach recipe is just about as easy as that, just with an added garlic cream sauce. The whole dish can be made in less than 10 minutes.

creamed spinach in a bowl with a serving spoon and ingredients in the background.

This easy creamy spinach dish is rich with fragrant garlic, salty parmesan cheese, and heavy cream. You'll be close to licking your plate. Many creamed spinach recipes begin with a bechamel sauce. Bechamel is made with a roux, which has flour and butter. This one does not, so it is gluten free. 

Cooking spinach like this, or in recipes like Homemade Spinach Pasta, Crock Pot Marry Me Chicken or Easy Italian Wedding Soup is also a great way to use up any spinach leaves that may be a little past their prime for fresh salads.

If you do have fresh spinach to use, try this Spinach Blueberry Salad!

Ingredient Notes

ingredients for creamed spinach on a metal sheet pan.
  • Fresh Baby Spinach: Tender and easy to find, baby spinach is the star of the show. If you use frozen chopped spinach, thaw first and squeeze excess liquid out of the leaves to avoid watery creamed spinach.
  • Garlic: This recipe isn't shy on the garlic, but that's what gives it its restaurant quality flavor profile. Feel free to use less if you are sensitive to the flavor.
  • Heavy Cream: The richness heavy cream adds is delightful, while helping to thin out the sauce slightly rather than using all cream cheese. Half and half can be used in place of heavy cream if you prefer.
  • Parmesan Cheese: This is one of this times I would use freshly grates parmesan, it will elevate the simple dish more than the green shaker variety.
  • Fresh Lemon Juice: Added a squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end cuts through the rich sauce and gives the dish a little pop.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients.

How to make Steakhouse Creamed Spinach at Home

diced onions being sauteed.

Step 1. Begin by heating a large skillet over medium heat. Melt butter and add diced onion. Saute for 2-3 minutes to soften onion.

garlic and nutmeg added to sauteed onions.

Step 2. Reduce heat to low and add minced garlic and ground nutmeg. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. 

cream sauce base before spinach is added.

Step 3. Add cream cheese and stir to combine with onions and garlic. Carefully pour in cream, stirring as you go. Allow to thicken and reduce slightly for 1-2 minutes.

chopped spinach added to a skillet.

Step 4. Add chopped fresh spinach and gently stir to wilt.

grated parmesan cheese added to creamed spinach in skillet.

Step 5. Add chopped fresh spinach and gently stir to wilt. Once wilted, sprinkle in freshly grated parmesan cheese and stir.

salt and pepper added to finished dish.

Step 6. Season with salt, black pepper, and fresh lemon juice. Immediately remove from heat. Serve warm. 

Recipe Tips

creamed spinach in a skillet stirred with a wooden spoon.
  • When you are first looking at it, 8 oz. may seem like a lot of spinach, but trust me, it really cooks down. This recipe creates enough for 2 servings.
  • You can blanch the spinach first, but it is not necessary. The spinach will cook quickly in the cream sauce. The only thing you may notice with blanching is the sauce will stay a bit whiter as opposed to having a light green hue. This is a preference and will not affect the taste.
  • This is a quick and delicate dish. Cook everything over medium to low heat to avoid burning and stay close to the stove during the fast cook time. 

What to serve with Creamed Spinach

creamed spinach in a bowl topped with a lemon slice with a serving spoon and ingredients in the background.

Serve alongside main dishes like steak, chops, or grilled chicken. It's lovely with Bavette Steak or Venison Backstrap. 

It is also absolutely delicious tossed with fresh pasta or baked on top of salmon as a creamy spinach sauce. 

Recipe FAQs

Can you make creamed spinach with frozen spinach?

Yes you can. For best results, thaw first and and wrap in a dish cloth. Over the sink or a bowl, squeeze out excess liquid before adding to the cream sauce.

Can you leave the spinach leaves whole?

You can. Baby spinach is pretty delicate as it is, including the stems. I find that the dish benefits from a rough chop of the spinach though. It looks prettier and is easier to eat.

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If you tried this Steakhouse Creamed Spinach or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love to hear from you.

steakhouse style creamed spinach in a bowl with a lemon garnish.

Steakhouse Creamed Spinach

Sarah Baumeister
Steakhouse Creamed Spinach is a 10 minute recipe, combining lots of savory garlic with tender spinach that has been cooked in a cream sauce.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 minute min
Cook Time 9 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Side Dish, vegetable
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings
Calories 339 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • ½ onion diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp. cream cheese
  • 8 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves
  • ¼ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Begin by heating a large skillet over medium heat. Melt butter and add diced onion. Saute for 2-3 minutes to soften onion.
  • Reduce heat to low and add minced garlic and ground nutmeg. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  • Add cream cheese and stir to combine with onions and garlic. Carefully pour in cream, stirring as you go. Allow to thicken and reduce slightly for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add chopped fresh spinach and gently stir to wilt. Once wilted, sprinkle in freshly grated parmesan cheese and stir.
  • Season with salt, black pepper, and fresh lemon juice. Immediately remove from heat.
  • Serve warm.

Notes

This is a quick and delicate dish. Cook everything over medium to low heat to avoid burning and stay close to the stove during the fast cook time. 

Nutrition

Calories: 339kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 11gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 397mgPotassium: 777mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 11699IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 321mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melissa Szymczak

    May 15, 2020 at 4:11 am

    You have inspired tomorrow’s dinner! I think I have been overcooking my spinach now I know better. Thank you!

    Reply
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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Hi, I'm Sarah!

I am a wife, mother, and believer. I have been cooking since I can remember and love sharing recipes with all of you. You will find a variety of recipes here from healthy family dinners, to ways to prepare venison, to soups, to baked goods, anything and everything delicious.

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