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Spinach makes a great side to many dishes. I think it pairs most perfectly with meats, be they baked, stewed, or grilled. While you can simply sauté spinach in butter and onions and enjoy it, adding heavy cream to it takes the dish to a new level of deliciousness. That’s what I explain in this post – an easy creamed spinach recipe that is made with frozen spinach. This dish is quick and easy to make, and it will delight your tastebuds. Make it for dinner with baked chicken thighs or grilled steak (just to mention a few) and see how the compliments will flow at the dinner table.

Using Fresh vs Frozen Spinach

This creamed spinach recipe comes together perfectly whether you use fresh or frozen spinach. While many recipes out there call for fresh spinach, I just wanted to reinforce the fact that you do not have to have fresh spinach to make creamed spinach. Frozen spinach does a great job as well. It is not only a time saver as it comes ready to go the pan, but it can also save your day when you’re at a loss for what to make for dinner and you have no time (or energy) to run to the grocery store. I always have a few packs of frozen spinach stacked in my freezer for such days. It really does help.

Ingredients for Easy Creamed Spinach Recipe

I label this recipe as easy because it calls for much fewer ingredients (as well as steps) than most creamed spinach recipes out there. I do not include cheese or ground spices in this recipe and please trust me, it is still really good! Here are the ingredients you will need.

Frozen spinach: You can get this from the ‘frozen vegetables’ section in your local grocery store. It may be labeled as chopped spinach, cut-leaf spinach, etc. Grab the type with nothing else added to it (no cream, sauce, etc.) because you will be adding your own seasoning.

Heavy whipping cream: This is the second main ingredient. This cream is heavy enough to add that desired creaminess to the spinach. You can decide to use it very sparingly or go all the way out depending on how creamy you’d like the spinach to be. In this recipe, I am kind of towards all the way out. But not there yet.

Butter: You need just one tablespoon of butter for sautéing. Any type of butter, salted or unsalted, is okay to use. You can also replace butter with ghee, margarine, cooking oil, or even lard. Please note that each of these would bring a slightly different flavor or aroma to the dish.

Onions: I like to use red onions because they cook down well, and they add an awesome aroma and flavor to the dish. However, you can use any other type of onion. Chop the onion finely so it incorporates well into the spinach.

Steps for Easy Creamed Spinach Recipe

Step 1: Chop the onion finely. This will allow them to cook down well and easily and not be as conspicuous in the spinach dish.

Step 2: Sauté the onions in butter until they turn slightly brown. This step will boost the aroma and flavor of the dish. Keep the heat on medium because butter burns quickly on high heat.

Step 3: Add spinach and cook until it is fully heated, especially if it was frozen at the time of cooking. It will appear to be a lot when frozen but then it cooks down to a much smaller amount when heated through. Stir occasionally to ensure even heating. Do not cover the spinach as it could brown.

Step 4: Add the heavy whipping cream and salt to taste. Stir to mix well, then cook until most of the liquid is evaporated and the cream has thickened further. Do not cover the pan to allow for faster evaporation and to prevent the browning of the spinach which is usually facilitated by the retained moisture. Stir frequently because the cream can easily settle at the bottom of the pan and start to burn. After most of the liquid has evaporated, the spinach will appear thick and super creamy.

Step 5: Serve and enjoy! See serving suggestions below.

Serving Suggestions for Creamed Spinach

Creamed spinach pairs so perfectly with meats and starchy dishes. Here are some of my favorite pairings with links included so you can try out the dishes too.

How to Store Leftover Creamed Spinach

Cooked spinach can be stored in the freezer or fridge. Allow it to fully cool down before putting it away.

In the fridge: Place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge. I make sure to use mine within four days.

In the freezer: Place it in an airtight container and store it in the freezer. About how long to keep it in the freezer, I like this advice by Martha Stewart on her website that you should go with the sell-by date that was on the frozen spinach packaging.

How to Reheat Leftover Creamed Spinach

You can reheat frozen spinach right away but, if possible, allow it to defrost fully before reheating it. That will shorten the reheating time and it will not cook further.

In the microwave: Place spinach in a bowl and heat in the microwave until hot enough.

On the stovetop: Place spinach on a pan and cook on low heat until hot enough. Add a tablespoon of milk or water if too dry and stir frequently so it does not stick to the pan.

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