Steakhouse Creamed Spinach

Why you’ll love it

• Restaurant-quality side dish made in one pot at home.
• Creamy, never watery, thanks to well-squeezed spinach.
• Make-ahead friendly for holidays and dinner parties.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the spinach

• 2 lb (900 g) fresh spinach, tough stems removed (or 2 bags of baby spinach, 1 lb each)
• 2 tbsp water

For the cream sauce

• 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter
• 1/2 small yellow onion, finely minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 2 oz (56 g) cream cheese, cubed and softened
• 1/2 cup (40 g) freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp fine salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Step-by-step method

1. Wilt the spinach. Put the 2 tbsp water in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the spinach in batches, stirring with tongs, and cook about 2–3 minutes per batch, just until wilted. Transfer to a colander.

2. Squeeze and chop. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the spinach firmly by handfuls (or in a clean kitchen towel) to remove as much liquid as possible. Chop it roughly. You should have about 2 cups of packed spinach.

3. Start the sauce. Wipe out the pot and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 3 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and cook 1 minute, stirring.

4. Thicken. Slowly whisk in the milk and cream. Simmer gently 3–4 minutes, whisking, until thick enough to coat a spoon.

5. Add the cheeses. Lower the heat and stir in the cream cheese until melted, then the Parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

6. Combine. Fold in the chopped spinach and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, until hot and creamy. Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve right away.

How to know it is done

It is ready when the spinach is evenly coated, the sauce is thick and creamy (not runny) and the mixture is steaming hot all the way through. If liquid pools at the edges, simmer 1–2 minutes more, stirring, to thicken.

Tips for the best result

• Squeeze the spinach really dry; leftover water thins the sauce and dulls the flavor.
• Grate the Parmesan yourself; pre-grated cheese can make the sauce grainy.
• Season at the end: Parmesan is salty, so taste before adding more salt.

Variations and substitutions

• Frozen spinach: use two 16-oz (450 g) bags of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry; skip the wilting step.
• Gratin: spoon into a baking dish, top with 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère and broil 2–3 minutes until bubbly.
• Bacon: cook 4 chopped bacon slices first and use 1 tbsp of the fat in place of some butter.
• Kale: replace half the spinach with chopped kale and cook it 2 minutes longer.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat with a splash of milk, stirring, or in the microwave in 30-second bursts. To make ahead for a holiday, prepare it up to 1 day in advance and reheat just before serving. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce can separate.