Creamed spinach can go right or wrong, and this creamed spinach recipe is just right. The creaminess comes from cream cheese rather than heavy cream, which offers some delectable tanginess. Fresh baby spinach cooks down in mere minutes, no chopping required, so this recipe is ready in roughly twenty minutes.

Creamed spinach will never be the prettiest menu item on your Thanksgiving table, but the verdant color of freshly cooked spinach will liven up otherwise beige plates. The more greens the better, I say.

I didn’t grow up with creamed spinach at our Thanksgiving suppers. I’ve found it on steakhouse menus while searching for vegetarian options. The name “creamed spinach” doesn’t sound terribly enticing, does it?

I wasn’t sold on the general concept until I realized that it’s almost like spinach dip in side dish form. Creamed spinach earned my full attention in that moment.

After some trial and error, I’m sharing this recipe because I think it’s worthy of your attention, too. It’s delicious, creamy, comforting and just so nice!

How to Make the Best Creamed Spinach

Creamed spinach is easy to make with basic ingredients, yet the end result tastes like more than the sum of its parts. It’s rich and creamy but not over the top. Here’s why this recipe works so well (keep scrolling for the full recipe):

First, sauté mellow yellow onion in butter and simple seasonings—salt, pepper and an optional pinch of cayenne. This step smells amazing and forms the backbone of flavor for this dish.
Then, add fresh baby spinach in handfuls, stirring after each. Sometimes I’ll suggest using frozen spinach, but fresh spinach is superior in flavor and texture in this case.
Once the spinach is wilted, add garlic. We’re adding the garlic later on so it doesn’t have a chance to burn, and we’ll cook it just until it’s fragrant. As always, please use fresh garlic, not store-bought minced garlic.
Finally, stir in cream cheese until it’s creamy and melted, followed by some Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper until the flavors really sing. You’re done!

Watch How to Make Creamed Spinach

Please let me know how your creamed spinach turns out in the comments. I love hearing from you and hope this recipe makes an appearance at your Thanksgiving meal. For more Thanksgiving-worthy recipes, check out my Thanksgiving roundup.