Steakhouse Creamed Spinach Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Steakhouse Creamed Spinach Recipe

Enjoy a steakhouse favorite right at home with this Steakhouse Creamed Spinach Recipe. It combines fresh spinach, cream cheese, parmesan, and a touch of spice, and is ready in under 30 minutes. it's an ideal side dish for any meal, especially for special occasions!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 239kcal

Author: Briana

Equipment

large skillet
cheese grater (or microplane)
Rubber Spatula

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 tablespoons all purpose flour (15g)
½ teaspoon kosher salt (To taste and added slowly. Be careful not too add too much with the added parmesan cheese!)
10 cloves garlic, minced (About 1 bulb of garlic.)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (Optional and to taste)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme (optional)
20 ounces frozen spinach (Thawed, cooled and drained according. to package directions.)
1 cup half and half (As needed to thin.)
4 ounces parmesan cheese , freshly shredded

Instructions

To the hot skillet, add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter to melt. Once melted, add in the onion with a pinch of kosher salt. Sauté the onion, stirring occasionally, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour and cook for 2-3 minutes to get rid of the raw flour smell.
Then, stir in the minced garlic and ½ teaspoon - 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (to taste), until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring often to prevent burning.
Reduce to medium-low heat. Add in 4 cream cheese in small blocks, (Image ad stir them together with the onions to soften. Once the cream cheese has softened, stream in 8-10 ounces of half and half as needed to thin, and stir to combine. Once the mixture is well combined, thick, and creamy but spreadable, add in 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme and ¼ - ½ teaspoon of black pepper to taste.
Reduce the heat to low, then add in the drained spinach, and a small handful (about 1 ounce) of the parmesan cheese. Stir to combine the mixture and melt the cheese completely, before adding more cheese, one small handful at a time. Continue mixing until all the cheese is melted, then salt to taste.
Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with more fresh parmesan, and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. heated gently on the stove or in the microwave. Add a splash of milk or cream if the spinach becomes too thick when reheating.

Notes

Add salt slowly and as you go, and make sure to taste it! Since parmesan cheese is inherently salty, be cautious when adding salt. Taste as you go, especially after adding the parmesan, to ensure the dish isn't overly salty.
Use room temperature cream cheese. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before adding it to the skillet. This helps it blend more smoothly into the sauce, preventing lumps. It also helps to cut it up into smaller pieces, as this will also help it to combine better.
Squeeze out the excess water from the spinach. Frozen spinach can hold a lot of water. After defrosting, be sure to squeeze out as much water as possible to prevent the dish from becoming too watery.
Cook the flour for a few minutes. When adding flour, cook it for a couple of minutes to remove the raw flour taste. This forms a sort of roux, which thickens the sauce better.
Adjust the amount of cream cheese and half and half. If you prefer a creamier texture, you can play around with the amount of half-and-half or cream cheese. Adding a bit more can make the dish richer.
Make sure to hand shred the parmesan cheese. This will definitely melt the best. When you buy cheese from the store that has been pre-shredded, it usually has anti-caking agents on it, and this makes it harder for it to melt properly!
Add the cheese in slowly, over low heat! If you heat the cheese too fast and add too much at once, it may cause it to clump up. Add it slowly, in small handfuls over low heat, and stir constantly to melt the cheese. Wait to add more until the handful before is melted.
Add spice to taste. The red pepper flakes add a nice heat to the dish, but they are optional. We like things with a hint of spice, but this dish isn't spicy. If making this dish for the first time, add red pepper flakes slowly, and taste and adjust. You can also omit them entirely for a milder flavor.
To freeze. To freeze, allow it to cool off completely, then transfer it to a freezer safe container, where it will keep for about 6 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, and reheat as usual. Just note, the texture may change slightly after being frozen.
To make this recipe with fresh spinach, you will need to use 2.5 times the amount. This is because spinach loses a lot of its volume as it cooks. The spinach will need to be blanched or sautéed.

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