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I use fresh spinach, garlic, and a creamy blend of milk and cheese for my 15-minute healthy creamed spinach recipe. This rich, comforting, and indulgent side dish has all the qualities of traditional creamed spinach without a lot of guilt. I use cream cheese and parmesan to create a smooth texture that does not require flour.
Creamed spinach has always been one of my favorite side dishes, and this healthy creamed spinach recipe does not depend on flour to achieve that signature thickness. It is also a vegetable side dish that my kids absolutely love, almost as much as my maple roasted Brussels sprouts. If you are looking for nutritious side dishes that are so tasty, you forget they are actually good for you, try this recipe.
I created this healthy creamed spinach recipe when I wanted a side that could replace the traditional version without compromising on flavor. My kids were not always keen on plain vegetables, so I had to find ways to make them appealing to them, while also fitting into a healthier and low-carb diet for myself and my husband. Thanks to this recipe, spinach is now one of their favorite greens. They love it in anything from smoothies to things like my vegan spinach artichoke dip.
While it may be deceptively delicious, this healthy creamed spinach is packed with iron, vitamin K, and antioxidants, which is one of the reasons I love it. As a health coach, I also made sure to keep the dairy balanced, using just enough for a smooth and creamy texture, without making it heavy.
And as a mom, I made sure that the cooking process is straightforward enough to make at a minute’s notice. I start by sauteing the onion and garlic first to build a flavorful base. Then I cook the spinach just until wilted, allowing it to retain color and texture, since there is nothing more off-putting than dull, slimy leaves. I add the cream and cheese in stages, and give the sauce a chance to thicken naturally on the heat without any additional carbs from ingredients like flour.
A friend from my book club once asked how to help her picky eater actually enjoy greens. She had tried everything from blending vegetables into sauces to hiding them in meals, but her son always caught on. Eventually, she stopped disguising them and served veggies alongside the rest of dinner without pressure.
One evening, he surprised her by finishing everything on his plate, including this healthy creamed spinach. When she asked what had changed, he casually explained they had been learning about space travel at school and that creamed spinach is one of the things served on NASA spaceflights. Ha! Try this recipe and see what unexpected wins you get at your table, and feel free to drop some of this astronomical trivia, too!
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🥘 Ingredients
For this healthy creamed spinach recipe, I use a handful of ingredients to create a creamy texture without the added carb content of flour. This is what I use:
Butter or olive oil: I use this to saute the aromatics and build the base flavor.
Aromatics: Finely chopped onion and minced garlic add a savory flavor that blends into the sauce.
Baby spinach: I prefer using fresh baby spinach for its tender texture and mild taste.
Cream cheese: This adds body to the sauce without needing flour. You could also make your own vegan cream cheese at home, although the texture of the final dish may differ slightly.
Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated parmesan adds a salty, slightly nutty finish, and helps bind the sauce together as it cooks.
Milk or cream: This can be used instead of heavy cream to keep the dish lighter but still creamy.
Salt and black pepper: I adjust the seasoning once the spinach and sauce are finished cooking.
🔪 How To Make
This is the simple one-pan method I use when I make this healthy creamed spinach:
Saute aromatics: I heat the butter or oil in a pan, then cook the onion until soft, before adding the garlic.
Cook spinach: Then, I add the spinach to the onion mixture and cook until wilted, stirring continuously.
Add liquid base: I pour the milk, cream, or heavy cream into the pan and allow it to heat gently, simmering for 3-4 minutes before adding the cheese.
Stir in cheese: Next, I mix in the cream cheese and parmesan, stirring until the sauce thickens and coats the spinach.
Season and serve: I remove the spinach from the heat, season with salt and pepper, then serve immediately.
My #1 Secret Tip for this healthy creamed spinach recipe is to make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before it goes into the pan. Cold cream cheese does not melt as smoothly and breaks down into little white lumps that take forever to incorporate, leaving the surface looking curdled instead of silky.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Squeeze frozen spinach dry: If frozen spinach is your only option, I recommend thawing it completely, then squeezing out as much water as possible before adding it to the pan. Excess moisture waters down the sauce and prevents it from thickening the way it should.
- Drain off excess water: If the cooked spinach has released a lot of water that has not had time to cook off, I drain it from the pan before adding the cream. This prevents the spinach from overcooking and the sauce from getting watered down.
- Rich finish: If I want a super luxurious finish, I whisk 1 egg yolk into the warm cream sauce just before serving. This creates a sauce similar to an authentic Alfredo sauce. Just be sure not to add it to boiling sauce, as this causes the egg to cook too quickly and turn rubbery instead of silky.
📖 Variations
I have made a few versions of this healthy creamed spinach depending on dietary needs and the meal I am serving. These are 3 variations I recommend trying:
Spinach kale mix: I replace half the spinach with 2 cups chopped kale when I want a slightly heartier texture and more variety. I let the kale cook a bit longer so it softens properly and blends into the sauce. I love using Lacinato kale for this version, and serving it alongside other roast veggies.
Dairy-free: I use plant-based cream cheese and 1/2 cup unsweetened cashew milk for a dairy-free version. Sometimes I use my homemade cashew cream sauce for this recipe, especially when I am cooking for guests with a variety of dietary preferences.
Herb finish: For a classic, slightly elevated flavor, I add 1 teaspoon dried thyme or a pinch of ground nutmeg. I love doing this for Sunday roasts.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
This healthy creamed spinach works great as a side next to main meals like my vegan schnitzel or even something with a bit more heat like my vegan tikka masala. In my experience, serving this spinach with meals that have a crunchier texture, or a completely different flavor profile, really lets the creaminess shine through. I highly recommend using it to complement any meal, and if you have any leftovers, get creative and use it in something like my courgette frittata.
Just because this dish is technically a side, do not feel limited to what you can do with it. I have found ingenious ways of incorporating this healthy creamed spinach into various meals. My kids love it mixed through my vegan broccoli pesto pasta, while I like adding it to a vegan loaded baked potato. This week, I want to turn it into a sauce and use it over some Trader Joe’s butternut squash ravioli for a quick weekday meal.
🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating
Refrigeration: I store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing: This recipe is not suitable for freezing as the sauce can separate once thawed.
Reheating: I reheat the spinach gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of milk to restore the creamy texture if needed.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Due to the combination of the heavy cream and cream cheese, reheating it too fast or at too high a temperature causes the fat to separate from the rest of the sauce, which leaves you with a greasy, grainy texture. I prefer to reheat my creamed spinach slowly on the stovetop over a low heat, stirring constantly. I add a splash of milk or heavy cream to help bring the sauce back to its silky texture as it warms through.
I prefer using fresh baby spinach since it has a softer texture and milder flavor. If I use regular spinach, I need to do some extra prep work. This kind of spinach must be chopped finely, with the thick white core removed, to avoid long, stringy pieces in the final dish.
If I want an even lighter version of this healthy creamed spinach, I replace the cream cheese with Greek yogurt or a dairy-free alternative. The texture of the dish will change slightly, but it will still have a creamy consistency.
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📋 Recipe Card
Healthy Creamed Spinach
I use fresh spinach, garlic, and a creamy blend of milk and cheese for my 15-minute healthy creamed spinach recipe. This rich, comforting, and indulgent side dish has all the qualities of traditional creamed spinach without a lot of guilt. I use cream cheese and parmesan to create a smooth texture that does not require flour.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 226kcal
- My #1 Secret Tip for this healthy creamed spinach recipe is to make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before it goes into the pan. Cold cream cheese does not melt as smoothly and breaks down into little white lumps that take forever to incorporate, leaving the surface looking curdled instead of silky.
- Squeeze frozen spinach dry: If frozen spinach is your only option, I recommend thawing it completely, then squeezing out as much water as possible before adding it to the pan. Excess moisture waters down the sauce and prevents it from thickening the way it should.
- Drain off excess water: If the cooked spinach has released a lot of water that has not had time to cook off, I drain it from the pan before adding the cream. This prevents the spinach from overcooking and the sauce from getting watered down.
- Rich finish: If I want a super luxurious finish, I whisk 1 egg yolk into the warm cream sauce just before serving. This creates a sauce similar to an authentic Alfredo sauce. Just be sure not to add it to boiling sauce, as this causes the egg to cook too quickly and turn rubbery instead of silky.
Serving: 0.5cups | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 607mg | Potassium: 468mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g