Creamy Spinach with Cream (Printable View)
Tender spinach enveloped in a rich, garlicky cream sauce for a smooth, flavorful side dish.
# Ingredient List:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 pound fresh spinach leaves, washed and trimmed
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Dairy
04 - 3/4 cup heavy cream
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Spices & Seasonings
07 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
08 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# How to Prepare:
01 - Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add the spinach in batches, stirring gently until all leaves have wilted and reduced in volume.
04 - Pour in the heavy cream and stir to blend evenly with the spinach and onion mixture.
05 - Reduce heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes to allow the cream to thicken slightly.
06 - Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce coats the spinach luxuriously.
07 - Remove from heat and serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It transforms a humble vegetable into something luxurious enough to make anyone ask for seconds.
- Takes barely twenty minutes from start to serving, which means weeknight dinners suddenly feel less rushed.
- Works as a side that makes roasted chicken taste better or stands alone as pure comfort on a plate.
02 -
- Don't skip the nutmeg—it's the ingredient that transforms this from good to memorable, but a light hand matters more than a heavy one.
- If your cream seems to take forever to thicken, you can raise the heat slightly, but stay present and keep stirring so nothing catches on the bottom.
- The spinach releases its own water as it cooks, so you'll end up with more sauce than you might expect, which is exactly the point.
03 -
- Buy spinach the day you plan to use it—it wilts in the pan beautifully when it's fresh, and the whole process feels less like rescue and more like cooking.
- Keep the heat at medium rather than high; rushing this dish doesn't make it faster, just makes the cream liable to break or scorch on the bottom of the pan.