Morton’s Steakhouse Creamed Spinach (Copycat) is a decadent side ready in minutes, with fresh spinach, butter, garlic, and three cheeses.
This special Side Dish is perfect for a special occasion meal like Christmas, Easter, or even a romantic date night at home. Serve it alongside a perfectly cooked Steak with other cheesy sides like Skillet Creamy Mac & Cheese or Potatoes Au Gratin.
MORTON’S STEAKHOUSE CREAMED SPINACH (COPYCAT)
Creamed Spinach is the cheesiest way to enjoy your vegetables! This side dish will elevate any home cooked meal to make you and your guests feel like you’re dining at a five star steakhouse.
Using fresh spinach instead of frozen gives this dish a slight crunch to balance the rest of the creamy, cheesy texture. Butter, onions, and garlic add a ton of flavor, and the combination of cream cheese, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses cheeses take it to the next level.
This recipe is a spot on copy for Morton’s Steakhouse. It goes well with Cast Iron Ribeye, Roasted Garlic Cherry Tomatoes and Classic Easy Mashed Potatoes as a traditional Christmas Eve dinner.
TIPS FOR MAKING CREAMED SPINACH:
- Yes you can use whole milk instead of half and half (go any less fatty and you’re not going to like the results).
- You can also go the opposite way and use heavy cream. Your taste buds will love it, your jeans may not but hey it is the holidays!
- If you’d prefer to use frozen spinach, just defrost and squeeze out as much water as you can from 1 pound of frozen spinach.
- Nutmeg may seem like a dessert spice, but you’ll love the flavor in this recipe.
- Aside from the classic Morton’s recipe, this recipe also adds cream cheese and Parmesan cheese.
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CREAMED SPINACH PASTA BAKE:
A great thing to do with the leftovers, if there are any, is toss some cooked pasta in with it, add a bit of mozzarella and cream cheese for an easy spinach pasta bake. Cook on 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, no recipe here, it is usually just whatever is left over.
MORE VEGETABLE SIDE DISHES
Mexican Corn Salad
Crispy Roasted Cauliflower
Broccoli in Cheese Sauce
Glazed Carrots
HOW TO STORE CREAMED SPINACH
- Serve: Serve warm but don’t leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Store: Cover Creamed Spinach in an airtight bag or container, and it will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Freeze: You can keep Creamed Spinach in the freezer for up to four months. Just defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion , minced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 4 teaspoons Kosher salt , divided
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg , freshly grated
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 2 1/4 pounds fresh leaf spinach , or one pound frozen
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese , grated
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with two teaspoons of salt.
- Add the spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute.
- Drain the spinach in a strainer or colander.
- Rinse with cold water until cool and squeeze the water out of each fistful of spinach.
- Chop the spinach bundles into a ¾ inch width.
- In a large skillet melt the butter with the garlic and onions.
- Cook on medium low for 8-10 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
- Add in the remaining kosher salt, black pepper and nutmeg.
- Add in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon over low and cook for 2-3 minutes until the aroma is a bit nutty.
- Add the half an half and cook until boiling.
- Add in the mozarella cheese and cream cheese
- Cook for 6-8 minutes or until the mixture has thickened.
- Add in the spinach and the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Love this recipe, but I made 2 changes I think make it better:
1) I use twice as much spinach as the recipe calls for (frozen). In the original recipe, it’s too much sauce. This is the only reason I gave it 4 stars (really it’s like 4 3/4).
2) I put it in a Pyrex dish, sprinkle Mozzarella cheese on top and broil until melted before serving.
Your recipes never dissapoint! Best creamed spinach I’ve ever had!
Thanks Ann, and thanks for the five star review!
Made this according to the recipe, but did not add all the sauce to the spinach. We used frozen spinach, it was delicious. It was the best dish on the table!
Glad you enjoyed the Creamed Spinach Joe and thanks for the 5 star review!
I have been making this recipe for years and it never disappoints. It’s so good!
My favorite ways to use the leftovers (if there are any) is:
* Mix it with Cooked Pasta ~ Stuff into Pasta Shells w/Creamy Bechamel
*Stuffed Roasted Portobello Mushrooms
*Top Thick Sliced Roasted Tomatoes with Creamed Spinach, Top with grated Parmesan ~ Blast under the Broiler.
Made this for Saint Patrick’s Day dinner. It was warm, cheesy, and a hit with the children as well as those who said they didn’t like spinach! Absolutely will add this to our holiday meals. It’s too rich to eat on a regular basis, but too good not have for a special meal.
Children eating spinach is always a “win”! Thank you for the 5 stars Karen.
Omg!!!! It was so good..my husband couldn’t stop eating it. It’s just like Mortons. They’re one of our favorite restaurants around.
Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome and thank you for the 5 stars!
Absolutely fabulous and so easy! I even added some other sauteed veggies-red pepper, mushrooms, etc.
Wow!!! It was a dreary winter day and I made this fab side dish. It was perfect and I can’t wait to make it for company. Comfort food at its finest. Thank you for sharing !!!!
You’re welcome and thank you Elena for the 5 star review!
Makes a lot of servings. Need a recipe for the leftovers. I think I’m gonna try to do a pasta baked dish with it!
But was awesome, even my boyfriend ate it and he doesn’t eat greens!
I made this for Christmas Day 2023 and it was EXCELLENT!!! I didn’t add the mozzarella or cream cheese. Plus I didn’t have half and half, so I did the “whole milk + 1 tbs butter hack”. It worked beautifully!!! The recipe turned out perfectly!!! The leftovers were just as tasty!!! I’ll make this when I have company or want to make a meal feel special. Thank you for a recipe that’s a keeper!!!
I made this on Christmas it was delicious.
Wow! Soooo good! I can this barely make a bowl of cereal correctly, but this was pretty easy. I’m definitely saving this recipe to make again and I’m also going to try to make it as a dip by adding a little extra cheese because it was that good.
LOL. Your comment made me smile. Glad you enjoyed it Anthony!
Hi, what is best way to reheat the creamed spinach so I can make day before and reheat on holiday?
Thanks a lot,
Elisa
Reheat creamed spinach on the stove. Take your creamed spinach directly from the fridge and scoop into a cold pan. Reheat the spinach slowly on a low heat, stirring frequently until hot. Feel free to add a few tablespoons of milk or cream as needed to help it regain its smooth, silky texture.
THANK YOU for this staple recipe! I’ve made this a bunch of times for the holidays and again today for Thanksgiving. My family LOVES this! This is better than any steakhouse we’ve tried!
Over the years I have found the easier and faster way to cook fresh spinach has been to simply wilt it in the same pan with the onions and garlic instead of blanching it. The spinach breaks up nicely with just the use of a spatula after a few minutes of cooking it. I take out any extra water from the pan. I also only use one teaspoon of salt as all the cheeses add plenty of salt.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Great feedback Olexa and delighted your Thanksgiving was a tasty success! Appreciate the 5 star rating!
Can I use heavy whipping cream instead of half and half?
Sounds amazing! Go for it!
I wouldn’t because the cream sauce will be too thick. Used 50% heavy cream and 50% milk and you have half n half
Can you make this ahead of time and reheat the following day?
Store: Cover Creamed Spinach in an airtight bag or container, and it will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Freeze: You can keep Creamed Spinach in the freezer for up to four months. Just defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving.
Does anybody know if I can reheat in a crockpot? Oven space tight in thanksgiving and I’d like to double recipe and put in fridge to bring to family a few hours before dinner… thanks in advance!
This was just delicious! I cannot compare it to Morton’s creamed spinach (haven’t been there for years) but it is definitely full of flavor! I underestimated how much the spinach was going to wilt/shrink so yes, get the amount mentioned in the recipe; maybe even a little more. Very creamy, and flavorful! I was a little scared to use the nutmeg but I went for it and while it was cooking, it smelt delicious and there’s no “sweet” taste. Definitely keeping this recipe! Thank you so much!
So glad you enjoyed the spinach Mina. Thank you for the 5 star vote of confidence.
Absolutely delicious
Delicious! Can it be frozen for later use?
Freeze: You can keep Creamed Spinach in the freezer for up to four months. Just defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving.
do you know how much is one serving?
Serving sizes become an issue because people will have ingredients of different sizes. Packaged products are weighed and measured at the time of creation which makes their measurements accurate. The only way to accurately know the measurements of meals is to weigh and divide.
hi there made it today Saturday for Christmas on Monday. What is the best way to reheat. Its absolutley delicious. Will have to thin out a bit. thank you!
Reheat the spinach slowly on a low heat, stirring frequently until hot. Optionally add a few tablespoons of milk or cream as needed. Happy Holidays!
Edee, just wanted to let you know that you said it was delicious, yet you only gave it a 1 star. If you can it would be nice of you to update your stars because it hurts her rating, just saying ?
So amazing! I am making again, this time putting in stuffed shells! And baking with some mozz and little bit of Alfredo on top.
Great dish. We have an over-abundance of collard greens which I used instead of spinach. We boiled them for 6 minutes since they are thicker than spinach then ran under cold water. Maybe more nutmeg next time since we did not have fresh. We will make this again. Thank you.
The absolute best Creamed spinach I’ve ever eaten or made
Yummy! Turned out perfect, even though I did some minor substitutions (pepper Jack cheese because I didn’t have Mozzarella).
Could this be made ahead of time for company and reheated just before serving?
Yes!
To make ahead, cover Creamed Spinach in an airtight bag or container, and it will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
If you would like to have the recipe on hand, freeze it the Creamed Spinach in the freezer for up to four months. Just defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving.
2 1/4 pounds fresh leaf spinach , or one pound frozen-?
If you want a slight crunch, use fresh spinach. If you’re in a hurry and only have frozen, just defrost and squeeze out as much water as you can from 1 pound of frozen spinach.
I added a can of water chestnuts which almost n my axe it a spinach dip. We enjoyed the extra crunch
This is my all-time favorite creamed spinach. I’ve always been a fan of creamed spinach, but this takes it to a whole new level. Since I’m only cooking for one, I end up with leftovers…. And I can’t wait to try the pasta bake this weekend!
Glad you enjoyed it.
What leftovers? My family that HATES spinach just loves this dish, even after I told them what it was.
OMG. This was so so so good. I have never tried to make creamed spinach before but am very glad I tried this recipe. I used one 8oz package of frozen spinach and 1.5 bags of fresh baby spinach which I didn’t blanch. It was over the top delicious! Absolutely can see this being a staple on a holiday menu. Thank you for the delicious copycat recipe!!
made this last night, but used some of the caramelized onions that I had already been cooking for three hours and some of the garlic cloves I roasted to go with the steaks…teenager had a huge helping and told me not to be sure there was some for after school! thank you, i too found it to be exactly what I was looking for as a great base recipe!
VERY EASY…TASTE IS GOOD…YUMMY…
Delicious, and easy. My go to creamed spinach recipe. I used frozen spinach, but needed much more than the recipe called for. Just kept adding more from the bag of frozen spinach I had until it looked more balanced.
Excellent dish with blistered cherry tomatoes to add some acidity and color. Made exactly.
If you added other things then that is not making a recipe exactly as states.
Looking forward to trying this..Is there a sub for the flour to make it gluten free? I usually use cornstarch as a thickener, but not sure of the ratio or if there is a better flavored GF flour to compliment this recipe.
Yikes, your question got buried over the holidays. I have never tested this recipe with gluten free ingredients. Let us know if you used cornstarch and how it turned out!
Cindy, if you can find Cup4Cup flour it’s an excellent flour for gluten free. Use in same measurements as regular flour.