This Morton’s Steakhouse Creamed Spinach Copycat recipe is a warm, silky side dish with tender greens swirled into a rich, comforting sauce.
Whether you need a recipe to use up your spinach, or you have picky eaters, or want a crowd-pleasing Side during the holidays, this Creamed Spinach is a winning choice! For more tasty spinach recipes, try my Spinach Gratin and Spinach Parmesan Casserole.
Sabrina’s Steakhouse Creamed Spinach Recipe
Creamed Spinach is the cheesiest, creamiest way to enjoy your vegetables! My easy copycat recipe of this classic side dish is made with simple ingredients but tastes so indulgent, like you’re dining at a five-star steakhouse. This delicious side is a great way to elevate your regular home-cooked meal and is fancy enough to add to your holiday spread!
Recipe Card
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 ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 1/2 cups half and half
- 2 1/4 pounds fresh spinach , or one pound frozen
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese , shredded
- 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 mozzarella 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.
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Nutrition
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Table of Contents
Chef’s Note: Whole Milk or Heavy Cream
While yes, you can use whole milk instead of half-and-half for this particular spinach recipe, I don’t recommend it. It will still be pretty tasty, but it won’t taste as creamy and rich as the Morton’s Steakhouse version. Trust me, your taste buds and guests will love it, and hey, it is the holidays
Can This Be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes, creamed spinach is a make-ahead dream. Prep it the day before, store it in the fridge, and reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk or cream to loosen it up. It tastes even better as the flavors meld overnight, which makes it a perfect no-stress side dish for busy holiday meals or parties.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Serve Hot or Cold: This can actually be served either hot or cold! If it’s hot, serve with a juicy steak meal. If it’s cold, use it as a tasty appetizer!
- Frozen Spinach Option: If you’d prefer to use frozen spinach, just defrost and squeeze out as much excess water as you can from 1 pound of frozen spinach.
- Don’t Skip the Squeezing: Whether you’re using fresh or frozen spinach, squeezing out as much liquid as possible is crucial, as extra water will thin the sauce and dilute the flavor.
- Nutmeg’s Role: Nutmeg may seem like a dessert spice, but you’ll love its flavor in this recipe. Its warmth and spiced flavor pair well with the dish’s creaminess.
- Extra Cheesy Upgrade: Aside from the classic Morton’s recipe, this recipe also adds cream cheese and Parmesan cheese for extra flavor. Removing them gives the original recipe!
- Add a Crunchy Topping: If you want a texture contrast, sprinkle the finished dish with breadcrumbs or crunchy fried onions and pop it under the broiler for a minute or two to give it a nice toast.
- Double It for a Crowd: This recipe doubles (or even triples) easily, making it perfect for holiday gatherings or potlucks.
How to Store
- Store: Serve warm, but don’t leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Cover the Creamed Spinach in an airtight container, and it will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat: Reheat Creamed Spinach on medium heat, stirring often. If it’s too thick just add a splash of milk or cream. The microwave works too, in 30-second bursts. Stir in between bursts. Keep the heat on medium to avoid causing the sauce to separate.
- Freeze: You can keep Creamed Spinach in the freezer for up to four months. Just defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving.
Ideas to Serve
This spinach 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. You could also serve it with freshly sliced carrot sticks or celery sticks as a fun veggie dip, or even put a teaspoon’s worth on some butter crackers along with a garnish of cherry tomato halves or fresh sprouts for a fancy appetizer.
Frequent Questions
This can happen if the flour isn’t cooked long enough to fully develop its thickening power or if too much liquid is added. Let the sauce simmer a bit longer to thicken.
Yes, it’s a subtle flavor, but it is a very specific taste that adds a layer of flavor that makes the dish a winner. If you’re out, you can skip it, but the final result might feel less rounded.
Variations
- 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 at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. No recipe here, it is usually just whatever is left over.
- Kale: Swap out half the fresh spinach with kale leaves to balance all that richness and extra nutrients. You’ll want to remove the kale stems because they are very bitter. You’ll also need to cook the kale for a few extra minutes to get it to wilt and soften.
Related Recipes
More Delicious Spinach Recipes
Photos used in a previous version of this post:
Made this recipe this evening. So delicious! Thanks for posting!!
You’re welcome, Laura!
Amazing! My family raved over this recipe and said it would make a perfect appetizer dip for tortilla chips.
I am going to try this one soon
I made this recipe without the cream cheese and motzerella, it was good but made a very large amount. I would suggest cutting the recipe in half and upping the amount of spinach 25%.Quick note, the only change I made was I wilted the spinach by sautéing it. This made the entire dish taste “chalky”. However a few teaspoons of lemon juice and the chalky taste disappeared.
Thanks for the feedback, Julie!
Made this tonight and it was amazing! I added a cup of marinated chopped artichoke. Oh so good!
That sounds amazing!
Delicious!??
This is delicious! My 3 year old, who hates veggies, will eat this. Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Yay!! I’d call that a winner!!
The creamed spinach was way too liquid with the cream and the cheese. Lost all spinach flavor. Might be better tomorrow reheated?
Made this tonight and it was fabulous! I used heavy cream. Definitely will be making again!
Thanks for coming back to let me know how much you enjoyed it Maureen!
Re: Creamed spinach recipe:
What’s the point of using UNSALTED butter, then 4 tsp. KOSHER SALT?
Why not just use salted butter?
Ken Alford
kalfordrn@mac.com
I like having control over how much salt I’m adding to a dish. Having it separate allows me that option.
Looks good! Can you wilt spinach in pan instead of pre blanching?
Sure 🙂
Did anyone need to add more spinach.. mine needed way more spinach.. it was too much cream
It was yummy! It tasted like one I used to be able to get frozen but isn’t available now. I will make this again.
This dish is amazing!!! I made it with the added ingredients! Definitely a family fav!!!
I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I made this recipe looking for something to stuff inside some boneless chicken breasts. It was so good! I had a ton left, but not for long as my husband ate the rest of it right out of the pan. Creamy and delicious just like a great restaurants would be! Definitely making again!
I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
My wife loves creamed spinach and we order it all the time at various restaurants. This recipe (with the extra cheeses) is hands down the best we have ever had and it is now added to our book of favorites we have saved!
I’m so happy to hear you both enjoyed it! Now you don’t have to go out to enjoy it!!
I tried to half it and must have not cut salt enough and couldn’t eat it as intended so I ended up putting it on my unseasoned baked potato and was delish!
Glad you were able to save it! Such a great idea as a topping!
Delicious. Very rich. However the portion was hard to understand. I tried halting everything and it was still way too much.
This was absolutely delicious!!! I used the cream cheese, but no mozzarella and it was very creamy.
It makes A lot – I halved the recipe and would easily be enough for 4-6 for a side dish.
It’s a keeper ?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Just made this on a need to basis. Freezer went out had spinach on hand. Didn’t have all the ingredients but had the need ones used some different cheeses turned out great!! Glad I found this recipe. Will be a keeper for sure!!
So glad to have helped!
Awesome recipe
How would you serve this if taking to a holiday dinner? Meaning would you put it in a casserole dish & then pop in the oven to warm up if traveling small distance – or could it all be fixed in a crockpot to be warmed up at your final destination ?? Ideas? I, too, was excited to read this recipe – I will never forget fixing a version of this one year for an extended family holiday / and my sister’s father in law ( who had many health problems ) – absolutely loved this!! I am pretty sure he took all the leftovers home with him !! He is gone now – and his widow will be joining us this year – I think I am meant to make it for her !!!
I am heartbroken that I missed your question 🙁 I really hope whatever you decided worked out well but for next time I’d make everything through step 9 ahead. Then 10 mins before serving add the spinach mixture to your skillet, warm gently then follow the rest of the directions. It’ll taste best when freshly cooked and it shouldn’t take much more effort than putting in the pan, lowering the heat and letting it all cook together for a final few minutes.
Looks yummy. Can it be made ahead and how much ahead? Really don’t want to wait til Thanksgiving day to make and then serve for dinner. Thanks for any suggestions.
I’d make everything through step 9 ahead. Then 10 mins before serving add the spinach mixture to your skillet, warm gently then follow the rest of the directions. It’ll taste best when freshly cooked and it shouldn’t take much more effort than putting in the pan, lowering the heat and letting it all cook together for a final few minutes. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi there, I’d like to make this for TG dinner and was wondering about how many cups does the 2 1/4 pounds spinach come out to? And just want to verify, that is the weight pre-blanching, right? Thanks so much!
2 1/4 pounds of spinach (pre-blanching) equals to be about 22 cups. Hope this clears up any confusion. Enjoy!
If substituting creamed spinach, how much would you use for the quantities of other ingredients in the recipe? Or would it still be the same by weight (2.25 lbs of spinach)?
Thanks!
I’m guessing you meant frozen spinach? I would swap for 14-16 ounces of frozen spinach. Just be sure to drain REALLY well.
Recipe looks great thank you!! I want to try this for the coming holiday. I think I would like to try adding the cream cheese to it. When would you add that in and roughly how much would you add? Also instead of boiling the spinach can you add the spinach to the skillet and wait for it to wilt that way? Thanks so much for you help!
I normally throw in whatever portion of cream cheese is open in the fridge. Working with a new package I’d toss in about half of it, but if you can help it the more towards room temperature the cream cheese is the better.
I made this tonight and it was LUSCIOUS! So glad I found your recipe.
I’m so happy to hear that!
Thanks! Someone who actually made it.
I am not sure I have ever tried creamed spinach. This looks like a good side dish!
Thanks! I hope you try it!
This is a dish that’s new to me. I’m not sure I’ve ever had spinach other than in maybe some dip, so I’ll have to try this and see how I like it.
If you’ve never had spinach, you’re missing out! It’s got a very strong flavor that I really enjoy working with!
I can’t tell you how glad I am to have found this post. A few days ago my husband and I went to lunch at a local steakhouse and he chose the creamed spinach as his side. I have been thinking about it since! I want to try to re-create it at home. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Awesome, it was meant to be!
This looks gorgeous – and the fact that you gave us not just an idea for the spinach, but the whole meal, makes this even easier. Great photos too!
That creamed spinach looks heavenly. It reminds me of the way I had spinach as a kid — my mom always made it creamed like that and I always loved it.
Thanks! I wish I grew up with creamed spinach!
What a great recipe! The spinach looks incredibly creamy, I’m bookmarking to make this for date night!
This is a great side dish for a steak dinner date night!
I think I would love this. I love spinach in almost all forms. I haven’t figured out how to get my family on board with me though. Perhaps if I served it alongside prime rib or roast like you have it would be just the ticket. Yum.
Just tell them it has butter, cream and cheese in it!
This is a great dish to make this weekend. My kids are going to love it.
I hope they like it!
I have never tried Creamed Spinach before. It looks so delicious and easy to make. I will have to try making this recipe on the weekend.
It’s about time you had it, then!
I am a savory foods person, so I really appreciate this dish in the face of a barrage of desserts online. Perfectly cooked and stunning! And I’ve never seen creamed spinach look so sexy!
Aww thanks Kathleen!
Oh I’m liking this idea. It sounds really good and I’d love to find out how that nutmeg impacts the flavor.
The nutmeg adds a hint of warmth to the creamy, cheesy flavor!
This looks so good! And that steak, perfectly rare. What a meal.
Thanks Elena! I love a well cooked, red, steak.
I LOVE creamed spinach. I appreciate your tip about using milk instead of half and half.
Thanks!
I love creamed spinach! And this reminded me that I haven’t had or made it in ages so I need to get with it!
Stop depriving yourself! Creamed spinach is on regular rotation in our house!
Oh wow now that is a way I could eat my spinach. That looks really tasty, and even my daughters eye widened when we looked at this. Yum
It can be difficult to get kids to eat veggies sometimes, but mine enjoyed this recipe!
That meal sure looks delicious! I bet that spinach would go good with Salmon too, which we seem to eat quite often.
Thanks! I think it would go great with salmon too!
Oh my goodness, creamed spincach is my weakness. It is so delicious and is actually one of the only veggies my hubby will eat. LOL. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome! I hope you guys like it!
My father-in-law loves to cook and I am sure he will love this recipe!
The pictures alone are making my mouth water!
I hope he likes the recipe!
This spinach looks really good. This is the perfect dinner pairing, would be a great stay in date night.
If you make a nice, juicy steak along with this, you’ll have a very happy date!
I’ve only had creamed spinach once- I can’t really recall how I felt about it, but I do like spinach. Maybe I’ll give your recipe a try. It certainly looks delicious!
I’m sorry your first time wasn’t a memorable one – I think this one might be the recipe that wins you over!
This spinach looks amazing! I’ve never actually had creamed spinach before but now I want to try it!
It’s never too late for your first time!
WOW! I love this recipe, I’ve never made it before. Pinning!
Thanks for the pin!
My hubby is always looking for creamed spinach I can excited to find this because I am surprising him with all his favorite meals for christmas this is going to be added to it.
Wonderful I hope you both love it!
I have never had spinach like this before. I need to try it.
I hope you like it!
Can you substitute Almond Flour or Coconut Flour for the All Purpose Flour?
Also, are the nutritional values listed somewhere?
Sorry I don’t have the nutritional facts for recipes on the site but I know there are a lot of free resources on the internet from when I’ve cooked for clients with low calorie diets. I do have an additional site cookingwithpoints.com that lists nutritional facts for all of the recipes, if you’re interested in checking that out.
I haven’t tested it but my gut is telling me that almond flour would be the better substitute. Coconut flour is more absorbent and might affect the texture of the dish. I’d love to know how it turns out if you decide to try!
How many oz of uncooked fresh spinach should I use for this recipe.
I used 2 1/4 pounds of fresh leaf spinach for this recipe. Hope this helps!