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:
This recipe is so delicious. Second time making it. Floves it. My daughter has celiac disease so my only change was to use a all purpose gluten free flour which would not effect flavor, texture or anything. I say that because this recipe earns it’s 5 stars as is, no alterations. Thanks for a perfec:)
Thanks so much!
I just made this, and it is SO GOOD!! I didn’t have fresh nutmeg, so I just used what I had. It still turned out wonderful!
Sabrina, thank you very much! I really liked the recipe, I took it to my recipe book)
This recipe is the best! So easy and yummy! Thank you for sharing!
I love creamed spinach! Adding cream crease sound amazing. I am not a fan of mozzarella, can you suggest another cheese that would be creamy when melted. Do you this a white sharp would work or shredded american?
Those would work. 🙂
So good! Perfect with our prime rib. Will be adding into my regular meal rotation. Thank you, happy holidays!
I need this recipe and I did not have the mozzarella cheese. Still came out awesome!
Can the Mortons Steakhouse creamed spinach casserole be prepared the day before, then actually baked the next day?
Absolutely. 🙂 Let me know how you like it!
If you baked it the next day, what oven temperature & cook time do you recommend?
If you want to make this ahead of time, follow everything through step 9 as prep. Then 10 minutes before serving, add the spinach to the mixture, warm gently and then follow the rest of the directions. Enjoy!
Thanks for sharing this, Sabrina – looks amazing, and I love creamed spinach!
Wondering if it would work without the flour, or if there is a substitution you can think of for someone with dietary restrictions who can’t eat grains? I’d love for all my loved ones to be able to enjoy this. Thanks!
You could try substituting almond flour for a Gluten Free version. 🙂
I made this yesterday for our early Christmas Dinner. It came out great, everyone loved it.
I omitted the flour and simmered the dish while adding the cream in batches so it would not become too soupy. You don’t miss the flour.
I also did not cook the spinach in water. I put the leaves into a large (dry) pot and stir until the spinach is wilted. Then strain any water from the spinach.
I concur that nutmeg in certain savory dishes is a revelation! Years ago, my mom found a “California Stroganoff” recipe (pretty much a classic stroganoff, but served over rice instead of egg noodles and it has black olives instead of mushrooms), but is still mainly beef strips simmered in beef broth and sour cream (and onions). What makes it magical, though, is topping it with generous amounts of freshly grated salt, pepper and COPIOUS amounts of freshly paddle-grated nutmeg (the best part)! It was the only leftover my family would fight over!?! Lol…
Love it!!
Hi, Sabrina,
Would this recipe work with broccoli instead of spinach for Thanksgiving?
I’ve always contributed desserts, but thought that I’d bring a relatively healthy green side dish. I had planned on your creamed spinach which looks so good, but found out that the kids love broccoli in any form — and if the kids are happy, everyone is happy!
Thank you.
That sounds like a delicious substitute. I would chop the broccoli smaller than normal but not so small it gets mushy. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
If l use frozen spinach do l have to let it cook in boiled water.
I would use 1 lb of frozen spinach, defrost and drain well (give it a good squeeze)
Will this work to be made the night before?
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. Hope this helps!
I want to try new things so I can be healthy so I can lose weight more I want to try spinach and yumm ?
I made this tonight and it was perfect! I’ve literally been searching for years for a creamy spinach recipe that didn’t have that flour-ry taste to it and this hit the mark. I didn’t have nutmeg on hand and I ran out of half and half, half way through (lol…I know lame pun) but used almond milk for the remainder and it still turned out awesome. Next time I’ll use nutmeg to give it that extra umph. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed, thanks for letting me know!
I would make this again with 1/2 the cheese, it’s delicious, but too much!
Gotta use nutmeg, I would double
That is blasphemy. There is never too much cheese. That’s like saying that something has too much bacon. Lol
I’ve made this stuff over and over, and let me tell you that it’s the bomb. Honestly stole the show. It will pack on the pounds though.
Haha, it’s just so good!!
For anyone wondering about how this recipe might work w/ milk alternatives, let me say it works well. To reduce the impact of the dairy on my fam, I’ve used coconut milk & cream once, I’ve used 2 cups of Almond milk (unsweetened & skipped the nutmeg) once, and it’s still tasty. This is a recipe that you can play around w/ and still have tasty results. I usually up the amount of spinach and only use the amount of cheese sauce needed for the amount of spinach according my liking. 🙂 Yummy everytime
Thanks for the feedback, Tiera. So glad you love it so much.
I used 2 pkgs of chopped frozen spinach, omitted the Parmesan cheese (only because I didn’t have), and it was still very amazing!!
Lol… I made this and everyone loved it….. but since sometimes things just don’t go as planned I used a big bag of chopped stir fry veggies. Was fabulous with roast turkey and I didn’t say a word. Did use almond flour to keep the carbs down.
I made this last night with a couple porterhouse steaks…..fabulous! I did add some of the extra cheese you added to your recipe but not the entire amount. Fabulous. Anyone that enjoys spinach and wants a great new eat to serve it needs to try this recipe. Not hard at all.
I used provolone instead of mozzarella, green onions instead of yellow.
Otherwise followed recipe, I don’t like spinach, but wow. This is good.
Totally recommend
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Tracy!
I’ve tried other recipes. This one is the best. I added gruyere instead of mozzarella and used fresh spinach. AH-mazing!!!
We his recipe was absolutely wonderful. The leftovers, and I had to fight my husband to make sure there was some, we’re also delish with pasta. This will go to the top of my favorites.
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it!
Great recipe
I found it too rich for a stand alone veggie with The mozzarella. I think it would be best to use as a stuffing or topping for a lean fish, chicken or pork instead as a vegetable.
Made it. Loved it! Saved the recipe. I halved the recipe since I only cook for two and I used bagged frozen spinach. Paired it with some baked cod. I scooped out some of the cream sauce, before adding the spinach, and poured it over some cooked rice to eat later. ? I give this recipe 10 stars!!
So sweet of you to say, Janet! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This is by FAR the best spinach recipe ever. Tastes just like Morton’s… the code has surely been cracked in regards to their secret ingredient (nutmeg). ??
Delicious! I used heavy cream and almond flour to keep it Keto! This is an amazing side! Thank you for the recipe!
Made this for my husband’s birthday and it was the biggest hit!!! Served it with seared duck breast with cherries and port sauce and a brown rice medley. My family said I have to bring this to every dinner from now on. One thing that happened while I was making it: I discovered I didn’t have enough 1/2 and 1/2 and the flour was browning. So I added 1.5 cups of chicken stock to give me 3.5 c liquid and went ahead making the sauce. It turned out fine. I think the cream cheese makes it rich and creamy, so it was pretty forgiving. I will probably do this from now on.
Sounds delicious!
I just tried this recipe. Mine ended up a little bit creamy, but it was delicious!! Poured it over some baked chicken breast =P yum!!
The recipe is fail proof! I have made it six times, perfect for those on keto diet. I replace the half and half with heavy cream and flour with almond flour and it tastes absolutely amazing. It’s a rich dish but truly easy to make. Btw I use frozen chopped spinach, 4 packs for this recipe.
Thanks for the 5 star rating, Mark! So glad you’re enjoying the recipe.
Do you use the same amount of almond flour?
I love creamed spinach and This recipe was amazing! I made it for Christmas and at first it was mistaken for the most delicious dip ever. We all enjoyed some dip and then it was the best side at dinner. It turned back into dip later that evening and the following day with the leftovers.
I did not use the cream cheese or the other addition so it stayed true to the Morton’s original recipe. I will be making this a lot and thinking about adding artichokes and crab to turn it to the ultimate dip. Thank you for the recipe!!
This was perfect for Christmas dinner accompanying Beef Wellington. Had no cream or half and half in the house so substituted 3/4c buttermilk and the rest nonfat milk. Improvisation was still great! Froze half the recipe for later.
Sounds like a delicious meal! So glad you all enjoyed it!
Made it on Christmas to go with a standing rib roast. I’d been hunting for a recipe incorporating cream cheese but others failed to balance that with the classic bechamel and other cheeses. This recipe was the perfect balance. I used two ten-ounce packages instead of just a pound and it was just right — not too thin, not over-saucedt. I also doubled the recipe and stuffed both boneless chicken breasts and perch filets for chicken and fish Florentines with part of the second half and chopped up frozen baby artickokes to add to the rest for a dip that was great with freshly fried tortilla chips. Thanks for creating such a delicious, versatile recipe!
P.S. I’m going to try this with fresh, undrained spinach added directly to the sauce between steps 12 and 13, then thinning with chicken bone stock to desired consistency after that, then putting in the bowls and garnishing with the parm and a wee sprinkling of nutmeg, finally flash toasting the top with a torch just before serving.
Delicious
Great recipe! Best Cream Spinach ever!
Thanks, Sunni!
Can I put this in a small crock pot after cooking to keep warm?
Yes, just make sure to stir it occasionally. Enjoy!
Can this be made ahead?
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. Hope this helps!
Amazing cheesy creamy spinach recipe! never cooked it before, but tried on the weekend with my gf, all went well until the lactose took effect and we started to fart non stopping!.
anyways, worth to try!
Congratulations for submitting the most unexpected comment in a food blog ever. Not being sarcastic. I think the novelty of your comment can be confirmed by the fact that the blogger replied to or acknowledged each and every comment submitted on this recipe but one so far 😉
Agreed, Paul! I’m also really glad to see they didn’t dock stars from the recipe just because of a personal issue!
I’ve made this recipe w/Coconut Milk and another time with Almond Milk to cut back on the lactose effect on my family and it is STILL tasty! If you use Almond milk I suggest unsweetened original. I only needed 2 cups of it for the roux and had a bit of extra roux left for family size frozen chopped bag. W/any good recipe it can be adjusted to the taste of the cook/family. Sharing for any others who might be curious about using milk alternatives. Also don’t be afraid to play with a good recipe like this one. If the roux makes more cream sauce than you think makes sense for your amount of spinach, then just don’t use it all. This is a top notch recipe for my collection. Thanks for sharing it!
This looks incredible. I want to make it for Christmas. Can I make it earlier and reheat it?
You *can* but here is the thing. Reheated cheese will never be as amazing as first melted cheese. My best advice would be to cook through step #8. Then on Christmas day add a tab of extra butter to start the engine back up, melt it and get everything loosened up then add in the flour and continue. The freshly added dairy will make a big difference. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
like so few of the people who commented, I actually made this recipe. The flavor of the sauce was good, but it was a bit to thick and the proportion of sauce to spinach was way off. I weighed out my spinach at the grocery store, and again after blanching and squeezing out the water. It was 3lbs at the store, 1lb after blanching. it was basically all cheese sauce. ill make it again, but cut the sauce to 1/3 of the recipe and less roux. it was way too thick, not creamy at all because is was so congealed by the roux.
I made this as a side for our Thanksgiving pot luck. Many of my hubby’s family members have never had creamed spinach until now. Let’s just say this was requested at next year’s gathering by EVERYONE… even the self proclaimed spinach haters lol! Perfect consistency! I used 4- 10oz boxes of frozen spinach … Put in a casserole dish after done and topped with italian blend instead of just parmesan… So amazing!! Thank you for this fantastic recipe ?
I love seeing this, Tassie! Thanks so much for the 5 stars!
Just made this for Thanksgiving as I usually make creamed spinach every year but always with different recipes. This is the best recipe yet. I used half of the heavy cream, half of the butter, and half of the flour. No mozzarella cheese but I had Gouda on hand so used that along with a little pepper jack. It was great and I’ll use this recipe again! Thank you.
So glad you enjoyed it, Christy!
This was the best I have tried. The cream cheese is an amazing addition!
Thanks, Nicole! So glad you enjoyed it!
what do you do if youre using frozen spinach?
Just defrost and squeeze out as much water as you can. – Use 1 pound of frozen spinach. I hope you enjoy it!
Can I skip the first step of wilting the spinach? I feel like if I just throw the chopped fresh spinach in the finished cream sauce, the heat of the sauce would wilt it and cook it sufficiently. Seems like an extra step- making the spinach wet then drying it lol
The reason you need this step is to lower the volume of the spinach down in the pan. It takes just a minute. I hope you enjoy it!
I made this using frozen spinach and I don’t think I used enough. The taste was delicious but it was more like a cheesy white sauce with some spinach in it. I put it over pasta and it was fabulous! I am remaking this for thanksgiving and will add a lot more spinach this time. It should be wonderful! A nice change from the same old green bean casserole!
Wow, that was delicious! First time I’ve tried creamed spinach. It’s a great recipe if you’re on a keto diet. (I added almond flour instead of regular flour and it worked fine).
So glad you enjoyed it, David!
This recipe is delicious! I made it with frozen spinach and purchased 20 ounces (the recipe calls for one pound). The result was way too creamy without enough spinach so I went back and got another 20 ounces. Fabulous results. I would just make sure to have enough frozen spinach on hand (if you go that route) to adjust the amount to your liking.
I just made this (without the nutmeg since I didn’t have any) for Friendsgiving tomorrow and omg…THIS IS SO FREAKING DELICIOUS! Stop what you’re doing and make this right now, you will not be disappointed.
YAY!! So glad you enjoyed it, Alissa!
I was wondering what the stars beside the cream cheese and mozarella cheese meant?
I put a note at the bottom of the recipe to explain but it just means that I added those two ingredients but if you want a true copycat to Morton’s, you can omit them.