Easy Creamed Spinach with bacon is so sinfully good you’ll never go back to regular veggies again! It’s the perfect side to make for any occasion!
Are you ready for the most decadent vegetable dish around? When it comes to special family dinners, I have a tendency to make side dishes or entrees that are a little fancy or indulgent. It’s fun to let go a little are go full food nerd sometimes. That’s where this creamed spinach recipe comes into play. It’s everything I never know I could love about cooked spinach.
Normally I’d save this spinach to have with our Thanksgiving turkey, but I was jonesing for it the other night. I made a half recipe to have with the chicken cordon bleu I made, and OMG it was fantastic! Dinner win all night long!
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Spinach is one of my go-to veggies when I’m trying to get my family on the healthy eating train. That being said, let’s be honest about this recipe. This is not one of those “Yay I ate my veggies!” recipes. This is a “Damn the was good! I may have gained 5 pounds, but it was so worth it!” dishes. So grab your fat pants, and let’s do this!
Creamed veggie side dishes are a thing of beauty. Maybe it was growing up with a Southern grandma that started my love for butter and bacon. Maybe it was a natural calling. But what it really comes down to is that I love getting naughty with some side dishes!
For those in utter shock that I’m condoning making this dish, shhhhhh. All good things in moderation friends. Obviously you’re not going to eat this whole pan in one sitting by yourself. This creamed spinach recipe is made to share with people you love to make happy.
That’s why it’s one of my favorite recipes for the holidays!
In truth though, it’s so simple to make there’s no reason you can’t make it for date night at home. Or because your kids are asking for the 15th time if you’ll make the best creamed spinach recipe around to go with dinner. 😉
Creamed Spinach Ingredients
- Bacon
- Unsalted butter
- Flour
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Milk
- Heavy cream
- Salt & pepper
- Nutmeg
- Fresh spinach
How to Make Creamed Spinach
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To start, place a large pot over medium heat. Add diced bacon to the pot and cook until crispy. Be sure to stir the bacon around a bit so all the sides get cooked. Grab a slotted spoon and use it to take the bacon out of the pot and place it on a paper towel-lined plate.
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After that, add 1/4 cup butter to the bacon fat that’s still in the pot and melt the butter into the fat. (YUM!) Then, add the flour and whisk until it’s combined with the fats in the pot to make a roux. Cook the roux for about 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste and brown it up a little.
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Once the roux is cooked, you can add in the onions and garlic. Stir the veggies into the roux and then cook for another minute.
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Next, you need to slowly pour the milk and cream into the pan while whisking constantly. This will help prevent lumps from forming. Once the dairy is added to make a white sauce, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the sauce has thickened. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes. Whisk the sauce often while it’s cooking to prevent scalding. Once the sauce is thickened, season it with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. You can add more of each seasoning to your taste preference. Keep the sauce warm and stir occasionally while you prepare the spinach.
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I like to start the spinach while the white sauce cooks to cut down on my total cooking time. To start things off, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium-high heat in a large pot. To the melted butter, add the spinach and cover with the pot lid. Cook the spinach until it has wilted. Take off the pot lid, and carefully drain off any excess liquid from the spinach that’s in the pot.
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Take the cooked spinach and add it to the white sauce along with the bacon. Stir everything together until the spinach and bacon are coated in the white sauce.
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Once the creamed spinach is ready, transfer it to a serving bowl. I like to save some of the bacon to sprinkle it on top.
Note: If you’re using a large skillet instead of a pot, or a pot that’s not super huge, you will have to add the spinach in batches. Press down on the spinach already in the pot and then add more. Fold the hot spinach on top of the uncooked spinach to help distribute the heat and make it wilt faster. I’ve totally had to do this before, it’ll work just fine.
What goes well with creamed spinach?
So many things you guys!
How long does cream spinach last?
This recipe will keep for 3 to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
Simple Side Dishes You’ll Love
- Mashed Potatoes
- Corn Casserole
- Roasted Cabbage with Bacon
- Dinner Rolls
- Roasted Red Potatoes
- More side dishes…
More Recipes Using Spinach
- Spinach & Chicken Alfredo Ravioli Bake
- Crock Pot Spinach & Bacon Queso Dip
- Spinach Dip Stuffed Pork Loin
- Spinach and Bacon Quiche
Ingredients
- 5 strips bacon, diced
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 1/2 cups 2% milk, (or whole milk)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 24 ounces fresh spinach
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove from the pot and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- To the bacon fat still in the pot, add 1/4 cup butter and melt completely. Whisk in the flour until well combined. Cook for 2 minutes to remove the "raw" flour taste.
- Add the onion and garlic. Stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and cream to prevent lumps from forming. Reduce heat to medium and cook until thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes, whisking often. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add more of each seasoning to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low to keep warm, stirring occasionally.
- While the sauce is cooking, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the spinach and cover. Cook until wilted. (If you're using a large skillet instead of a pot, or a pot that's not super huge, you will have to add the spinach in batches. Press down on the spinach already in the pot and then add more. Fold the hot spinach on top of the uncooked spinach to help distribute the heat.) Carefully drain off any excess liquid in the spinach pot.
- Add the spinach to the sauce and stir until well combined. Add the bacon back to the pot and stir to combine.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Set your holiday table with even more yummy side dishes that are sure to fill bellies and put smiles on faces!
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm says
Mic dropped, this looks amazing!!I would enjoy every sinful bite!!