The short answer is “yes.” You might be thinking, “Oh, the spinach will just wilt in the cream sauce, I don’t really need to cook it first!” Unfortunately, having thought the same thing myself, I have found the cooking and draining of the spinach before making the cream sauce to be critical. The spinach releases more water than you might think and makes a soupy, rather than creamy, sauce.

No cream in creamed spinach

You were expecting cream in this recipe or maybe even cream cheese, but both of these ingredients make for a dense, rather than smooth and creamy, creamed spinach. Instead, a combination of half-and-half and grated Parmesan cheese make a sauce that is both luxuriously creamy and still light. You could certainly try another hard, salty cheese here such as Pecorino Romano or an aged Manchego if you have either of those on hand.

As for the other flavorings, onions and garlic are quintessential creamed spinach aromatics, but you can play around a bit with the dried spices. I love a little nutmeg (brings out the nuttiness of the cheese), and the dry mustard and cayenne make the dish taste brighter with their touch of acidity, but you can certainly skip or substitute any of these as desired.

Can you thicken creamed spinach?

This creamed spinach is thickened with the help of a little flour, which is sprinkled over the onion mixture before the half-and-half is added. You’ll then cook the mixture until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spatula.

Creamed Spinach

Serves 4

10 ounces baby spinach

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

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