Paula Deen Creamed Spinach

Paula Deen creamed spinach is a silky, buttery side dish with fresh spinach, Vidalia onion and heavy cream that comes together in 20 minutes. Try this easy Southern side dish for Sunday dinner or the holiday table, since it's a one-skillet recipe that feeds 10.

Let the cream reduce by half, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes, because that is what turns a watery pan into a creamy coating. Skip it and the spinach ends up swimming in thin liquid instead of wearing a rich sauce.

Paula builds the base with butter and a little olive oil, so the onions soften without browning. She also finishes with freshly ground nutmeg, a small touch that gives the cream a warm, old-fashioned flavor you won't get from a plain dairy sauce.

Paula Deen Creamed Spinach

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Side DishCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

60

kcal

Tender chopped spinach cooks down in a buttery onion and garlic base, then gets coated in reduced heavy cream. The nutmeg adds a warm, quiet note, and the whole skillet stays soft and spoonable.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Butter
  

• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  

• 1 minced vidalia onion
  

• 1 clove minced garlic
  

• 2 bunches stemmed and chopped spinach
  

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Nutmeg
  

• 1/4 cup heavy cream
  

Directions

• Melt the fats: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, then add 1 tablespoon olive oil. The oil keeps the butter from scorching while the pan heats up.
• Soften the aromatics: Mix in the minced Vidalia onion and 1 minced garlic clove. Cook for 2 minutes until they turn soft.
• Wilt the spinach: Add the stemmed and chopped spinach from 2 bunches and warm it through. It will look like a lot at first, but it shrinks quickly as it heats.
• Season and add cream: Stir in salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg and 1/4 cup heavy cream, then mix well. Make sure the spinach is evenly coated so every bite gets some seasoning.
• Reduce and serve: Cook until the liquid reduces by half, roughly 3 to 4 minutes. Then spoon it into a bowl while it's hot and creamy.

Tools for this recipe

• Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, OXO wooden spoon set, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?

You can, but thaw it completely and squeeze out as much water as you can first. Frozen spinach holds a lot of liquid, so the cream will take longer to reduce and the sauce can turn thin.

How do I store leftover creamed spinach?

Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge, where it holds for about 3 days. Reheat it gently over low heat with a splash of cream, since high heat can make the sauce separate.

Can I make this ahead for a holiday meal?

It tastes best fresh, since the spinach is bright green right out of the pan. If you need to prep ahead, chop the spinach and onion earlier in the day, then cook everything just before serving.

What can I use if I don't have a Vidalia onion?

Any sweet onion works, and a yellow onion is fine too, though it tastes a little sharper. Cook it the full 2 minutes so it softens and loses some of that bite.

Why is my creamed spinach watery?

The most common reason is not letting the cream reduce by half. Keep the pan on medium-high until the liquid thickens and clings to the spinach, then take it off the heat.