Pioneer Woman Creamed Spinach Recipe

Pioneer Woman Creamed Spinach is ultra-comforting, creamy, buttery, and the kind of side dish you don’t think you need — until you take one bite and suddenly need five more. It’s rich but not over-the-top, loaded with baby spinach (yep, the whole 24 ounces), and comes together pretty fast. Perfect for weeknights or holiday chaos.

Ingredients Needed

• 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp butter: divided — this makes it rich, don’t skimp.
• 8 tbsp flour: thickens the sauce, forms a roux with the butter.
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped: adds mild sweetness and depth.
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped: flavour bomb, obviously.
• 2 cups milk: makes it creamy but not too heavy.
• 24 oz baby spinach: sounds like a lot, wilts down fast.
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Pinch of ground nutmeg: trust me, don’t skip it — weirdly brings it together.

How To Make Pioneer Woman Creamed Spinach

Start the Roux Base:
Melt that big ol’ 1/2 cup of butter in a pot — low and slow. Whisk in the flour and let it cook about 5 minutes, until it smells nutty and turns lightly golden. Don’t rush this; raw flour taste is not the vibe.

Add Onion and Garlic:
Toss ’em in and stir around for a minute. It should smell real nice right now — warm and buttery and savoury.

Pour the Milk In:
Slowly whisk the milk into the roux. It’ll seem gloopy at first but smooths out. Let it cook for about 5 more minutes until it thickens. Think thick soup — not paste.

Wilt the Spinach:
In a second pot (or large pan), melt the remaining 3 tbsp butter. Add spinach in batches — it’ll look like a jungle at first but shrinks like magic. Stir gently till wilted, about 4–5 minutes.

Season the Cream Sauce:
Stir in salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg to the white sauce. It changes everything. Somehow it’s giving festive without going full eggnog.

Bring It All Together:
Combine spinach and cream sauce. Gently fold them together. Don’t mash it — keep the spinach texture alive. Serve right away, piping hot.

Recipe Tips

• Use fresh spinach if you can — frozen works, but it gets a bit waterlogged unless you drain it like really well.
• Don’t skip the nutmeg. I used to — and wondered why mine tasted flat.
• Add cheese if you want it extra indulgent. Gruyère or Parmesan. Dangerous.
• Works as a main if you pair it with toast or a poached egg. Yep, breakfast-y and brilliant.

How to Store & Reheat

• Room Temperature: Serve hot. Don’t let it sit out over 2 hours.
• Fridge: Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in fridge overnight. Reheat gently — stove or microwave (stir often). Add splash of milk if dry.

Nutrition Facts (Approx. per serving)

• Calories: 280
• Sodium: 170mg
• Protein: 5g
• Fat: 24g
• Carbs: 11g
• Fibre: 3g
• Sugar: 3g

FAQs

Pioneer Woman Creamed Spinach Recipe

Recipe by Marry ThompsonCourse: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

280

kcal

A rich, creamy, garlicky creamed spinach recipe with buttery roux and warm nutmeg — cozy, classic, and weeknight-friendly.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp butter, divided

• 8 tbsp flour

• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 cups milk

• 24 oz baby spinach

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Pinch ground nutmeg

Directions

• Melt 1/2 cup butter in a pot. Whisk in flour, cook 5 mins until golden.
• Add onion and garlic, cook 1 min.
• Slowly whisk in milk. Simmer 5 mins until thickened.
• In another pot, melt 3 tbsp butter. Add spinach in batches, cook until wilted.
• Season sauce with salt, pepper, nutmeg.
• Stir spinach into sauce, combine gently. Serve hot.

Notes

• Don’t let the roux burn — low heat is key.
• Nutmeg sounds odd but adds magic.
• You can double this for a crowd, just use a big enough pan.
• If reheating, loosen it with milk or a splash of cream.