This creamy spinach bake is rich, cheesy, and easy to make at home frozen spinach is cooked with onions, garlic, and spices, then blended with crème fraîche and topped with a golden oat and cheese crumble. It’s great for serving with roasted meats or as a cozy vegetarian side dish.

Jump to Recipe

Ingredients Needed:

2 onions
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
1kg frozen chopped spinach
100g unsalted butter (cold)
100g Cheddar cheese
100g plain flour
100g rolled oats
250ml crème fraîche

How To Make Creamed Spinach Recipe?

Prep the onions and garlic: peel and finely chop the onions and garlic. Add them to a large pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and dried oregano, and grate in half the nutmeg. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft but not browned.
Cook the spinach: turn the heat to medium and add the frozen chopped spinach straight to the pan. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until all the liquid is gone and the spinach looks thick and dry.
Make the crumble topping: while the spinach cooks, roughly chop the cold butter and grate the cheddar cheese. Add them to a food processor along with the flour, rolled oats, salt, and pepper. Pulse a few times until it turns into a crumbly texture. If you don’t have a processor, rub the mixture together with your hands. Set it aside.
Blend the spinach mix: once the spinach is cooked and thick, transfer it to the same food processor (no need to clean it). Add the crème fraîche and blend for 1 minute until smooth and creamy. Taste it and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Assemble and bake: pour the creamy spinach into a 20x30cm baking dish. Spread the crumble topping evenly over the top. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 45 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

Recipe Tips:

Make sure the spinach is dry before baking: after cooking the spinach, let all the water evaporate. If it’s still watery, the final dish can turn soggy instead of creamy.
Use cold butter for the crumble topping: cold butter helps make the topping crumbly and crisp. If the butter is too soft, the topping will melt too much and lose texture.
Taste and season before baking: after blending the spinach with crème fraîche, taste it. Add more salt or pepper if it needs it. Once it’s baked, you can’t fix the seasoning easily.
Grate the nutmeg fresh if possible: fresh nutmeg gives a warm, rich flavor that really lifts the dish. It makes a big difference compared to pre-ground nutmeg.
Don’t skip the oats in the topping: the oats help the crumble get golden and add a bit of crunch. Without them, the topping can turn flat and too soft.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?

Refrigerate: First, let the leftover creamed spinach cool until it reaches room temperature. Then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Let the creamed spinach cool completely, then place it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheat: add the creamed spinach to a pan over low heat. Stir often and cook for about 5–7 minutes until fully warmed through.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 370 kcal
Total Fat: 28g
Saturated Fat: 15g
Cholesterol: 70mg
Sodium: 360mg
Potassium: 550mg
Total Carbohydrate: 18g
Dietary Fiber: 5g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 12g

Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:

Jamie Oliver Creamed Spinach Recipe

Course: Side DishCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

370

kcal

Ingredients

2 onions
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
1kg frozen chopped spinach
100g unsalted butter (cold)
100g Cheddar cheese
100g plain flour
100g rolled oats
250ml crème fraîche

Directions

Prep the onions and garlic: peel and finely chop the onions and garlic. Add them to a large pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and dried oregano, and grate in half the nutmeg. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft but not browned.
Cook the spinach: turn the heat to medium and add the frozen chopped spinach straight to the pan. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until all the liquid is gone and the spinach looks thick and dry.
Make the crumble topping: while the spinach cooks, roughly chop the cold butter and grate the cheddar cheese. Add them to a food processor along with the flour, rolled oats, salt, and pepper. Pulse a few times until it turns into a crumbly texture. If you don’t have a processor, rub the mixture together with your hands. Set it aside.
Blend the spinach mix: once the spinach is cooked and thick, transfer it to the same food processor (no need to clean it). Add the crème fraîche and blend for 1 minute until smooth and creamy. Taste it and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Assemble and bake: pour the creamy spinach into a 20x30cm baking dish. Spread the crumble topping evenly over the top. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 45 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

Notes

Make sure the spinach is dry before baking: after cooking the spinach, let all the water evaporate. If it’s still watery, the final dish can turn soggy instead of creamy.
Use cold butter for the crumble topping: cold butter helps make the topping crumbly and crisp. If the butter is too soft, the topping will melt too much and lose texture.
Taste and season before baking: after blending the spinach with crème fraîche, taste it. Add more salt or pepper if it needs it. Once it’s baked, you can’t fix the seasoning easily.
Grate the nutmeg fresh if possible: fresh nutmeg gives a warm, rich flavor that lifts the dish. It makes a big difference compared to pre-ground nutmeg.
Don’t skip the oats in the topping: the oats help the crumble get golden and add a bit of crunch. Without them, the topping can turn flat and too soft.