Miso Creamed Spinach

By Kia Damon

Updated April 21, 2026

  • Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
30 min
Rating
5(84)
Comments
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The combination of earthy spinach and white miso makes for a side that’s unexpectedly delicate, despite the use of heavy cream and cheese. Unlike most creamed spinach recipes, this one won’t ask you to blanch the greens: The heat from the pan is enough to soften them, and they maintain that gorgeous green hue. Don’t be fooled by the volume of the spinach — it’ll shrink in no time. If you have leftovers, consider tossing them with pasta alongside frizzled bits of pancetta or serving as a companion to butter-roasted salmon.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced small

  • 1¼ cups heavy cream

  • ¼ cup white miso

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), more to taste

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, more to taste

  • 20 ounces fresh spinach 

  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 4 ounces)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

10 grams carbs; 69 milligrams cholesterol; 334 calories; 9 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 28 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 3 grams fiber; 739 milligrams sodium; 13 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Drizzle the olive oil into a large high-sided skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and browned, about 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then pour in the heavy cream. Whisk the miso into the heavy cream (since miso is thick, it may be easier to split the paste into smaller pieces, then whisk vigorously). As the miso is mixed in, the color of the cream will change to tan. Season with salt and pepper.

  2. Step 2

    Add two handfuls of the spinach to the cream and mix with a spatula, allowing the heat to wilt the spinach. Once wilted, repeat with another two handfuls. Repeat until all of the spinach has been added (this process takes 5 to 8 minutes). Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the cream has thickened and reduced by half. Remove from the heat.

  3. Step 3

    Mix in the Parmesan until completely melted; taste and add more salt and pepper as desired. Serve hot.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
84 user ratings
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Comments

KRoe

Could one then stir this into cooked pasta? Always looking for good vegetarian meals.

Terry

So delicious! KRoe, thank you for the pasta idea! I also stirred in diced yellow squash to add heft. Lastly, I added 1 tab vegetable broth concentrate, and then made it vegan by substituting dairy-free half & half and nutritional yeast. This is definitely comfort food. Thank you Kia!

caroline

This looks delicious but I wonder if the dish would still be tasty if soy milk were substituted for some of the cream to reduce the saturated fat and increase the protein...

andre

delicious. 1/2 can drained white beans for added protein. its quite rich so serving with pasta made sense. as a jacket potato filling next time.

Hannah

Made this with 1c half and half and 1/4c soy milk, and a pound of frozen spinach, because that’s what I had. I also added some fresh grated nutmeg. It was very tasty and great for the time/effort but I would have liked the sauce to be thicker - I may not have cooked it down long enough, or maybe it really does need heavy cream, or a roux or cornstarch slurry could have fixed it in a pinch!

DMG

Mine turned out creamy, and not at all soupy - I pre-steamed the fresh spinach earlier. Made the recipe as written through step 1, and cooked it a minute longer, then added the steamed spinach. Without all the extra moisture from the fresh spinach, the sauce thickens quickly. Lower the heat while stirring, and add a tablespoon or two of water to loosen it up a bit. Nutmeg is a great addition! Delicious!

SportPeppers

Chef's kiss. Made exactly as written, served over noodles to stretch. Delicious.

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