I Tried Martha Stewart’s Creamed Spinach Because I Couldn’t Handle Anything Crunchy

Martha Stewart Creamed Spinach​

The light was weird that day. pale and buzzing. like a hospital hallway or an old motel mirror. I’d opened the fridge three times already, pretending I didn’t see the spinach wilting like tired party guests. and I wasn’t hungry exactly—I just needed to cook something I could stir slowly. something warm. something soft that wouldn’t fight back.

Her Highness had a version, of course. Martha Stewart’s creamed spinach—tidy, quiet, symmetrical. It showed up in a recipe binder I found in the drawer with the broken corkscrew and that one bent ladle I never threw out. Felt like a dare. Or a memory trying to wake me.

What the Original Looked Like

Martha’s version wants obedience. you blanch the spinach, you squeeze it like it owes you money, you soften onions just enough, then swirl in cream cheese until it becomes a kind of velvety surrender. the milk keeps it gentle. the nutmeg sneaks in late, like a guest who knows when to leave.

She keeps it clean. no breadcrumbs. no parmesan. nothing loud. just green, cream, and calm.

What I Did Differently

I didn’t blanch. I couldn’t face boiling water for a maybe.
I sautéed the spinach raw with the onions instead, let it collapse slow and sighing into the pan. And I didn’t have cream cheese, but there was a half-tub of mascarpone that looked like it had one last act left. so I used that. and a splash of cream. maybe too much. but that’s what the Dutch oven is for—catching the extra.

Also… I added lemon. not on purpose. I saw the zester and remembered Mae’s cake again. couldn’t help it.

What It Felt Like in the Kitchen

I started with butter. always do.
let it melt like a thought drifting off. added the onion and garlic, which is just what you do when you don’t know what else to feel. the smell hit me like Dad’s hands—garlic, then citrus, then something fading. I stirred harder than I meant to.

The spinach went in with defiance. no water bath, no blanch, just straight into the heat like someone proving a point. it hissed, then slumped. the way people do after holding their breath too long.

Mascarpone softened like forgiveness.
Cream made it too gentle—so I salted like I meant it. added a breath of lemon zest without thinking, and the tiniest scrape of nutmeg because Her Highness insists.

I tasted. then I sat on the floor for a minute.
not sad. just… still.

A Few Things I Learned

The milkier it got, the more it tasted like being taken care of.

Don’t skip the nutmeg, even if you think it’s weird.
Use more salt than you think. spinach eats it.
Also—let it sit before serving. it thickens. it settles. like people do.

What I Did With the Rest

Ate some straight from the pot with a wooden spoon that still smells like last week’s onions. put the rest in the green Pyrex. Mae said she might “actually eat that.” didn’t. I finished it cold two days later with crackers and a memory I didn’t expect.

Would I Make It Again?

Yes. if only to keep stirring.

That’s As Much As I Remember

The fridge hum was louder after.
I washed the pot but left it out.
The dent’s deeper now.
But so am I.

If you want something softer but messier, I did a mushroom and leek thing last February that stuck to the spoon in the best way.

Martha Stewart Creamed Spinach​
Martha Stewart Creamed Spinach​

FAQs

Can I Use Frozen Spinach Instead Of Fresh?

Yeah. just thaw it and squeeze the life out of it. seriously,wring it like an old dish towel. no one wants watery spinach.

Is It Super Creamy Or Just Kind Of?

depends how generous you get with the mascarpone or cream cheese. mine was soft, not soupy. felt like a blanket. not a bath.

What If I Hate Nutmeg?

then skip it. Her Highness would disapprove, but who cares. I’ve done it without and lived to tell the tale.

Can I Make This Ahead Of Time?

Yep. holds up fine in the fridge for a couple days. reheat gently. low and slow. don’t microwave it into oblivion.

Check out More Recipes:

Martha Stewart Creamed Spinach​

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 15 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time: 25 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:230 kcal Best Season:Suitable throughout the year

Description

Creamy, green, and stubborn. Like me, that day.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Wilt the spinach: didn’t blanch. didn’t boil. just added it raw to the buttery onion mess and stirred till it collapsed like my plans for the day.
  2. Sauté the aromatics: melted the butter, tossed in the chopped onion and garlic. the usual suspects. let them soften while I looked for nutmeg and thought about dad’s garlic trick again.
  3. Melt it all down: spooned in the mascarpone. added a splash of cream because it looked too thick. stirred until the whole thing sighed into itself. smelled like it might heal something.
  4. Zest and season: grated lemon zest in before I could stop myself. added nutmeg like Her Highness told me to. tasted. salted. tasted again. nodded. done.
Keywords:Martha Stewart Creamed Spinach​

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