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(56)
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

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
56 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...

Bob

Truly terrific! I used Trader Joe's white miso paste, which comes in a squeeze bottle and is much milder and less tan than regular white miso. The advantage was that it whisked in easily. There was minimal effect on the color of the cream. Based on my taste test, I used the entire bottle (3.5 ounces, more than 1/2 cup), and it was just right.

CChapman

I made this exactly per the recipe, other than making only a half recipe. It was fantastic! The miso really adds a great depth of flavor.

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...

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