Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Creamed Spinach is a longtime fixture of the chain’s classic side-dish lineup. The version here nails the two things the restaurant does that most home recipes miss: reducing the cream before the spinach goes in, and squeezing every drop of moisture out of the blanched spinach first.
The copycat Ruth’s Chris creamed spinach recipe
Why does this version work? Most creamed spinach recipes add spinach to un-reduced cream and call it done. The result is thin and watery within minutes. Ruth’s Chris reduces the cream to a coating sauce before the spinach joins it — the concentrated dairy fat clings rather than pooling at the bottom. The blanch-and-squeeze step is equally non-negotiable: a pound of fresh spinach holds about a cup of water after draining. If that water goes into the cream, it undoes the entire reduction.
What to serve it with
This is the side that transforms a home steak dinner into a steakhouse dinner. Pair it with:
- A reverse-seared ribeye or filet — the cream cuts the fat of a well-marbled steak the way a pan sauce would
- Prime rib — Ruth’s Chris serves it alongside Lawry’s-style prime rib for a reason
- Holiday roasts — makes-ahead beautifully (see FAQ)
The recipe doubles easily. For a dinner party of 8, double every ingredient and use a 12-inch straight-sided skillet for the cream reduction.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is watery: spinach was not squeezed dry enough. Remove the spinach with a slotted spoon, reduce the liquid in the pan hard for 3 to 4 minutes, then return the spinach.
Sauce is too thick: add cream 1 tablespoon at a time over low heat until it loosens to the right consistency.
Tastes flat: needs more salt and possibly more nutmeg — cream-based sauces require more aggressive seasoning than you expect.
