Sauteed Spinach with Garlic

Take advantage of fresh, healthy greens! Sauteed Spinach with Garlic comes together from start to finish in just 10 minutes. Best of all, the quick and easy side dish recipe pairs nicely with just about any entrée — from grilled steak to fish, pasta to chicken!

We’ve been getting a lot of fresh spinach from the farmer’s market recently, since it’s one of the few green vegetables that’s available in Central Virginia during the first few weeks of spring. Fortunately, a simple recipe for sauteed spinach with garlic comes together in minutes, works well with almost any entrée, and doesn’t require much effort!

What is Sauteed Spinach with Garlic?

To sauté something means to fry it in a little bit of hot fat. In this case, the spinach leaves are fried quickly in a small amount of olive oil and butter. The spinach is seasoned simply with fresh minced garlic, kosher salt, pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

How do you saute spinach?

While I like to sauté heartier greens (like kale or collards) with bacon for a richer, smokier taste, I find that the more delicate spinach leaves do best when sautéed with more subtle ingredients like the garlic and lemon used here. The spinach is fresh, bright and absolutely delicious!

Ingredients for Sauteed Spinach with Garlic:

• Fresh spinach leaves
• Butter
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

Step 1: Clean the Spinach

First, wash the spinach really well and then pat it dry. It’s fine if the leaves are still a little bit damp.

Step 2: Cook Garlic in Butter and Oil

Next, sauté the garlic in butter and olive oil for about 1 minute. Stir constantly and be careful not to let it burn.

Step 3: Add Spinach and Cook

Add the spinach, salt and pepper to the skillet. You might have to slowly add the spinach in batches so that it all fits into the pan. It looks like a lot of greens, but they wilt down considerably! Then cover the pan and cook the spinach for about 2 minutes.

Continuing cooking and stirring the spinach (uncovered) until most of the liquid evaporates and the spinach wilts. This will only take about 1-2 more minutes.

Step 4: Finish with Lemon

Finally, squeeze lemon juice over the spinach, season with additional salt (to taste), and toss to combine.

What to serve with Sauteed Spinach with Garlic:

This versatile easy side dish goes well with a variety of entrées. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Grilled Steak
• Grilled Salmon, Southern Glazed Salmon, or Dijon Mustard Salmon
• Lemon Chicken Piccata, this Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe, Easy Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits, or Poppy Seed Chicken
• Oven BBQ Chicken Breast
• 4-Ingredient Pork Loin Roast or this Pork Roast Recipe
• Crispy Southern Fried Catfish
• Southern Bourbon-Glazed Beef Tenderloin Recipe
• Virginia Brown Sugar Baked Ham
• Grilled Chicken
• Shrimp and Grits or Shrimp Ramen
• Grilled Pork Tenderloin or Pork Tenderloin with Apples
• Crab Imperial
• Baked Ziti with Sausage, Basic Carbonara Recipe, or this Italian Casserole
• Baked Meatballs, Ravioli Casserole, or Vegetable Lasagna
• Smothered Round Steak or Beef and Noodles

Is Sauteed Spinach as healthy as raw?

Spinach is well known for its amazing health benefits, including its ability to restore energy, increase vitality and improve the quality of the blood (source). Spinach is very rich in iron, is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and folate, as well as a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2.

Sauteed spinach can actually be healthier (in some respects) than raw spinach! For instance, cooking vegetables has been shown to increase their antioxidant content, increase lutein, and increase the amount of available calcium in the spinach. Cooking vegetables also increases the amount of magnesium and iron that’s available to the body (source). So eat up, enjoy the taste and texture of the sauteed spinach, and feel good knowing that you’re also doing something good for your body!

Preparation and Storage Tips:

• Leftover sauteed spinach will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• I have been known to reheat leftover spinach in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or on the stovetop in a skillet over low heat (just until heated through). That said, it’s important to note that this might not be the best vegetable to make ahead. Experts suggest that every time you reheat spinach or other veggies that are rich in nitrates, they become increasingly toxic. So basically…do so at your own risk.
• I do not recommend freezing sauteed spinach, because the texture of the greens will be watery and mushy when thawed.

Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:

• You can use regular fresh spinach leaves or fresh baby spinach leaves for this recipe. If your leaves are particularly large, you might want to roughly chop them before sautéing.
• I do not recommend using frozen spinach in this recipe.
• What else can I add to the spinach? Cooked, chopped bacon is a nice addition to the dish. You can also try sauteed spinach with onions or tomatoes (diced fresh or canned diced will both work).
• Instead of lemon juice, use balsamic vinegar for an acidic finish.

More easy spinach recipes that you might enjoy:

• Creamed Spinach
• Spinach Casserole
• Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing