Here’s a super quick Sautéed Spinach that will pair beautifully with most proteins. It takes mere minutes to cook, and is a great way to incorporate a vast volume of greens into a meal without even realising it. And the garlic flavour is fabulous!
SAUTEED SPINACH – A QUICK HEALTHY SIDE
This is a quick vegetable side that I make ALOT so it’s high time I shared. It’s been pictured on the side of many main dishes that I’ve shared over the years – usually because I’m scrambling for something quick to put on the side to complete a photo!
And beyond using this Sautéed Spinach as a prop for photos, this is something that frequently appears in my real life day-to-day cooking for the very reason that it’s so quick with the added bonus that it’s an easy way to eat a huge mound of greens with just a few bites because spinach wilts to much when it’s cooked!
SPINACH NUTRITION – it’s GOOD for you!
Spinach is low in calories but rich in iron and vitamins C and A, plus it’s a really good source of dietary fibre. It also contains protein (hello Popeye!), iron, vitamins and minerals. It’s good for your skin, hair and bone health, and studies have shown that it can lower the risk of cancer.
So don’t we love how easy it is to eat LOADS without even realising it! This recipe calls for two bunches of spinach and initially, it fills the entire skillet. But in just a couple of minutes to wilts down by almost 80%.
This photo only shows one of the bunches (don’t ask me why I didn’t snap a photo of both!)
Because I like my spinach just wilted, rather than cooked so it’s very limp, I prefer to cut the leafy part from the stems because the stems take longer to cook. But if you don’t mind cooking your spinach longer, feel free to keep some of the stems.
This Garlic Sautéed Spinach was pictured on the side of the Prime Rib recipe I shared a few weeks ago (pictured below) and a few readers have requested I share it – so here it is! It’s the sort of side that’s ideal for any meaty mains because it’s quite light and fresh, and a good way to pack in a solid hit of greens in just a few bites! – Nagi x
PAIR THIS WITH…
This is a highly versatile side that will be a great side for any protein, whether a quick and easy chicken recipe or a grade centrepiece like Prime Rib. It’s the sort of side you find at steakhouses. It goes exceptionally well with “meaty” main, such as:
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Standing Rib Roast (Prime Rib) (pictured below)
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Slow Roasted Pork with perfect crackling – or any other roast
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A juicy steak with Creamy Peppercorn Sauce or Mushroom Sauce
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A juicy whole Roast Turkey – or any of these turkey recipes!
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Fall-apart Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce or Port Braised Lamb Shanks
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Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks in Red Wine Sauce
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Garlic Sautéed Spinach
Ingredients
- 2 bunches spinach (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Trim the stem from the leaves, then wash the leaves very well (spinach often holds a lot of dirt).
- Shake off excess water but do not dry (water droplets helps steam-cook the spinach).
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook for 20 seconds until it becomes light golden and smells amazing.
- Add spinach, then use tongs or 2 wooden spoons to toss until the spinach wilts - about 2 minutes. I like mine just wilted.
- Remove from heat immediately and sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss once more.
- Transfer to serving platter and serve.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Patiently waiting for me to finish snapping pics and get on with playing!
Made this as a veg side for macaroni cheese. As it was just me and I didn’t have fresh garlic or spinach lol – I added a few sliced pickled garlic cloves, cooked in garlic infused olive oil and speed defrosted 2 blocks of spinach in the microwave before mixing into the garlic oil. Very tasty! Good to know garlic amounts as it’s easy to overdo and ruin a dish. Thank you for sharing
It’s very good and quick recipe.
Ummmmm……
Love this
I’m happy that you enjoyed it Barbara!! N x
Hi Nagi, I once had wilted spinach like this with grilled fish, lemon and butter… was amazing!!
Also, I weighed 125g spinach leaves and was just enough for one serve.
Delicious! My husband is a huge spinach fan and this was a hit. A fun way to cook it too. Think our South African bunches might be more generous than the Australian ones – half a bunch was plenty for two servings.
Needed good rec for my prm rib. Will use yours as well as spinach
Thx and merry christmas. Like your dofgie pics too.
Sorry I meant to give your steak recipe a five stars rate but it sent out before I had a chance to tap on another star!
very nice taste and fast to cook .love it
Great Narcisa! N x
Nagi! Greetings from Canada where it is getting colder and colder by the day…in contrast to your weather down under.
I want to thank you for your incredible recipes. I cook spinach adding butter and garlic in the end but your way is better; just wilted and cooked with the garlic.
I love all your recipes and your tweaks/suggestions /Mum/Dozer etc… Recipe Tin Eats is one stop recipe shopping for me! Thanks!
You’re so welcome Robin! I love hearing what people think – thanks so much for taking the time to let me know ❤️
I do this a lot. I add onions, and either a squeeze of lemon or a shot of vinegar.
Perfect Bob!
Spinach and garlic is a match-made-in-heaven. Thank you so much for this wonderful post and recipe Nagi. I’ve included it in a mini spinach recipe roundup.
Yes I totally agree!
I love, love, love this recipe. I have four hens so have an over abundance of eggs. I couple the spinach with boiled eggs for an entire meal (eggs are high in protein
Oh perfect! Fresh eggs sound divine!
I’m going to try to tailor this to my ‘mohassive’ bag of frozen kale I can’t remember buying – I’ll report back 🙂
Love to know how it works!
Me too!