In this easy sauteed spinach recipe, fresh spinach is cooked in garlic-infused olive oil and then dressed with butter and lemon juice. It's a simple and delicious side dish, ready in minutes.
Sauteed spinach is one of my favorite weeknight side dishes. It's ready in 15 minutes, and it's truly effortless. To make it, fresh spinach is quickly cooked in olive oil with garlic and seasonings and then topped with butter. It's so good that even my kids agree to eat it!
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Olive oil: In this recipe, the spinach is cooked in olive oil. The butter is used not for cooking but for finishing the dish and adding another layer of flavor.
- Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work, although freshly minced tastes better.
- Fresh spinach: I make life easy by buying a bag of pre-washed spinach leaves. But you can wash and dry them yourself as long as you ensure they are thoroughly dried.
Variations
- I sometimes add a pinch of onion powder and dried thyme.
- I'm a big fan of using olive oil to cook the spinach and then topping the finished dish with butter. But you can simply cook it in butter.
- Sometimes, I top the cooked spinach with goat cheese crumbles, as shown in the photo below.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Cook the garlic in olive oil. Add the spinach.
Saute the spinach until just wilted. Turn the heat off and stir in the salt, pepper, lemon juice, and butter.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the spinach to a serving plate. Top it with more butter if you wish and serve.
Not being a good cook, this easy-to-follow recipe made me look like I was a great cook to my guests.
Pam
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Not being a good cook, this easy-to-follow recipe made me look like I was a great cook to my guests.Recipe Tips
- You'll need a large, deep skillet or saucepan to accommodate the large volume of raw leaves. While one pound of spinach may seem like a lot, remember that spinach loses a great deal of volume as it cooks. So this is a perfect amount of spinach for four people.
- If you don't have fresh lemons, you can omit the lemon juice or substitute it with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. However, citrus flavors help mask any bitterness, so it's best to use lemon juice if possible.
- Storage tips: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers.
Serving Suggestions
I like to pair sauteed spinach with oven-baked or slow-cooked meats such as:
It's also delicious with pan-fried entrees like seared duck breast (shown in the photo below) or as a bed for saucy dishes such as pork stew, fish stew, beef cheeks, and lamb shanks. Sometimes, I serve it with a couple of fried eggs, fluffy scrambled eggs, or grilled halloumi cheese for a tasty meatless meal.
Recipe Card
Butter Garlic Sauteed Spinach
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- 1 pound baby spinach leaves - pre-washed
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper - freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice - freshly squeezed
Instructions
- In a very large, deep pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until no longer raw but not browned.
- Add the spinach, carefully mixing it with a wooden spoon to coat the leaves in the olive oil. Depending on how deep your skillet is, you might need to add it in several batches, as I do in the video below.
- Cook the spinach, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it's just wilted, about 3 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and stir in the salt, pepper, lemon juice, and butter. You can also reserve the butter for topping the spinach after you remove it from the pan, as I do in the video. It makes for a pretty presentation.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the spinach to a serving bowl. Serve immediately.
Notes
- While one pound of spinach may seem like a lot, remember that spinach loses a lot of volume as it cooks. So this is a good amount of spinach for four people. That's why you need a large, deep skillet or saucepan - to accommodate the large volume of raw leaves.
- You can cook the spinach in ghee instead of olive oil. It adds a wonderfully nutty flavor.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Pam says
Not being a good cook, this easy to follow recipe made me look like I was a great cook to my guests.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad this was a success, Pam! Thank you for taking the time to write a review.
Lisa says
Fast, easy and delicious! To save a few calories I omitted the butter. Will definitely make again!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you liked this recipe, Lisa! Thank you for taking the time to review it.