Sauteed Spinach

In this easy sauteed spinach recipe, fresh spinach is cooked in garlic-infused olive oil, then dressed with butter and lemon juice.

It's a simple and delicious side dish that's ready in minutes. It's so good that even my kids agree to eat it! So if you have reluctant vegetable eaters in your house, you should try this recipe.

I enjoy spinach in many recipes, including steamed spinach, spinach quiche, and spinach artichoke dip.

This sauteed spinach recipe is one of my favorites. Sauteing is a lovely way to prepare fresh spinach. The spinach is quickly cooked in olive oil with garlic and seasonings, then topped with butter. Simple and delicious!

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

• 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 and buy a bag of pre-washed spinach leaves. But you can wash and dry them yourself as long as you ensure they are thoroughly dried.
• To season: I season this dish simply with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To finish: Butter and freshly squeezed lemon juice. I love using creamy European butter; freshly squeezed lemon juice has the best flavor.

Variations

• The best way to vary this recipe is to add spices. I love adding a pinch of onion powder and/or dried thyme.
• You can cook the spinach in ghee instead of olive oil. It adds a wonderfully nutty flavor.
• If you don't have fresh lemons, omit the lemon juice, or add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.

Sauteed Spinach Instructions

Here's an overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions.

• In a very large, deep pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook it until no longer raw. (Photo 1).
• Add the spinach, carefully mixing it with a wooden spoon to coat the leaves in the olive oil. (Photo 2).
• Cook the spinach, stirring with a wooden spoon, until just wilted. (Photo 3).
• 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. (Photo 4).
• Top it with more butter if you wish (it makes for a pretty presentation) and serve. (Photos 5-6).

Expert Tip

Recipe FAQs

Serving Suggestions

Storing Leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to three days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.

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Recipe Card

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Sauteed Spinach Recipe

In this easy recipe, fresh spinach is sauteed in garlic-infused olive oil, then dressed with butter and lemon juice. It's a simple and delicious side dish.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 84kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
• ▢ 1 lb. baby spinach leaves pre washed
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or ¼ teaspoon of any other 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.

Video

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 4 people.

And that's why you need a large, deep skillet or saucepan when making this recipe - to accommodate the large volume of raw leaves.

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to three days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.

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Nutrition per Serving

Serving: 0.25recipe | Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 230mg | Fiber: 2g

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