Steamed Spinach With Garlic And Lemon

This 10-minute recipe for steamed spinach with butter, lemon, and garlic is easy and delicious. The simplest recipes are often the best!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 5

Total Time 7

Servings servings

Calories 78kcal

1 pound spinach leaves washed and dried
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons butter melted
½ tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed

Place the spinach leaves in a large (12-inch), deep skillet. Add ¼ cup of water.
1 pound spinach leaves
Cover tightly (ideally with a clear lid so you can peek) and turn the heat to medium-high. When the spinach starts to steam, turn the heat to medium, and gently steam until the leaves are just wilted, 3-5 minutes.
Transfer the cooked spinach to a colander. Press on it with the back of a large serving spoon to extract as much liquid as you can.
Transfer the spinach to a serving plate. Sprinkle it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Drizzle it with melted butter and lemon juice. Mix and serve. You can top the spinach with an additional pat of butter if you wish.
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons butter, ½ tablespoon lemon juice

Seasonings, especially salt, are guidelines. Adjust to taste.
Make sure the lid fits tightly over the skillet. Otherwise, the water will evaporate, leaving the spinach dry and even burnt.
It's helpful if you use a lidded skillet with a clear lid because you'll want to peek inside and see when the spinach is ready. You don't want to overcook it and dry it out. Minimally cooked spinach tastes best.
You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power.