It’s so good in fact, that even my kids agree to eat it! So if you too have reluctant vegetable eaters in your house, you should definitely give it a try. I love spinach, but not surprisingly, my kids are not fans. So I’m always looking for ways to make this vegetable more palatable for them. This recipe is an easy and tasty way to cook fresh spinach. As it turns out, if I add enough butter, even The Picky Eater usually agrees to have some! Butter makes everything better, right?
Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this sauteed spinach recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
Olive oil: I love using extra virgin olive oil. It’s wonderfully flavorful.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 leaves. But you can obviously wash and dry them yourself. Just make sure they are thoroughly dried.Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.To finish and flavor the dish: Butter and freshly squeezed lemon juice. I love using creamy European butter, and freshly squeezed lemon juice has the best flavor.
Instructions
Please scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. This is a truly simple recipe that elevates spinach into a delicacy. It is also very easy to make: You start by cooking fresh spinach leaves in garlic-infused olive oil. Then you dress the cooked leaves with butter and lemon juice. That’s it! Needless to say, spinach is delicious when prepared with heavy cream, butter, and parmesan. This creamed spinach recipe is wonderful. But when you use truly fresh baby spinach leaves, they are so delicate, almost sweet. So you can use minimal ingredients and cook them very briefly for a truly delicious side dish. In this recipe, the spinach is sauteed in olive oil. The butter is used not for the actual cooking but for finishing the dish and adding another layer of flavor. The combination of olive oil, butter, garlic, and lemon juice is amazing.
Expert tip
While one pound of spinach may seem like a lot, remember that spinach loses quite a bit of volume as it cooks. So this is indeed a good amount of spinach to make for four 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.
Frequently asked questions
Variations
The best way to vary this recipe is to add spices. You could try a pinch of onion powder and/or dried thyme. You could also cook the spinach in ghee instead of olive oil. It has a wonderfully nutty flavor. If you don’t have fresh lemons, try using a teaspoon of white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Serving suggestions
Sautéed spinach is easy to make and it’s ready quickly. I like to pair it with oven-baked meats such as ribeye roast and crispy baked chicken thighs. But really, this is a very versatile side dish that goes with anything. You can even serve it with a couple of fried eggs for a tasty meatless meal.
Storing leftovers
I don’t typically have leftovers when making this recipe. But on the rare occasion that I do, I find that they keep fine in the fridge for a couple of days in an airtight container. Although this dish is best when served fresh.
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