My go-to sautéed spinach recipe! Silky, garlicky, and bright with lemon, it's a delicious side dish or addition to pastas, eggs, grain bowls, and more.
When you do sautéed spinach right, it tastes so good that you want to eat it straight out of the skillet. The leaves are tender, silky, and bright with lemon, and they have a savory, garlicky bite. It makes a great standalone veggie side dish (and you’d be hard pressed to find one that’s quicker or easier!), but it can go into a frittata, a grain bowl, pasta, or a sandwich too. In short, if you haven’t already mastered the art of perfect sautéed spinach, now’s the time. This sautéed spinach recipe is simple, versatile, and flavorful. Learn how to make it, and eating your greens will be a breeze.
Sautéed Spinach Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this sautéed spinach recipe:
- Fresh spinach, of course! I often use baby spinach to make this recipe, though mature spinach works nicely too. If you have larger spinach leaves, make sure to remove any thick, tough stems before proceeding with the recipe.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – It helps the spinach become tender and silky as it cooks.
- Garlic – It adds savory bite.
- Fresh lemon juice – For brightness.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the spinach and salt, and cook, stirring, until the spinach is just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, and toss the greens with a squeeze of lemon. Then, season to taste with salt and pepper. That’s it!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Serve Sautéed Spinach
This sautéed spinach recipe is a delicious side dish for any meal. Pair it with a pasta like fettuccine Alfredo or homemade mac and cheese, with a hearty soup like black bean soup or chili, or with a simply cooked protein like crispy sesame tofu.
You can also add sautéed spinach to larger dishes and recipes. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Fold it into an omelette to use on a breakfast sandwich.
- Mix it into scrambled eggs.
- Bake it into a frittata.
- Serve it over creamy polenta with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
- Add it to a pasta. I use a full pound of sautéed spinach in this easy baked ziti recipe!
- Use it as a pizza topping. I love it with sautéed mushrooms and olives.
- Fold it into a breakfast taco…or any veggie taco.
- Add it to a grilled cheese sandwich.
- Top it onto a grain bowl. It’s fantastic in this bibimbap recipe.
How do you like to serve sauteed spinach? Let me know in the comments!
More Favorite Veggie Basics
If you loved learning how to sauté spinach, try cooking one of these vegetables next:
- Quick Sautéed Kale
- Sautéed Mushrooms
- Lemon Sautéed Green Beans
- Sautéed Broccoli
- Herb Sautéed Yellow Squash
- Roasted Broccoli
- Oven Roasted Zucchini
- Roasted Carrots
Sautéed Spinach
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 5 ounces spinach
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Lemon wedge, for squeezing
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant but not at all browned. Add the spinach and salt and cook, tossing, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the spinach is just wilted.
- Remove from the heat and season to taste with lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper.
