Spinach is your cheap, multipurpose friend in your kitchen. This mild and slightly earthy flavored vegetable is one of the most versatile foods in the culinary space. Toss it in omelets, stir it into soups, or let it shine on its own - spinach plays well with countless dishes.
Ready to make spinach your new favorite ingredient? Let's learn how to cook spinach where we’ll survey different methods and show you how to jazz it up with spices and aromatics.
Type Of Spinach To Choose
When you visit the grocery store, you'll normally spot two spinach variations: baby spinach and mature bunch spinach. Baby spinach comes in boxes, often pre-washed for your convenience.
Mature spinach, on the other hand, arrives with stems intact and usually needs a good rinse. For a quick sauté, grab that box of baby spinach. It's ready to toss in the pan without the hassle of washing.
Planning a hearty soup? Reach for the mature spinach. It herds more of a punch in your dish. Just remember to dice it into bite-sized pieces before you throw it in the pot.
How To Saute Spinach
Are you darn serious about converting a pile of leaves into a tasty side dish? Here’s how to properly sauté spinach.
What You'll Need:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
A pinch of red pepper flakes (if you're feeling spicy)
10 ounces of baby spinach (that's about 10 packed cups)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Fire Up the Pan
Begin by heating a wide-bottomed pan over high heat. Then add butter and olive oil. Wait for the butter to melt and start bubbling and combining with the oil.
It allows you to achieve the buttery taste while using olive oil with a higher smoke point. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom evenly.
Once your fats are hot and shimmering, it's time to add flavor. Sprinkle in those red pepper flakes. You'll hear a gentle sizzle as they hit the hot oil. This step infuses the oil with a subtle heat that will permeate the spinach.
If you're using garlic or shallots, sum them now. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Be careful not to let them brown – they can quickly go from golden to burnt!
3. Cook the spinach
Now for the main event. Grab a handful of spinach and sum it to the pan. It might seem like it won't all fit, but trust the process.
As the bottom layer wilts, it'll make room for more. Keep adding spinach in batches, stirring constantly with tongs or a wooden spoon. You'll see the leaves turn a brilliant green as they cook.
The spinach will release water as it wilts – this is normal. If there's too much liquid, you can tilt the pan and spoon it out, or just let it cook off. The goal is tender, wilted spinach, not soup!
Once all your spinach has wilted down (which should only take between 3-5 minutes), it is time to spice. Season the spinach with the salt and pepper, making sure to incorporate it evenly.
Taste and modify the salt level if necessary. Lastly, you can add a dash or two of fresh lemon juice. It really seems to wake up the other flavors and offset the heavy creaminess of the butter.
Or you might just throw in some toasted pine nuts for added texture or a few bits of freshly grated Parmesan cheese for some additional saltiness.
Serve your sautéed spinach recipe promptly while it's still hot. This is the ideal dish to accompany grilled meat or fish, or as a brunch dish with scrambled eggs.
Now, for some exciting alternatives to sautéing that get that spinach singing! Each of these ways brings out a different quality of the spinach, so play with them to see which one you love most.
1. Steaming
Steaming lets most of the nutrients in spinach to be preserved optimally. Here's how:
Sub merge a steamer basket to a pot and pour a little amount of water (about one eighth) in such a way that does not touch the basket’s base.
Bring it to medium high heat, let it boil for some time.
Throw in your washed spinach into the basket, close it, and let it steam for 2-3 minutes.
You'll know it's done when the leaves are wilted and tender.
Season with little salt, black pepper, or lemon juice for that extra tinge.
Spinach is an easy going vegetable that takes a short time to cook, ideal for those rush meals during the weekdays. When sautéing spinach, it takes about 2-4 minutes from time of initiating the cooking process to completion.
Still, remember that this may not be constant all the time, depending on the level of heat and the amount of spinach you need to prepare.
If you are using a large quantity of spinach, do not attempt to put all of it on the pan at a single time.
Overcrowding is the major foe to good sautéed spinach. Instead, cook it in batches. This way, each leaf gets its moment in the spotlight (or should we say, in the heat?).
You will be able to get spinach that is just perfect for storing either in the refrigerator or cooking – not soggy!
Spinach cooks down a lot. While cooking, what you might think is a mountain of green leaves will reduce to what might seem like barely a serving. So don't be afraid to start with more than you think you need!
How To Store Spinach
Fresh spinach is a delicate green that demands careful handling. Its high water content means it won't last long - typically up to a week in your fridge.
While pre-washed spinach could be a time saver, it is even more delicate and should be consumed immediately.
However, if you are unable to consume it immediately, do not fret, as freezing is a great option that can extend its life for up to six months.
For fresh storage, keeping spinach dry and cool is key. Start by inspecting your leaves - toss any that look yellow, brown, or wilted. If you've got a bunch from the market, remove any ties and gently pat it dry.
For pre-packaged spinach, check for moisture in the container. If you spot any, take out the leaves and dry both the spinach and its container. Farm-fresh, dirty spinach? Hold off on washing until you're ready to use it.
When it's time to store, wrap loose spinach in dry paper or clean dish towels, then pop it into a sealed freezer bag or container.
If your spinach comes in its own packaging, simply add a towel to absorb excess moisture. Either way, the crisper drawer is your spinach's new home.
When spinach is to be used later in cooked dishes, freezing it makes a lot of sense. Begin by rinsing them and separating them from one another and throwing away the leaves that appear to be spoiled.
Next comes blanching - a quick dip in boiling water followed by an ice bath. This process locks in color and flavor.
The spinach should be boiled for thirty seconds to two minutes depending on the thickness of the leaves. Let it drip and then immerse it in ice water to halt the cooking process.
Once it’s cooled down, you should try and press out as much of the water out by using a clean towel.
Last of all, shape the spinach into balls, enclose them with plastic or put them in a plastic bag where all the air is removed as much as possible then put it in the freezer.
What To Serve With Spinach
Sautéed spinach is like the little black dress of side dishes. It is superb when combined with robust protein meals.
Following are some delectable main dishes that will make your spinach sing:
French Onion Dip Chicken Thighs: These wonderfully rich and savory chicken thighs are balanced by the light fresh taste of sautéed spinach.
Coffee-Rubbed Steak: The bold complex flavors in a well-cooked coffee-rubbed steak are perfectly offset by simple garlicky sautéed spinach.
One-Pan Crispy Parmesan Chicken Cutlets: Perfection on a chicken cutlet does not get much better than this - the crunchy, cheesy outside begging to be served with tender spinach. And aside from anything else, who doesn't just love a one-pan meal?
Miso-Ginger Salmon: The umami-heavy flavors in the miso shine through nicely, along with the spicy freshness of the ginger, balanced out by the mild, almost sweet flavor of sautéed spinach.
