Sautéed spinach is one of the easiest and most nutritious side dishes around. You simply wilt fresh spinach in a hot pan with a bit of oil or butter, or a combo, until it’s cooked to the softness that you like it. You can stick with just salt and pepper for seasonings or add other spices and fresh herbs as you like. And the garlic is key — nothing goes better with cooked spinach than garlic. Also, see Creamed Spinach if you’re looking to step it up a notch!

This simple sautéed garlic spinach recipe only takes a few minutes to make, and it goes well with almost anything. It can be a great counterpart to a creamy Fettucine Alfredo or a rich Chicken Cacciatore or served on the side of a simple piece of baked salmon or baked chicken thighs for a very healthy dinner.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter or olive oil – I like to use a combination of the two so you get the flavors of both butter and olive oil.
• Garlic – You can use shallots or onions instead of or in addition to the garlic. The more members of the onion family, the better! If you want a milder garlic flavor, crush the garlic cloves instead of mincing them.
• Salt and black pepper – To taste.
• Spinach – I like to use baby spinach in this dish, but you can definitely use mature spinach leaves. Just chop them coarsely before sautéing, and know that the leaves are less delicate, so they may take an extra minute or two to cook down. Also, trim off any tough stems from larger leaves of spinach.

How Much Cooked Spinach Does Raw Spinach Make?

The most important thing to know is that a voluminous amount of uncooked spinach results in a somewhat startlingly small amount of sautéed or cooked spinach. Much of this depends on whether you chop the spinach, how finely or roughly, and how long you cook the spinach, but the following is a general guide. As an estimate, about 10 cups of fresh spinach leaves will cook down to 1 cup, so plan accordingly!

• 5 ounces of raw, whole-leaf baby spinach (the size of a typical container or “clamshell” of baby spinach) yields about ½ cup of cooked spinach
• 8 ounces (1/2 pound) uncooked spinach equals about 2/3 cup cooked
• 1 pound of uncooked spinach will get you about 1 1/3 cups cooked spinach. 

How to Sauté Spinach on the Stove

1. Heat the fat: Start by heating up some fat in the pan over medium heat. This can be oil of any sort (I default to olive oil for pretty much everything) or butter. I love a combination of the two, olive oil and butter — say, a couple of teaspoons of each.

2. Cook the aromatics: Add some chopped member of the onion family, such as onions, shallots, leeks, or garlic. I like to use minced fresh garlic and then sometimes layer in another member of the onion family.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add the spinach: You’ll be adding the greens in batches, probably unless you have a humongous pan or you are cooking a smaller amount of spinach. The spinach will wilt down quickly as you sauté it. You can add a tablespoon of water if the spinach seems to be sticking at all to the pan or if you just want to make the cooking go faster.

5. Cook: Once it’s wilted to the degree you wish (there is no wrong answer on that, by the way — some people like their spinach barely wilted, while others are going for a dense, super soft result). Taste and see if it needs more seasonings.
6. Serve: Transfer it to a serving bowl. If you want to elevate this spinach side, give it a drizzle of lemon butter.

Sautéed Spinach Cooking Tips

• For 8 ounces (1/2 pound) of raw spinach, use about 1 teaspoon of minced garlic.
• My favorite is sautéed spinach with garlic, but I also love adding in some leeks, shallots, or onions for additional depth of flavor and sweetness.
• I like using a combo of olive oil and butter for maximum flavor.
• You can add a tablespoon of water if the spinach seems to be sticking at all to the pan or if you just want to make the cooking go faster.
• Trim and discard tougher stems from larger spinach leaves.
• If the spinach needs washing before cooking, the best way to do that is in a salad spinner. The leaves don’t have to be totally dry before going into the pan, but they should not be too wet, so give them a good spin after rinsing. If you are washing them in a colander, then pat them mostly dry with clean dishtowels before cooking.

Variations

• Add some red pepper flakes as you saute the spinach.
• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens the earthy flavor of the sauteed spinach; it can tend to dull the green color of the spinach, so be aware of that.
• Finely zested lemon rind is also a great finishing touch, as is a sprinkle of gremolata.
• Stir in a bit of finely grated Parmesan at the end of the cooking time.

FAQs

Storage and Leftovers

Leftover sauteed spinach will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

What to Serve With Sautéed Spinach

Sheetpan Macaroni and Cheese Squares

Ribeye Steaks with Thyme-Garlic Butter

Chicken with Mushrooms in Cream Sauce

More Simple Vegetable Side Dish Recipes

• How to Cook Fresh Green Beans
• How to Cook Kale
• Easy Sautéed Broccoli
• How to Cook Broccoli Rabe