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Spinach cooked with garlic and olive oil in a skillet on stove top, then sprinkled with freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest. Easy instructions on how to cook spinach the easy way, the natural way.
This is the recipe for the best cooked spinach. It's cooked with a minimum of ingredients, with the addition of just olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Tasty, quick, healthy, and beautiful side dish! Scroll down to see how to cook spinach. Spinach goes great with pasta, grilled meats, steak, and chicken. It's very easy to make, inexpensive, paleo, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free!
Cooking tips
If you have too much spinach, or want a steakhouse quality side dish for your grilled meats, this is the right recipe for you! The secret to how to cook fresh spinach properly is to not overcook it.
- Spinach really requires only a couple of minutes of cooking, and then you just let it wilt, off heat, in a covered pan. That's pretty much all there is to it, plus you also sauté some garlic for flavor.
- When cooking the garlic, make sure it doesn't burn so keep stirring at all times.
- Add just a touch of fresh lemon juice to your cooked spinach. Do not add a lot, only about a quarter of a small lemon. Do not use bottled lemon juice as it is too acidic!
- Finally, top the spinach with lemon zest! Again, not a lot of lemon zest, just a touch to add a subtle citrus flavor.
That's how easy it is to cook spinach!
How to cook spinach on stove top
Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add 3 cloves of minced fresh garlic and saute the garlic for about 1 minute, constantly stirring.
Add spinach, a handful at a time, and adding another handful as spinach wilts, and cook, uncovered, on medium-high heat for only a minute or two
This is what the spinach looks like after being cooked only for 1 minute and having been sitting for 2-3 more minutes, off heat, in a covered pan (the photo right below). See how pretty it is, and it has that steakhouse beautiful texture to it?
Spinach doesn't need more than 1 minute of cooking in a preheated skillet. If you cook it longer, the texture will suffer (it will be crumbly), and spinach can acquire some sort of bitterness to it.
Top the spinach with finely grated lemon zest which adds just the right amount of kick!
Easy main dishes to go with cooked spinach
- Pan-Fried Pork Chops with Honey Lime Glaze
- Cilantro Lime Honey Garlic Salmon
- Trout with Garlic Lemon Butter Herb Sauce
- Honey Lime Chicken Thighs
Similar side dishes
If you liked this freshly cooked spinach, you might also like these freshly cooked green veggies:
- Asiago Bacon Garlic Roasted Asparagus - baked in the oven.
- Oven Roasted Asiago Cheese Broccoli - crunchy and crispy broccoli baked in the oven.
- Garlic and Bacon Green Beans - sautéed on stove top in olive oil and butter.
How to Cook Fresh Spinach
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 16 oz spinach fresh
- 3 garlic cloves
- ¼ whole lemon (freshly squeezed lemon juice)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest or peel
- salt and cracked pepper
Instructions
- Sautee spinach uncovered - to really get best spinach results, you cook it just enough to wilt - don't overcook.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add 3 cloves of minced fresh garlic when the oil is hot, and saute the garlic for about 1 minute to release the flavor, constantly stirring to keep garlic from burning.
- Add spinach, a handful at a time, and adding another handful as spinach wilts, and cook, uncovered, on medium-high heat for only 1 minute, constantly stirring, uncovered.
- Remove from heat and cover. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Uncover, and mix. Squeeze just a touch of fresh lemon juice right out of the lemon (using about a quarter of small lemon), and stir to combine. Do not use bottled lemon juice (it's too acidic).
- Taste the spinach, and add a pinch of salt, if needed (about ⅛ teaspoon), and fresh cracked pepper. It should be enough, add more salt and pepper if needed. Top with lemon zest.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Hi, i'm su yeun from South Korea. Your recipes are easy to follow. Thank you! I'll come here often 🙂
Enjoy the recipes!
Can't find how much olive oil to use.
Spinach - check
Garlic - Check
Lemon juice - check
Lemon zest - check
Olive oil...
Olive oil...
Bueller? Bueller?
2 tablespoons of olive oil - the amounts are listed in the ingredients section of the recipe card.
I HAVE AN AVERSION TO OLIVE OIL. CAN I USE PAM SPRAY INSTEAD. ALSO CAN YOU SUGGEST GOOD QUALITY OLIVE OIL WHERE THE TASTE ISNT OVERBEARING
Yes, you can use pam spray. You can also use vegetable oil. Also, try olive oil that's labeled mild - it has a milder flavor.
Can I use Pam cooking spray instead of olive oil
Do you just turn off the heat and cover it for 2-3 minutes using the same pan that we sautéed it in (which is still hot)? Or use a separate pan that is not hot at all?
Yes, use the same pan. Just remove the pan from the heat and keep it covered to wilt the spinach. Don't use a separate pan.
Omg this is soooo good!! If you're looking for a way to make spinach look no further
Jamie, thank you! So happy to hear that! 🙂
I dont like spinach much but eat it "cos its good for you". i hate the stalks, too hard and chewy! In preparing spinach should only the leaves be used?. Maybe the spinach here in Bali is a tougher breed!
I know what you're saying about spinach - some spinach does have really thick stalks and huge leaves. That's "grown-up" spinach and not baby spinach that we usually use here in the US. So, yes, just discard the stalks and use the leaves - you might cook them a bit longer, too.
Can one use raw spinach in a green smoothie?
You can, spinach or kale are good staples for juicing. Better the crushing type rather than centrifugal.
Thanks for the recipe , Great Help for bachelors like me who are cooking for the first time 🙂
So glad you liked it!
Trying to do vegan. Thanks!!!!
Pour the bottled lemon juice into a plastic bowl. Leave it in the refridgerator for 48-72 hours. Then it won't be bottled. Not sure what other way there could be to get unbottled lemon juice.
How about squeezing an actual lemon..
Fry onions and garlic together with two or three tomatoes untill done then add in chopped spinach. Roll a spoon or two of the cooked spinach in a wrap, eat it, and then force yourself to leave it alone for the next day, If you can.
if the lemon juice that is in the bottle ts too acidic, whch1 shld i use
fresh lemon was suggested using one quarter of a small lemon; take some lemon zest before you cut for squeezing, to sprinkle on the greens after cooking.
Yes, with this recipe, it's best to use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Can u substitute a bit of butter for some of the olive oil?
i never eat cooked greens....but these look awesome! may have to try them 🙂
I agree...and I really love fresh spinach. It's so quick and the touch of lemon is wonderful. I never have luck cooking with frozen spinach so I've just stopped. Fresh is best for me with this. : )
I love the clarity and informative manner of Julia's Album.! My church was giving away bunches and bunches of fresh veggies, and now I don't have to let the spinach go to waste! Thanks!
Thank you, I am glad you find this recipe useful! 🙂