Fast, easy and delicious, this sauteed spinach recipe is packed with good-for-you nourishment.
The cartoon character Popeye knew what he was doing when he ate plenty of energy-giving spinach. This leafy green is a powerhouse of nutrients like vitamins A, C and K, and is also rich in folic acid, iron and calcium.
Forget your memories of bitter and overcooked spinach from your school cafeteria days and try this easy sauteed spinach recipe for dinner tonight. It takes about 5 minutes from start to finish if you use pre-washed bagged spinach, and it perfectly rounds out a lean meat and whole-grain plate with a pop of colorful veggies.
It’s easy to add variety to this dish. Try some of these options to change the basic recipe up a bit:
- Sprinkle the cooked spinach with parmesan cheese.
- Drizzle the cooked spinach with vinegar instead of lemon juice.
- Sprinkle the spinach with chopped almonds or toasted sesame seeds.
- Toss the cooked spinach with lemon zest (and pasta, if you like).
Sauteed Spinach
Ingredients
- 2 11-ounce bags of baby spinach
- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
- 4 cloves of fresh garlic, finely minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil on high, in a large skillet or pot.
- Add the spinach and garlic. Toss a few times, until the spinach just begins to wilt. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Drizzle the spinach with lemon juice. Then, if desired, sprinkle with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, to taste. Toss gently.
- Transfer to a platter, or directly to plates.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 48 Total fat: 0.6 grams Saturated fat: 0.1 grams Sodium: 119 milligrams Potassium: 881 milligrams Vitamin A: 292% Vitamin C: 79% Folate: 73.5 % Iron: 27.8 %
Notes
*Nutrition facts do not account for the optional salt, pepper or hot pepper flakes, or variations above.
