Garlic Sauteed Spinach

In this easy sauteed spinach recipe, fresh spinach is cooked in garlic-infused olive oil and then dressed with butter and lemon juice.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 84kcal

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
1 pound baby spinach leaves pre-washed
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
1 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

In a very large, deep pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until no longer raw but not browned.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh garlic
Add the spinach, carefully mixing it with a wooden spoon to coat the leaves in the olive oil. Depending on how deep your skillet is, you might need to add it in several batches, as I do in the video below.
1 pound baby spinach leaves
Cook the spinach, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it's just wilted, about 3 minutes.
Turn the heat off and stir in the salt, pepper, lemon juice, and butter. You can also reserve the butter for topping the spinach after you remove it from the pan, as I do in the video. It makes for a pretty presentation.
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the spinach to a serving bowl. Serve immediately.

While one pound of spinach may seem like a lot, remember that spinach loses a lot of volume as it cooks, so this is a good amount of spinach for four people. That's why you need a large, deep skillet or saucepan - to accommodate the large volume of raw leaves.
Make sure the spinach is well-drained and dried if you washed it yourself. Excess water causes steaming.
Seasonings, especially salt, are guidelines. Adjust to taste.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers.