Name: Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 pound baby spinach (washed and well drained); 10 cloves garlic (whole cloves for easy removal); 1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes (optional, to taste); 3/8 cup extra virgin olive oil (divided); salt (to taste)

There is truly no simpler side than sauteed spinach with garlic. No chopping of the spinach or garlic allows you to throw this together in about 15 minutes. Perfect served with grilled or roasted meat, fish, or even pasta, this garlicky green side never disappoints!

White plate with sauteed garlic spinach and whole garlic cloves.

Sauteed spinach with garlic and olive oil is a go-to for me when I’m making a steak, or chicken thighs and want to include a green.

It’s also a favorite to serve with fish, like pan seared swordfish with olives and capers.

I’ll often lay a bed of garlic sauteed spinach on the plate, and lay the fish directly on top of it.

One of my favorite Italian dishes to serve with sauteed spinach is Chicken Valdostana, which is made with thinly sliced, pan-seared chicken cutlets, prosciutto, and fontina cheese in a white wine sauce.

It’s also perfect to add to New York-style white pizza. Yum!

The spinach itself is mild in flavor so for those who don’t enjoy stronger flavored greens, like broccoli rabe, this is the perfect alternative.

How to make it

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

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In a large pan begin by sauteeing 10 garlic cloves over medium-low heat in a 1/4 cup of olive oil. Want less or more garlic? Go for it! I like to make this garlic spinach just like you’d get it at a family-style Italian restaurant like La Parma or Carmines here in New York.

Get the cloves golden on both sides then remove and place them into a bowl and set aside to use later. Note: Cooking the garlic like this will help to ensure you wind up with garlic-infused olive oil, without any risk of burning the garlic. The garlic is great served with the meal for both presentation and for anyone who might like to eat the whole cloves. They are soft and delicious after turning golden in the olive oil.
To the same pan add a 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes. If you don’t like spice, omit the flakes. If you enjoy spice, add as much as you like.

After 30 seconds add all the spinach. Give it a stir with tongs to coat the spinach with the garlic-infused olive oil.
Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid.

After 2-3 minutes remove the cover and toss the wilted spinach with tongs.
Season with a good amount of kosher salt. Taste test the spinach and add more if required.

Plate the garlic-sauteed spinach and drizzle a couple of tablespoons of your best extra virgin olive on top. Serve the garlic cloves on the side for a beautiful presentation. Note: If there is too much liquid in the pan, just drain it a bit by placing the cover on top almost cracked and pouring it out in the sink. After this, plate the spinach, and drizzle more extra virgin olive oil all over the spinach to get it just right!

Top Tips

Use fresh spinach – Frozen spinach is often chopped up into small pieces and loaded with thick stems. Save the frozen spinach for other dishes, but for garlic-sauteed spinach, fresh is way better!
Use baby spinach – I strongly recommend using baby spinach for this recipe. Its texture is softer, and it is usually far easier to clean. If you must use regular spinach, remove the tough stems and clean well with a salad spinner.
Remove excess water – Try your best to remove excess water from the dish prior to serving with a salad spinner. But spinach is mostly water, so when it cooks down, you’re often left with a lot of liquid in the pan. You can remove it by fitting a lid on the pan and with a slight crack and dumping it into the sink to drain a bit.
Use whole garlic cloves – I strongly recommend keeping the garlic cloves whole for this dish. It allows you to easily infuse the olive oil with garlic and easily remove them without the risk of burning. Plus serving them on the side, or mixed in with the spinach adds another textural element to the dish. My family loves eating the garlic cloves whole too!

More spinach recipes

If you love spinach and can’t get enough, try these favorites of ours.

Spinach stuffed flounder – with feta, garlic, and shallots in a flavorful butter and white wine sauce.
Italian wedding soup – With turkey meatballs and baby spinach.
Spinach Lasagna rolls – With a creamy bechamel sauce.
Stuffed shells – With ricotta and spinach.
Zucchini rollatini – Thin slices of zucchini rolled around a creamy spinach ricotta stuffing.

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