• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sip and Feast
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About me
  • Shop
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About me
  • Shop
  • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » All Recipes » Side Dishes

    Sauteed Spinach with Garlic

    Published on Sep 27, 2021 by Jim · Updated on Mar 14, 2023 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 10 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    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.

    Ingredients shown: bowl of spinach, olive oil, garlic, and hot red pepper flakes.

    How to make it

    Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

    1. In a large pan begin by sauteeing 10 garlic cloves over medium-low heat in a ¼ 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. 

    Sauteed spinach with garlic recipe process shot collage group number one.

    1. 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.  
    2. To the same pan add a ¼ 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.

    Recipe process shot collage group number two.

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

    Recipe process shot collage group number three.

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

    Recipe process shot collage group number four.

    1. 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!

    Small white plate with sauteed spinach.

    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.

    If you’ve enjoyed this sauteed spinach with garlic recipe or any recipe on this site, give it a 5-star rating and tell us about it in the comments below.

    We would love to hear how you did and it’s nice to show others as well. Thanks!

    Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.

    📖 Recipe

    Sauteed spinach with garlic featured image.

    Sauteed Spinach with Garlic

    5 from 4 votes
    Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
    Total Time: 15 minutes mins
    Servings: 4
    Print Pin Rate
    Author: James

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound baby spinach washed and well drained
    • 10 cloves garlic whole cloves for easy removal
    • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper optional, to taste
    • ⅜ cup extra virgin olive oil divided
    • salt to taste

    Instructions

    • Saute garlic cloves in a ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Once the cloves turn golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
    • To the same pan add the crushed red pepper flakes, then the spinach. Mix the spinach around with tongs then cover.
    • After 1-2 minutes the spinach will have wilted. Remove the lid and turn off the heat. Season with salt to taste.
    • Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on the spinach before serving. Serve with the sauteed whole garlic cloves for anyone who might want them. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Sodium levels reflect the addition of 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
    • Add salt to taste, but keep in mind that green veggies taste way better with a good amount of salt!
    • Feel free to drain any excess water before plating then drizzle more extra virgin olive oil top.
    • The garlic cloves that were used to flavor the olive oil can be served with the spinach and eaten whole, or they can be discarded.
    • Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.1g | Fat: 19.3g | Saturated Fat: 2.8g | Sodium: 671mg | Potassium: 633mg | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 0.5g | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe? Mention @sipandfeast or tag #sipandfeast
    « Italian Sausage Stuffing with Parmesan
    Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Brown Butter »
    • Share
    • Yummly

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Deb Scullin

      January 16, 2022 at 1:54 pm

      5 stars
      Great way to eat spinach. I like that you sauté the garlic whole to flavor the oil. Very tasty!

      Reply
      • Jim

        January 19, 2022 at 8:38 am

        Hi Deb. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!

        Reply
    2. Isa P

      February 28, 2022 at 5:18 pm

      5 stars
      Quick & easy! Simply delish:)

      Reply
      • Jim

        March 01, 2022 at 10:37 am

        Thanks, Isa!

        Reply
    3. Joy

      August 15, 2022 at 1:53 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Jim...one of my favorite recipes!👏👏
      Question...when to add cannellini beans if we'd like??...beginning of end🤔👏

      Reply
      • Jim

        August 16, 2022 at 10:16 am

        Hi Joy. Since the spinach gets really soft so quickly, the best bet imo is to cook the beans separately to your liking then add them in with the spinach right before serving along with a nice drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. For escarole or kale, you could add the beans towards the beginning since those greens both hold up much better.

        Reply
    4. Karen Hanna

      February 06, 2023 at 5:43 pm

      I made this to go with your recipe for Salmon Oregano. Went well together. It was easy and simple, but tasty.

      Reply
      • Jim

        February 07, 2023 at 2:43 pm

        Hi Karen, so happy you enjoyed this one alongside the salmon! Thanks for the comment!

        Reply
    5. Judy S

      April 24, 2023 at 12:05 am

      5 stars
      Simply delicious! Served it along side your Roasted Chicken and Potatoes and it was happily devoured, with not a clove of garlic left for the cook! 🙁

      Reply
      • Jim

        April 24, 2023 at 9:39 am

        Hi Judy, thanks for the comment and I'm thrilled you enjoyed this one as well as the others!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Profile pic.

    About Jim

    Welcome! I'm Jim and I'm here to help you make awesome Italian food that you would normally enjoy at some of your favorite New York style Italian restaurants. While my recipes are typically Italian, you'll find some other great ones as well. Take a look around, and get cooking!

    Learn more about me →

    Spring is Here

    • Rigatoni primavera featured image.
      Rigatoni Primavera
    • Linguine with canned clam sauce featured image.
      Linguine with Canned Clams
    • Spinach pasta salad featured image.
      Spinach Gorgonzola Pasta Salad
    • Fennel orange salad featured image.
      Orange Fennel Salad
    • Grilled pork chop with balsamic glaze and rosemary garnish in white plate.
      Grilled Pork Chops
    • Italian green bean potato salad in platter on blue table.
      Potato Green Bean Salad

    Reader's Favorites

    • Fettuccine cherry tomato butter sauce recipe featured image.
      Fettuccine with Cherry Tomato Butter Sauce
    • Short rib pappardelle featured image.
      Short Rib Ragu with Pappardelle
    • Baked artichoke hearts featured image.
      Baked Artichoke Hearts with Seasoned Breadcrumbs
    • Pasta alla Norcina featured image.
      Pasta alla Norcina
    • Brandy mushroom cream sauce spaghetti featured image.
      Mushroom Brandy Cream Sauce Spaghetti
    • Meatballs and pasta in platter on wood table.
      Authentic Italian Meatballs And Sunday Sauce Recipe

    Featured On

    Sip and Feast featured in publications sidebar.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About me
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Sip and Feast

    339 shares