24 Jun Sautéed Spinach
Small
Sautéed Spinach
24 June 2026
PREP. TIME: 10 MIN - COOK TIME: 10 MIN - SERVES: 2 - 4
Few vegetable dishes are as universally Italian as sautéed spinach. Simple, nourishing and deeply satisfying, this dish embodies the quiet confidence of Italian home cooking.
Left over cooked spinach keeps for several days in the fridge and is delicious with eggs - reheat it and serve on the side of softly scrambled eggs or with sliced boiled eggs stirred through it.
Once you have mastered this straightforward recipe you can apply the same method to the cooking of other green leaves and vegetables.
ingredients for 2 - 4 serves
750g or 1 bunch of fresh English spinach
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
Garlic
equipment
A large sink or bowl to wash the spinach in; A chopping board and kitchen knife; A large, shallow pan with a lid; Colander; Large kitchen fork; Serving dish
method
Step 1
Prepare the spinach
Trim and remove the coarse stalks and any discoloured or wilted leaves. Be sure to retain as much of the stem as possible.
Wash the spinach in several washes of clean water, being sure to remove any grit and sand.
Stand the spinach in a colander until you are ready to use it.
Step 2
Cook the spinach:
Place the pan over moderate heat.
Add a handful or two of the freshly washed leaves to the dry pan (the water on the leaves is enough to cook them in). Toss the leaves with tongs and once these leaves are collapsed add about 2 teaspoons of salt.
Dissolve the salt in the water in the pan.
Add a few more handfuls of leaves and toss them with the tongs. As these leaves collapse continue adding more - this should only take a minute or so before all of the leaves are in the pan.
Cover the pan with a lid and continue cooking for another minute or so until all of the leaves are collapsed.
Toss well and remove from the heat.
Step 3
Drain the spinach:
Using tongs, transfer the cooked spinach from the pan to a colander and allow the spinach to drain.
Step 4
Assembly
While the spinach is draining, peel 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, keep whole.
Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and place over moderate heat, add the garlic and saute gently until the garlic is aromatic and beginning to colour.
Using tongs, transfer the drained spinach to the pan with the oil and garlic, toss each portion as you transfer it, coating it well with the oil. Continue until all of the spinach is added back to the pan.
Within a minute or two the spinach should be bright green and glossy.
Season with salt and pepper
Remove from the heat
Step 5
To Serve:
Using a large dining fork, twirl some spinach stems around the fork (like you can do with spaghetti) and place on a warm serving dish. Continue to create these spirals of spinach with the fork until all of the spinach is arranged in neat piles on the dish.
VARIATION:
Cook and saute other leaves such as silver beet, chicory, or kale, the same way.
Broccoli, broccolini and green or white beans can be gently boiled, drained and sauteed the same way before serving.
source
Recipe by Marcella Hazen, The Essentials of Italian Cooking
Adapted by Elizabeth Peddey
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