Sautéed Spinach with Garlic

Fresh baby spinach is gently wilted with olive oil and garlic until tender, silky, and full of flavor. This simple spinach recipe comes together in less than 10 minutes and pairs beautifully with everything from roasted chicken and steak to salmon, pasta, tofu or eggs.

The best part? Learning how to cook fresh spinach is incredibly easy. With just 3 ingredients and one-skillet, you can transform a giant mound of spinach into a nutritious side dish that feels comforting, fresh, and elegant all at once.

✔️ Ingredients, Substitutions & Swaps

For the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities, check the printable recipe card below.

• Baby Spinach: Fresh baby spinach cooks quickly and has a tender texture with a mild flavor. While it may look like a huge amount of spinach at first, the leaves wilt down dramatically as they cook. You can also use mature spinach, although the texture will be slightly sturdier and may require an extra minute or two of cooking time.
• Olive Oil: Olive oil adds richness and helps gently cook the garlic while coating the spinach leaves evenly. You can substitute avocado oil or butter if preferred.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic gives this dish its signature savory flavor. Mince it finely so it distributes evenly throughout the spinach. Your second best option is garlic paste
• Salt and Pepper: Simple seasoning allows the flavor of the spinach and garlic to shine.

🔎 How to Make Sautéed Spinach with Garlic?

1. Infuse the Oil: Add the olive oil and garlic to a large skillet and place it over medium heat. Allow the garlic to slowly warm with the oil. Once the oil is hot, sauté the garlic for about 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Do not allow the garlic to brown or it can become bitter.
2. Add the Spinach: Add the baby spinach to the skillet. It will seem like a very large amount at first.

3. Sauté: Using kitchen tongs, gently toss and flip the spinach so the leaves begin coating in the garlic oil.
4. Steam and Wilt: Cover the skillet and allow the spinach to steam for about 1 minute.
5. Toss: Remove the lid and toss the spinach again, bringing the leaves from the bottom of the pan to the top. Repeat this process until the spinach is fully wilted but still vibrant green, about 3 to 4 minutes total.

6. Season and Serve: Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

🔎 How to Cook Fresh Spinach on the Stove?

The easiest way to cook fresh spinach on the stove is to sauté it with olive oil and garlic over medium heat. Cook the spinach just until wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes, to keep the texture tender and the flavor fresh.

🔎 Can You Cook Baby Spinach?

Yes. Baby spinach is one of the best types of spinach for sautéing because the leaves are tender and cook very quickly. It’s perfect for quick side dishes, pasta recipes, omelets, and grain bowls.

🔎 What Is the Best Way to Season Spinach?

Garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper are classic seasonings for spinach. You can also add lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, or butter for additional flavor.

🔎 What to Serve with Sautéed Spinach?

This easy spinach side dish pairs well with:

• Grilled chicken
• Pan-seared steak
• Salmon or shrimp
• Pasta dishes
• Tofu
• Fried or poached eggs
• Roasted potatoes

🤔 Frequently Asked Questions

✔️ Storing and Reheating

• Storage: Store leftover sautéed spinach in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave until warmed through.

💛 Intentional Cooking

Your priorities, your recipe. Learn about Intentional Cooking.

Health and Healing: Spinach is loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber while remaining naturally low in calories. Adding simple leafy greens to meals is an easy way to support overall wellness without overcomplicating healthy eating.

Environment: Leafy greens like spinach generally require fewer resources to produce compared to many heavily processed convenience foods. Choosing simple vegetable sides more often can be a small but meaningful step toward a more mindful kitchen.

Finances: Fresh spinach is affordable and cooks in minutes, making it an easy vegetable side dish for busy weeknights. Pairing inexpensive greens with pantry staples like garlic and olive oil helps stretch meals without sacrificing flavor.

🛒 Essentials you’ll adore for this recipe

• 

  HexClad Non-Stick Skillet set with Lids

  The absolute best “indestructible” scratch-resistant non-stick skillet set on planet earth. My most used pans by far! The Hybrid 8-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch pans offer the ultimate in versatility when it comes to frying, sautéing, and simmering. 100% worth the investment. Whether you are an expert cook or someone who hardly sets foot in a…

• 

  Salad Spinner

  The OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner makes washing and drying greens incredibly easy. Its one-handed pump quickly spins lettuce, herbs, fruits, and vegetables dry, helping dressings cling better and preventing soggy salads or watery sautéed greens. A sturdy kitchen staple that’s practical, durable, and easy to use.

Sautéed Spinach with Garlic

Kathy McDaniel

This easy Sautéed Spinach with Garlic is a simple and flavorful side dish made with fresh baby spinach, olive oil, and garlic. Ready in minutes, this healthy spinach recipe pairs perfectly with chicken, steak, fish, pasta, tofu or eggs.

Print Pin

Prep 5 minutes mins

Cook 5 minutes mins

Total 10 minutes mins

Makes 4 servings

Equipment

• 12-inch Non-Stick Skillet

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 12 ounces baby spinach, (about 10 cups)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions 

1. Add the oil and garlic to a large skillet over medium heat. The garlic will infuse the oil while the oil heats up. When hot, sauté the garlic for about 30 seconds. Don’t let the garlic get browned
2. Add the spinach. It will be a big mound. With the help of kitchen tongs, carefully start flipping the spinach so the leaves get coated with the garlic and oil.
3. Next, cover the pan and allow to steam for about a minute. Uncover the pan and with kitchen tongs stir the spinach; flipping the leaves from the bottom to the top and vice versa. Repeat this process until the spinach is wilted down, about 3-4 minutes total.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Give it a quick stir and serve.

Notes

• Skillet: Use a large 12-inch skillet or sauté pan with a lid.
• Baby Spinach: Fresh baby spinach cooks quickly and has a tender texture with a mild flavor. While it may look like a huge amount of spinach at first, the leaves wilt down dramatically as they cook. You can also use mature spinach, although the texture will be slightly sturdier and may require an extra minute or two of cooking time.
• Frozen Spinach: Frozen spinach has already been blanched before freezing, which gives it a softer texture and releases more moisture during cooking. Although this recipe is best made with fresh spinach, frozen spinach can still be used in a pinch, but it should be completely thawed and squeezed very dry before adding it to the skillet. The final texture will be softer and less silky than fresh sautéed spinach.
• Quantity: This recipe calls for 12 ounces of spinach (about 10 cups), but I have made it before with up to 16 ounces of spinach. Simply cook until the spinach just wilts and adjust seasoning (S&P)
• Chef’s Technique: Starting the garlic in cold oil gently infuses the oil with garlic flavor while reducing the risk of burning.
• Avoid browning the garlic: Burnt garlic can make the entire dish taste bitter.
• Pat dry or spin: If your spinach was recently washed, dry it well to prevent excess moisture in the skillet. The best way is by using a salad spinner.
• Storage: Store leftover sautéed spinach in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 85 kcal, Carbohydrates: 4 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g, Sodium: 68 mg, Potassium: 484 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 0.4 g, Vitamin A: 7975 IU, Vitamin C: 25 mg, Calcium: 88 mg, Iron: 2 mg

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