Garlic Spinach Recipe

I just whipped up this garlic spinach and, honestly, it’s like turning plain old greens into an epic flavor explosion with that garlic vibe and a little kick from red pepper flakes that totally surprised me.

I love making Garlic Spinach because its really simple and nutritious. I sauté fresh spinach in olive oil with minced garlic, adding salt and black pepper to enhance flavor.

I think its a low-cal dish high in vitamins and antioxidants. Sometimes I add a pinch red pepper flakes for kick.

Ingredients

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 lb fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• Optional pinch red pepper flakes for a little kick

How to Make this

1. Heat up the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat until it starts shimmering.

2. Add the minced garlic and stir it around for about 30 seconds or until it smells really good.

3. Toss in the roughly chopped spinach all at once, but if your pan is small, add it in batches so it cooks evenly.

4. Sprinkle the salt and the ground black pepper on top of the spinach and garlic.

5. If you want a bit of a kick, now’s the time to add a pinch of red pepper flakes.

6. Stir everything together well, making sure the garlic doesn’t burn and the spinach gets a light coating of oil.

7. Continue cooking for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the spinach has wilted down.

8. Give it a taste and adjust the salt if you think it needs a bit more.

9. Turn off the heat and let it sit for a minute to let the flavors mix.

10. Serve warm straight from the pan and enjoy your delicious garlic spinach!

Equipment Needed

1. Large pan – used to evenly cook the garlic and spinach without overcrowding, which helps retain the nutrients in the spinach.
2. Stove – necessary for providing controlled heat to the pan so the olive oil shimmers and doesn’t burn the garlic.
3. Chef’s knife – essential for roughly chopping the spinach and ensuring you have evenly sized pieces to cook quickly.
4. Cutting board – protects your counter and helps keep the ingredients organized while chopping the spinach and garlic.
5. Measuring spoons – important for measuring the olive oil, salt, pepper, and any red pepper flakes to keep the flavor balanced.
6. Wooden spatula or spoon – needed for stirring the ingredients thoroughly, ensuring the garlic coats the spinach evenly and the seasoning is well distributed.

FAQ

• Q: How long does it take to cook the garlic spinach?
  A: It only takes about 5-7 minutes after you prep it since the spinach wilts really fast.
• Q: Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?
  A: Yes, you can use frozen spinach, but you’ll need to drain out extra water and it may not have the same texture as fresh.
• Q: What if I don’t like spicy food?
  A: No worries, you can just leave out the red pepper flakes or use even less than a pinch.
• Q: Can I adjust the garlic flavor?
  A: Sure, if you love garlic, feel free to add another clove, but if you’re not a big fan, reduce it to two cloves or so.
• Q: How do I keep the spinach crunchy?
  A: Cooking it quickly on high heat helps! Overcooking will make it mushy so keep an eye on it.

Garlic Spinach Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• If you don’t have fresh spinach, try using kale or Swiss chard. They both bring a nice twist, though kale might need a bit longer to soften.
• Instead of using fresh garlic cloves, you can use about 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder. It gives a similar flavor, just a bit milder.
• If you’re out of olive oil, avocado or canola oil works pretty well in this recipe. They may alter the taste slightly but still cook up fine.
• Don’t have red pepper flakes? A small pinch of cayenne pepper powder can add that little kick you’re after in the dish.

Pro Tips

Pro Tip 1: Use a wide pan so the spinach has more room to cook evenly and you can avoid overcrowding.
Pro Tip 2: When heating the olive oil, make sure it’s just shimmering before adding the garlic – burnt garlic can ruin the flavor.
Pro Tip 3: If you’re adding red pepper flakes, start with just a small pinch; you can always add more if you like it spicier.
Pro Tip 4: Let the dish rest for a minute off the heat after cooking. That gives the flavors time to mix together nicely.

Okay, so here’s how you can make the garlic spinach:

1. First, heat up the olive oil in a big pan over medium heat until it starts to shimmer a bit.
2. Toss in the minced garlic and stir around for like 30 seconds until it smells real good.
3. Put in all the chopped spinach at once if your pan is big enough. If not, add it in parts so every bit cooks evenly.
4. Sprinkle the salt and black pepper all over the spinach and garlic, and if you’re feeling adventurous, add a pinch of red pepper flakes too.
5. Stir everything really well, but make sure the garlic doesn’t stick around too long and burn, and that the spinach gets a good coating of the oil.
6. Cook it for about 3 to 5 minutes, give it a stir now and then until the spinach is all wilted.
7. Taste it and if you think it needs more salt, add a little more.
8. Turn the heat off and let the spinach sit in the pan for a minute, so all the flavors can mix.
9. Serve it warm straight from the pan and enjoy your yummy garlic spinach!

Hope you have fun cooking and enjoy this simple, tasty dish!