Sauteed Spinach Recipe: 5 Ways to Use Sauteed Spinach

Sauteed spinach is a dish of fresh spinach (Spinacia oleracea) or frozen spinach sauteed in olive oil, often with minced garlic. Cooked spinach is versatile in that it takes on many different savory flavorings well. Spinach leaves are a good source of calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium. The leafy greens are also low in cholesterol, low-carb, and gluten-free.

The dish appears in various cuisine types, such as Italian, Greek, and Persian (spinach reportedly originated in ancient Persia). In the southern United States, spinach side dishes include a mix of sauteed spinach with other sauteed greens like Swiss chard or collard greens.

You can use sauteed spinach as a stand-alone side dish, a filling, or a dip, among other ways. Here are five ways to use sauteed spinach:

1. 1. Frittata or quiche: Sauteed spinach enhances either one of these baked egg dishes—a frittata or a quiche. Once the spinach cooks, squeeze out any extra liquid and distribute the spinach evenly among the egg mixture. You can add parmesan, shallots, and other veggies like bell peppers.
2. 2. Ravioli filling: Mix sauteed spinach with ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and minced garlic cloves, then add a dollop of the mixture to the inside of ravioli pasta dough. You can use this creamy spinach filling for other Italian pasta dishes, such as lasagna, manicotti, or stuffed shells.
3. 3. Side dish: Saute baby spinach in olive oil with garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper for an easy side to roasted chicken thighs, baked chicken breasts, or a classic meatloaf. Add some red pepper flakes to the spinach for a spicy kick. You can add cream or cream cheese to make creamed spinach.
4. 4. Spanakopita: A Greek spinach pie, spanakopita recipes call for sauteed spinach, feta cheese, garlic, and onions wrapped in phyllo dough. You then bake it until your ingredients cook and you have crispy phyllo dough. You can use frozen spinach for this, but make sure to defrost it first and squeeze out the moisture before you saute it.
5. 5. Spinach artichoke dip: This dip focuses heavily on sauteed spinach mixed with artichoke hearts, cream cheese, garlic, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Bake everything in a dish or in a bread bowl until the cheesy spinach mixture is hot and bubbly.