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This quick and easy Sautéed Spinach With Garlic is a simple healthy side dish that will go with any meal. It only takes 5 minute to make it and it is loaded with flavor and nutrition. Vegan, Gluten Free, Paleo and Low-Carb.

The best cooked spinach with garlic
I am all about eating more greens to feel my best everyday! Who’s with me? Greens are a great way to get those vitamins into our bodies and what better way to enjoy greens like spinach than in this amazing Sautéed Spinach With Garlic recipe.
This spinach is packed with flavor because it is lightly wilted and sautéed with butter (yes you can eat butter and still eat healthfully), olive oil and bits of garlic that just bring out the vibrant flavours of this healthy side dish.
This is the perfect recipe to make for easy meal prep that you can add to almost any meal. I love to have it with eggs like in this Spinach Feta Wrap or this Healthy Breakfast Sandwich.
Why you will love this easy recipe
- It is a super healthy way to cook spinach and enjoy it with so many meals
- Takes 5-10 minutes to make!
- Hearty spinach cooked with a little butter and garlic, hello! So good!
- It may actually get your kids to eat spinach.
- A prefect meal prep recipe
Is sautéed spinach healthy?
Spinach is a hearty green that doesn’t actually have that much flavor when eaten raw. Unless you pair it with other complimentary ingredients like in this Healthy Baked Falafel Buddha Bowl.
- Spinach contains loads of nutrition that is great for our bodies like Vitamin C, Vitamins A, Iron, and plant protein.
- It is also very low in calories (almost none)
- Spinach contains a lot of water that is hydrating for your body, especially your skin.
- Eating spinach can lower your cholesterol
- It helps fish inflmation
- Promotes good eye-sight
All good things that make this spinach recipe a winner!
See more: Healthy side dishes for dinner success!
Ingredients needed to make this recipe

How to make this Sautéed Spinach with garlic
- Prep the spinach. Wash and dry the spinach if it is not already washed. If you bought packaged spinach then just make sure it was washed first. If not, then you can just place it into a strainer and rinse it under some running water to get any excess dirt off of it. Then run it through a salad spinner to get it nice and dry.
- Sauté the oil, butter and garlic. Heat up a nonstick pan to medium-low heat, add the butter and oil. Once the butter is melted then add in the minced garlic. Swirl the garlic around in the butter and oil and sprinkle everything with salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the spinach. Place the spinach into the pan with the garlic butter sauce and toss it a little bit to start to cook it. Use tongs to turn the spinach in the pan as it cooks. It will seem like a lot of spinach but it will cook down a lot.
- Cook until wilted. Keep Turing the spinach in the pan every now and then as it cooks to coat it all in the incredible butter and garlic.
- Season. Season the spinach with salt and pepper. Once it is done cooking and all of the spinach has cooked down, remove it from the heat, sprinkle it with some lemon juice and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little bit of heat. You can also add some grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, which goes so well with sautéed spinach.
- Serve it with some rice and a protein of your choice like this Crispy Breaded Air-Fryer Chicken.
Melt the butter and add garlic Add the spinach Toss and cook Sprinkle with lemon juice, salt & pepper Add red pepper flakes for spice
This recipe is so easy and a great way to start cooking if you are new to it or are looking to get into it. Very easy and pretty tough to mess this one up. You just want to make sure the heat on the stove is on medium-low so you don’t end up burning the garlic or the spinach.
What spices pair well with spinach?
Spinach is such a no-fuss vegetable that goes with so many different spices. Here are a few of my favorites!
- Basil
- Thyme
- Turmeric
- Chili powder
- Ginger
- Cumin
- Coriander
For even more aromatics you can sauté some of these veggies before adding the spinach to the pan to really bring out it’s flavour.
- Garlic – like in this recipe
- Onions
- Shallot
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Spicy peppers
How to remove the bitterness from the sautéed spinach
The best way to get rid of any bitter taste once the spinach is cooked, would be to add a hint of citrus like lemon to the spinach. To do this, once it is cooked simply squeeze some fresh lemon or lime juice over the spinach.
Can you use frozen spinach in this recipe?
This recipe is best with fresh spinach leaves. Frozen spinach will likely be more soggy, watery and not as flavourful as using fresh spinach.
Can you make this recipe for meal prep?
Yes! This sautéed spinach is perfect for meal prep since it can be paired with so many meals throughout the week. Plus it takes less than 10 minutes to make it.
Cook it, let it cool completely and then store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Tips for cooking spinach
- Use fresh spinach. I have actually tried to defrost and sauté frozen spinach and it does not work. For this recipe, fresh spinach is a must. I used a 10oz package of fresh spinach that I bought from my local grocery store.
- Select good quality olive oil and butter. Since these are the ingredients that give the spinach a good amount of flavor it is important that you use higher quality. I like Kerrygold butter and whatever good quality olive oil you prefer.
- Keep the heat lower. Medium heat works best in this recipe so you do not burn the garlic or spinach.
- Try to use a non-stick pan. Using a non-stick pan will allow you to swirl the butter, oil and garlic before you add the spinach and will help prevent the spinach from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Plus it will be super easy to clean.
What to serve with sautéed spinach
Spinach is a very versatile food and goes well with so many things. Here are a few of my favorite foods you can pair with this sautéed spinach to make it a complete meal.
- This 15 Minute Air Fryer Chicken would be a perfect dish to serve with this spinach along with some Mashed Butternut Squash or Mashed Sweet Potatoes.
- You can make this spinach as a meal prep recipe and add it to dishes liked this Spinach and Feta Breakfast Wrap, this Pumpkin Spinach Lasagna, or this Butternut Squash Lasagna with Spinach
- Pile it onto a burger, such as this Healthy Back Bean Burger, Chickpea Cauliflower Burger, or this Healthy Turkey Burger.
This sautéed spinach with garlic would also be great on gluten free pizza, in healthy turkey meatloaf or mixed in with some mashed sweet potatoes.
Other delicious recipes with spinach
I love spinach a lot since it is low in calories and packed with nutrition. I actually eat it almost every day. Here are some of my favorite recipes with spinach.
- Veggie Egg White Bites
- Simple Green Smoothie
- Skinny Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups
- Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Mini Peppers
- Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Creamy Cauliflower Gnocchi
I hope you try this recipe! If you do then would you please leave me a rating and comment below, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram with @pinchmegoodfood.
Print
Simple Sautéed Spinach With Garlic
- Total Time: 7 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This quick and easy 5 minute Sautéed Spinach With Garlic is a simple healthy side dish that will go with any meal. Hearty vibrant and fresh spinach leaves sautéed with salty butter and tiny bits of garlic until soft and so tasty. Sprinkled with lemon and a hint of spicy red pepper flakes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter – I used Kerrygold Butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic – minced
- 10 oz fresh spinach
Instructions
- Prep the spinach. Wash and dry the spinach if it is not already washed. If you bought packaged spinach then just make sure it was washed first. If not, then you can just place it into a strainer and rinse it under some running water to get any excess dirt off of it. Then run it through a salad spinner to get it nice and dry.
- Sauté the oil, butter and garlic. Heat up a nonstick pan to medium-low heat, add the butter and oil. Once the butter and oil is melted then add in the minced garlic. Swirl the garlic around in the butter and oil and sprinkle everything with salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the spinach. Place the spinach into the pan with the garlic butter sauce and toss it a little bit to start to cook it. Use tongs to turn the spinach in the pan as it cooks. It will seem like a lot of spinach but it will cook down a lot.
- Cook until wilted. Keep Turing the spinach in the pan every now and then as it cooks to coat it all in the incredible butter and garlic. This should only take a few minutes.
- Season. Season the spinach with salt and pepper. Once it is done cooking and all of the spinach has cooked down, remove it from the heat, sprinkle it with some lemon juice and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little bit of heat. You can also add some grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, which goes so well with sautéed spinach.
- Serve it with some rice and a protein of your choice like this Crispy Breaded Air-Fryer Chicken.
Notes
- Use fresh spinach. I have actually tried to defrost and sautéed frozen spinach and it does not work. For this recipe, fresh spinach is a must. I used a 10oz package of fresh spinach that I bought from my local grocery store.
- Select good quality olive oil and butter. Since these are the ingredients that give the spinach a good amount of flavor it is important that you use higher quality. I like Kerrygold butter and whatever good quality olive oil you prefer.
- Keep the heat lower. Medium heat works best in this recipe so you do not burn the garlic or spinach.
- Try to use a non-stick pan. Using a non-stick pan will allow you to swirl the butter, oil and garlic before you add the spinach and will help prevent the spinach from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Plus it will be super easy to clean.
- To store: Let the spinach Cool completely. Then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 2 Minutes
- Cook Time: 5 Minutes
- Category: healthy side dishes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: sautéed spinach, parmesan, spinach
I saute mushrooms with the garlic, olive oil & butter, then add the spinach when the mushrooms are nearly done. What a healthy & delicious side dish!
★★★★★
Hi Mary Ann, I love how you added in the mushrooms. It sounds delicious!