Best Spinach Recipes
Spinach cooks down to nothing. One pound of fresh leaves becomes 1 cup cooked. That's why recipes call for what seems like absurd amounts. 5 ounces of baby spinach fills a salad bowl but wilts to 2 servings.
Fresh spinach lasts 3-5 days in the crisper drawer. Store it unwashed in the plastic clamshell or wrapped in paper towels inside a produce bag. Frozen spinach keeps 8 months and works better than fresh in dips, casseroles, and anything baked.
The recipes below use both fresh and frozen spinach. Check which type each recipe needs. They're not interchangeable without adjusting liquid amounts. Frozen spinach contains 90% water that fresh doesn't have.
The Recipes
Morton's Steakhouse Creamed Spinach Recipe
The steakhouse classic uses 3 pounds of fresh spinach, heavy cream, and a full stick of butter. Takes 35 minutes total. The secret is cooking the spinach in batches so it wilts evenly, then mixing it with a flour-butter roux that thickens the cream.
One-Pan Spinach Artichoke Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes
Everything cooks in one skillet in 30 minutes. Sear chicken thighs skin-side down for 6 minutes until crispy. Add artichokes, sundried tomatoes, and 5 ounces fresh spinach in the last 3 minutes. The spinach wilts into the pan juices.
Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup with Spinach and Parmesan
Ready in 30 minutes using refrigerated tortellini. Brown 1 pound Italian sausage first, then simmer with broth and tomatoes. Add tortellini for 5 minutes, spinach for the last 2. Serves 6 with crusty bread.
Cheesy Rigatoni Skillet with Mushrooms and Spinach
One-pot pasta dinner in 30 minutes. The rigatoni cooks directly in the sauce, absorbing flavor. Add 4 cups fresh spinach at the end. It looks like a mountain but wilts to the perfect amount. Top with 3 cheeses.
Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Spinach
Box mac and cheese gets an upgrade with store-bought pesto and fresh spinach. The whole thing takes 15 minutes. Stir 3 tablespoons pesto into the cheese sauce, then fold in 2 cups fresh spinach until wilted.
Creamy White Bean and Spinach Quesadillas with Pepper Jack
Mash half the white beans for creaminess, leave half whole for texture. Mix with 1 cup thawed frozen spinach (squeezed dry) and pepper jack. Cook quesadillas 3 minutes per side until golden. Makes 4 quesadillas in 20 minutes.
Mediterranean Quinoa Spinach Chickpea Salad with Feta
Meal prep winner that lasts 4 days in the fridge. Cook 1 cup quinoa in vegetable broth for more flavor. Mix with chickpeas, 3 cups fresh spinach, feta, and lemon vinaigrette. The spinach stays crisp if you add it just before eating.
High-Protein Chicken Spinach Breakfast Casserole with Feta
Make Sunday, eat all week. 10 eggs, 2 pounds ground chicken, 10 ounces frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed), plus feta. Bakes at 350°F for 35 minutes. Each of 8 servings has 35 grams protein.
Creamy Tuscan Spaghetti Squash with Spinach and Artichokes
Spaghetti squash roasts for 45 minutes at 400°F while you make the creamy sauce. Mix the squash strands with sauce, 3 cups fresh spinach, and marinated artichokes. Low-carb dinner that tastes nt.
Mediterranean Hummus Flatbread with Spinach and Pesto
Store-bought flatbread plus 5 ingredients equals dinner in 17 minutes. Spread hummus on naan, top with fresh spinach, pesto dots, and feta. Bake at 425°F for 12 minutes. Cut into wedges for appetizers or squares for dinner.
Mini Cheese and Spinach Frittatas with Leeks
Muffin tin frittatas perfect for meal prep. 8 eggs, 1 cup frozen spinach (squeezed dry), sautéed leeks, and gruyere cheese. Bake at 350°F for 18 minutes. They freeze for 2 months and reheat in 90 seconds.
Gluten Free Greek Spinach Feta Pastries with Chebe Dough
Spanakopita goes gluten-free with Chebe bread mix. The filling needs 2 pounds frozen spinach, squeezed until your hands hurt. Mix with crumbled feta, eggs, and dill. Shape into triangles, bake 25 minutes at 375°F.
Gluten-Free Spinach Feta Noodle Kugel Baked Casserole
Jewish comfort food made with gluten-free noodles. Mix 12 ounces cooked noodles with 5 eggs, cottage cheese, 10 ounces frozen spinach (squeezed), and feta. Bakes for 45 minutes at 350°F until golden on top.
Creamy Sweet Potato Chicken Soup with Spinach
Sweet potatoes cook in 20 minutes and blend into a silky base. Add shredded rotisserie chicken and 4 cups fresh spinach in the last 2 minutes. The spinach wilts perfectly without overcooking. Serves 6.
Creamy Tuscan Sausage Pasta with Spinach
Restaurant-quality in 30 minutes. Brown Italian sausage, make cream sauce in same pan. Toss with pasta and 3 cups baby spinach. The hot pasta wilts the spinach perfectly. Finish with sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan.
Slow Cooker Sausage Bean and Vegetable Soup with Spinach
Dump everything except spinach in the slow cooker. Cook on low 6 hours. Stir in 4 cups fresh spinach during the last 10 minutes. It wilts into the hot soup without turning mushy. Makes 8 servings.
Ground Turkey Mushroom Soup with Spinach
Lighter than beef but still hearty. Brown 1.5 pounds ground turkey with mushrooms. Simmer with broth and tomatoes for 30 minutes. Add 5 ounces baby spinach at the end. Each bowl has 28 grams protein.
Smoky Honey Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach
Smoked paprika plus honey makes the dressing. Use rotisserie chicken to save time. Toss hot pasta with dressing, then add 3 cups fresh spinach. It wilts slightly but stays bright green. Serve warm or chilled.
Lemon Parmesan Chicken Pasta with Wilted Spinach
Pound chicken thin so it cooks in 4 minutes per side. Make lemon-butter sauce in the same pan. Toss with pasta and 4 cups spinach. The spinach wilts from the hot pasta. Dinner in 25 minutes.
No-Bake Spinach Artichoke Dip with Cream Cheese
Mix and serve in 5 minutes. Combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed), and chopped artichokes. Microwave 2 minutes to warm through. Tastes like you fussed for hours.
Creamy Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells with Ricotta and Spinach
Roasted butternut squash gets mashed with ricotta and 10 ounces frozen spinach. Stuff into shells, top with bechamel sauce. Bakes at 375°F for 30 minutes. Make ahead and freeze for easy dinners.
Cheesy Spinach Cannelloni with Three-Cheese Filling
Worth the 65-minute time investment. Mix ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan with 2 cups frozen spinach (squeezed dry). Pipe into cannelloni tubes using a zip-top bag. Cover with bechamel and more cheese. Feeds 6.
Fresh Blueberry Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Almonds
The blueberries burst when you bite them, balancing the tangy goat cheese. Use 6 cups baby spinach, 1.5 cups fresh blueberries, 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese, and 1/2 cup toasted almonds. Ready in 15 minutes.
Fresh Spinach Salad with Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
Basic vinaigrette uses a 3:1 oil to vinegar ratio. Whisk 3 tablespoons olive oil with 1 tablespoon balsamic, Dijon, and honey. Toss with 8 cups fresh spinach. Add whatever's in the fridge. Quick lunch for 4.
Honey Roasted Parsnip Wild Rice Spinach Salad
Roast parsnips at 425°F for 25 minutes until caramelized. Cook wild rice in broth (45 minutes). Toss warm components with 6 cups fresh spinach. The heat slightly wilts the leaves. Hearty enough for dinner.
Planning Tips
- 1
Buy pre-washed spinach to save 10 minutes of prep time. Check the bag date. Spinach goes slimy fast. The leaves should look dry and springy, not wet or compressed.
- 2
Frozen spinach measurements assume it's thawed and squeezed. One 10-ounce frozen package equals 1 cup after squeezing. Don't skip the squeezing or your recipe turns watery.
- 3
Add spinach last to hot dishes. It needs 30 seconds to 2 minutes max. Longer cooking turns it army green and releases bitter compounds. Turn off heat, stir in spinach, let residual heat wilt it.
- 4
Store fresh spinach with a paper towel in the container. It absorbs excess moisture that causes rot. Change the towel every 2 days. Properly stored spinach lasts a full week.
- 5
Season spinach dishes aggressively. The leaves are 92% water and dilute flavors. Use 25% more salt, garlic, and spices than seems right. Nutmeg specifically makes spinach taste less metallic.
- 6
Buy baby spinach for salads, mature spinach for cooking. Baby leaves cost twice as much per pound but have tender stems you can eat. Mature spinach has tough stems that need removing but gives more volume for cooking.
Complete Menu Ideas
Quick weeknight dinner: Creamy Tuscan Sausage Pasta with Spinach takes 30 minutes total. Serve with garlic bread and Fresh Spinach Salad with Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette. The whole meal takes 35 minutes if you make the salad while pasta cooks.
Make-ahead brunch for 8: High-Protein Chicken Spinach Breakfast Casserole with Feta, Mini Cheese and Spinach Frittatas with Leeks, and Fresh Blueberry Spinach Salad. Casserole and frittatas can be made the night before, salad assembled just before serving.
Mediterranean mezze spread: Mediterranean Hummus Flatbread with Spinach and Pesto cut into triangles, Gluten-Free Greek Spinach Feta Pastries, and No-Bake Spinach Artichoke Dip. Everything except flatbread can be made 2 days ahead. Serves 10-12 as appetizers.
Soup and salad lunch combo: Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup with 2 cups extra spinach stirred in, plus half portion of Mediterranean Quinoa Spinach Chickpea Salad. Make soup in 30 minutes while quinoa cooks. Serves 4 generously.
Low-carb dinner: Creamy Tuscan Spaghetti Squash with Spinach and Artichokes paired with simple grilled chicken. The squash roasts for 45 minutes hands-off. Add extra spinach to boost the vegetable content without adding carbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much spinach should I buy for cooking?
Buy 5 ounces fresh spinach per person for wilted or sautéed spinach. For recipes where it's mixed in (pasta, soup), use 2-3 ounces per person. One pound of fresh spinach cooks down to 1 cup. A 10-ounce box of frozen spinach equals 1 pound fresh after cooking. Triple amounts for spinach as the main vegetable.
Can I substitute frozen spinach for fresh?
Yes, with adjustments. Use 1 cup thawed and squeezed frozen spinach for every 5 ounces (5 cups) fresh. Frozen works better in cooked dishes like dips, casseroles, and soups. Never use frozen in salads. Always squeeze frozen spinach until no water comes out. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel and wring hard. Skip this and your dish becomes watery.
Why does my cooked spinach taste bitter?
Overcooking releases oxalic acid, which tastes bitter and metallic. Cook spinach for 30 seconds to 2 minutes maximum. Add it off heat when possible. A pinch of sugar or nutmeg masks slight bitterness. Mature spinach tastes more bitter than baby spinach. Remove thick stems from mature leaves, as they're the most bitter part.
How do I keep spinach from making my dish watery?
Squeeze the water out mercilessly. Fresh spinach is 92% water, frozen is pre-cooked and waterlogged. For frozen: thaw completely, squeeze in a kitchen towel until your hands hurt, then squeeze again. For fresh: cook it first, drain, cool, then squeeze. Salt draws out water too. Salt fresh spinach 10 minutes before cooking, then squeeze.
What's the best way to clean fresh spinach?
Fill a large bowl with cold water. Add spinach, swish for 30 seconds, lift out (don't pour, which redistributes grit). Repeat 2-3 times until no sand settles in bowl. Spin dry or pat with towels. Pre-washed still needs one rinse. Farm-fresh needs 3-4 rinses. Sandy spinach ruins entire dishes.