Sautéed Spinach with Garlic, Lemon and Parmesan
This garlicky, lemony sautéed spinach is the easy, flavorful side dish you didn’t know you needed—bright, zesty, and ready in minutes!
Sautéed Spinach Quick Links
This Sautéed Spinach with Lemon and Garlic Has Me Totally Obsessed
Like five years ago—my husband and I randomly ended up at Fire & Ice Restaurant & Bar in Springfield, MO. Don’t ask me what the occasion was (I’ve slept since then), but I think we were in town to pick up our kids from the airport the next morning. Romantic, right?
Anyway, I ordered the salmon—fancy—but it was the side of sautéed spinach that totally caught me off guard. It had this little zing of lemon juice that made me go, “Wait… spinach can taste like this?!” Up until then, I thought spinach was just for salads or Popeye. But this? This was next-level. And ever since that magical forkful, that one meal in that one random place has stuck in my head like a catchy song.
So naturally, I decided I had to recreate it. For years, I’ve been playing around, tossing spinach in a pan like a wannabe chef, and I finally landed on the combo that hits all the right notes.
Sautéed spinach is ridiculously easy to make and, bonus, it’s actually good for you. My version is dressed up with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and a hit of lemon zest—then I finish it off with a sprinkle of parmesan because I’m not a monster. This is the recipe I dream about now… sorry, Fire & Ice. It’s mine now.
Here’s why I can’t shut up about this sautéed spinach—it’s got me straight-up drooling.
- We’re talking 10 minutes max, pan to plate. It’s the lazy cook’s dream side dish that somehow makes you look fancy and put-together.
- A little garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and boom—you’ve got something bright, savory, and slightly zesty that tastes like you know what you’re doing in the kitchen (even if you’re winging it).
- This leafy green is basically a multivitamin in disguise. Full of iron, fiber, antioxidants, and all that good-for-you stuff… but it doesn’t taste like health food. Win-win.
- Steak? Yes. Salmon? Heck yes. Eggs? Absolutely. Sautéed spinach is the ultimate sidekick that makes whatever else is on your plate look and taste better.
If you are now a big fan of spinach like I am, here are some more flavor packed dishes to try: High-Protein Chicken Sausage Egg White Scramble with Spinach, Spinach Artichoke Chicken Pizza and Creamy Gorgonzola Pasta With Tomatoes and Spinach. That last one is a big hit in my house. Have a great time cooking and as always, let me know if you liked it in the comments.
Visual Process for Making Sautéed Spinach with Garlic, Lemon and Parmesan
Step 1
Sauté the Spinach
Heat olive oil in a skillet, sauté garlic till fragrant (but not brown!). Add spinach in batches, stir as it wilts.
Step 2
Seasoning and Parmesan
Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon juice + zest. Finish with a shower of parmesan and toss ’til melty magic happens. Done and delicious!
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Sautéed Spinach with Garlic, Lemon and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or butter if you’re feeling fancy)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 10 oz fresh baby spinach (that’s one standard bag)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- red pepper flakes (optional for a lil’ kick)
- juice of half a lemon (about 1 tbsp)
- zest of half a lemon (optional but so good)
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil until it simmers. Toss in 3 garlic cloves and sauté for about 30 seconds to a minute, just until fragrant—not brown. Burnt garlic = sadness.
- Add 10 oz fresh baby spinach in batches, stirring as it wilts. It’ll look like a mountain of leaves, but it shrinks fast—don’t panic.
- Once the spinach is mostly wilted (about 2–3 minutes), remove it from the heat and stir in ½ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, red pepper flakes juice of half a lemon and zest of half a lemon. Sprinkle ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese over the warm spinach and gently toss to coat. It gets all melty and delicious.
- Plate it warm and dig in! It’s amazing with grilled chicken, steak, pasta, or even eggs.
