Spinach deserve a place of choice in your kitchen. Their mild flavor and tender texture make them a great ingredient for a variety of dishes. Whether sautéed, steamed, or used raw in salads, here are some cooking tips to get the most out of them.
Prepare the fresh spinach
Before cooking fresh spinach, be sure to wash it thoroughly to remove any dirt or sand. Also remove tough stems, especially for more mature leaves. Once washed and prepared, spinach can be used in multiple ways.
How to cook spinach?
Spinach can be cooked in different ways: steamed, pan-fried, or even boiled. To best preserve their nutrients, rapid cooking is often recommended. Be careful not to overcook the spinach to prevent it from becoming too soft and losing its color.
Cooking Tips
The mistake to avoid when cooking spinach is to overcook it. This can lead to a loss of their nutrients as well as a wilted and bland texture. To preserve their flavor and nutritional benefits, it is recommended to cook them just enough to become tender, but not so long that they become too soft. Be careful, to avoid a flabby texture and loss of flavor, don’t make the mistake of blanching the spinach too much.
Opt for rapid cooking with steam or low heat to maintain their freshness.
- To steam, place the spinach in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water. Cover and cook for a few minutes until just tender.
- For a quick and tasty cooking method, sauté the spinach in a little olive oil with some minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to enhance the flavor.
- You can also boil spinach for a few minutes before draining it and adding it to dishes like soups, stir-fries or quiches.
What can you pair with spinach?
Spinach pairs well with a multitude of ingredients. Try pairing them with cheeses like parmesan or feta, dried fruits like grapes or cranberries, or even nuts like pine nuts or almonds. Spinach is also delicious with spices like nutmeg, cumin or paprika.
