Side · vegetable
Garlicky Sautéed Spinach
Garlic-forward sautéed spinach, wilted fast so it stays green instead of going to mush.
Active8 min
Total8 min
Dishes1
Per serving$1.00
Ingredients · 4 servings
| 10 oz | spinach grow it ↗ |
| 3 cloves | garlic grow it ↗ |
| olive oil · pantry | |
| kosher salt · pantry | |
| red chili flakes grow it ↗ · pantry |
Method
The chef moveAdd the spinach in batches, not all at once — a cold pile of spinach dumped in drops the pan's temperature and steams instead of sautés.
- Warm oil, add sliced garlic and chili flakes, cook until fragrant but not browned, 30 sec.
- Add spinach in two or three batches, letting each wilt before adding more. Toss constantly.
- Salt and serve immediately.
The Why · No Anecdotes
The science, not a story about my childhood.
Why add the spinach in batches instead of all at once?
Spinach is almost entirely water, and a cold pile of it dumped into a hot pan drops the pan's surface temperature fast — enough to tip the cooking method from a quick saute into a slow steam. Adding it a couple handfuls at a time keeps the pan hot enough that each batch wilts fast instead of stewing.