This French Spinach recipe made with sautéed garlic and butter is a bistro classic and one of my French Chef husband's favorite dishes. This dish is incredibly easy to make, only takes a few minutes and adds incredible flavor to any meal. Plus you get the added benefits of eating lots of leafy greens.
Julia Child famously shared a Braised Spinach Recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking and used it as a base for many of her recipes including Omelettes, Crêpes, Quiche. This recipe is similar but has the Provençal twist with the garlicky flavor.
(If you love Julia Child as much as I do - check out the tour of her former Georgetown home here before it was sold in 2022)
Ingredients for 2 servings
- ½ pound Fresh Spinach (I used 9oz bag of baby spinach from the grocery store - if you are using garden spinach make sure to remove the stalks before cooking and rinse very well)
- 3 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
- 2 tablespoons of butter (unsalted)
- ¼ teaspoon of flaky French Salt
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium high
- Add in the butter.
- Once the butter begins to melt, add in the garlic. I let the butter get golden brown slightly so that there is a nutty flavor.
- Add the spinach. You may need to add a few handfuls at a time depending on the size of your pan to allow the spinach to reduce in volume before adding more.
- Sautée for 3 -5 minutes until all the spinach is soft and fully cooked. You want the spinach to be soft yet retain its bright green color.
- Remove from pan and serve. It is that simple!
(pro tip - once you have removed the spinach from the pan, toss cooked plain white rice in the pan drippings for extra flavor!)
This recipe is a great alternative to green salad as a side dish.
FAQ
It might seem peculiar that you can start with a big bunch of spinach and end up with just a little handful of braised spinach left but it is not surprising because spinach is 90% water. Never add water when cooking spinach! It becomes runny.
A little salt brings out the flavor, and the garlic adds a delicious kick. No need for much more. A pinch of cayenne or Espelette pepper is perfect if you would like to add some heat.
In theory, yes, Spinach is incredibly nutritious with vitamins C, A and not to forget Iron (merci, Popeye!). Sautéed spinach is a great way to eat a large quantity of spinach in a few bites (much more than you would ever add to a smoothie for example) Adding butter to the recipe adds a lot of flavor but makes it a little bit more rich.
Absolutely. Reverse the process - start with the frozen spinach in the pan at medium high heat to allow all the water to evaporate. Then add in the butter and garlic and cook as instructed in the recipe.
What to serve with French Spinach
My favorite weekend lunch is Roast chicken, French Spinach & some crusty French bread (try this Baguette recipe) to sop up all the delicious juices.
This spinach is perfect on eggs Benedict for an elevated Brunch dish.
I make this dish often during the holiday season. It is a perfect side dish at Thanksgiving or Christmas. Try my Turkey au Vin or Christmas Capon recipes!
French spinach is also a delicious side to Ribeye Steak or Filet Mignon.
Variations:
Sautéed Spinach with cream - add 3 tablespoons of heavy cream to the wilted spinach when it is almost done - allow to come to a simmer, stirring constantly, and serve. Crème Fraîche or sour cream can also be used for this recipe.
Sautéed Spinach with spice - add ¼ teaspoon of Espelette pepper or Cayenne pepper to the spinach as it is cooking
This recipe can be made vegan by substituting olive oil for the butter.
Use this spinach recipe to make a Cheese and Spinach Quiche. Sautée the spinach as instructed before adding the egg mixture into the pastry crust.
Please let me know if you make any of these dishes, it makes me so happy to read your comments on my blog or on Le Chef's Wife Instagram or Pinterest.
Bon Appétit,
Le Chef's Wife
ABOUT LE CHEF'S WIFE
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (5 and 2) and I have a full time job in hospitality in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
Look inside our Kitchen with this recent Washington Post Article. We were recently featured on the TODAY SHOW for our recipes of French Onion Soup Gratinée and Moelleux au Chocolat. You can watch our full segment here:
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French Spinach
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Side dishes
- Method: sautee
- Cuisine: French
Description
This French Spinach recipe made with sautéed garlic and butter is a bistro classic and one of my French Chef husband's favorite dishes. This dish is incredibly easy to make, only takes a few minutes and adds incredible flavor to any meal. Plus you get the added benefits of eating lots of leafy greens.
Ingredients
- ½ pound Fresh Spinach (I used 9oz bag of baby spinach from the grocery store - if you are using garden spinach make sure to remove the stalks before cooking and rinse very well)
- 3 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
- 2 tablespoons of butter (unsalted)
- ¼ teaspoon of flaky French Salt
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium high
- Add in the butter.
- Once the butter begins to melt, add in the garlic. I let the butter get golden brown slightly so that there is a nutty flavor.
- Add the spinach. You may need to add a few handfuls at a time depending on the size of your pan to allow the spinach to reduce in volume before adding more.
- Sautée for 3 -5 minutes until all the spinach is soft and fully cooked. You want the spinach to be soft yet retain its bright green color.
- Remove from pan and serve. It is that simple!
- (pro tip - once you have removed the spinach from the pan, toss cooked plain white rice in the pan drippings for extra flavor!)
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