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What are Some Different Ways to Serve Spinach?

Diana Bocco
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Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 20,621
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Spinach is a great source of anti-oxidants, folic acid, magnesium and vitamin K. It is also high in fiber and an excellent source of vitamin C. While it can be served raw or cooked, cooking the leaves brings out certain antioxidants that make the vegetable even healthier.

The healthiest way to cook spinach is to steam it in a large pot. Because the vegetable is high in water, only a small amount of extra liquid is needed during steaming. This also means that the size of the leaves is reduced significantly after cooking. Spinach can also be cooked in a steamer placed over a pot of boiling water, with the leaves never actually touching the water. Microwaving is a great way to cook it because it preserves the nutritional value of the vegetable. When cooking in the microwave, no water needs to be added; spinach can simply be placed in a dish and cooked for about five minutes, or until tender.

Chopped spinach is an excellent add-on to soufflés and omelets, and is often used as a filler for everything from pasta to chicken breasts. Sautéeing the leaves in butter or olive oil brings a different flavor and texture to the vegetable, and it's a great way to prepare it to be added later to dishes. If you wish to preserve the dark color, however, you should blanch the leaves before using them in any dish. This can be done by boiling the leaves for about two minutes in plain water. Blanching also extends the life of the leaves, as uncooked spinach only lasts in the refrigerator for a few days.

Uncooked spinach can be used in salads and combined with mushrooms and onions for a quick and healthy option to the typical lettuce salad. Another great way to use it is to chop it completely and then combine it with sour cream and Parmesan cheese to be used as a dip. The leaves are often seasoned with nutmeg, mint, or roasted cumin. Yogurt is also a popular topping for cooked spinach.

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Diana Bocco
By Diana Bocco
Diana Bocco, a versatile writer with a distinct voice, creates compelling long-form and short-form content for various businesses. With a data-focused approach and a talent for sharing engaging stories, Diana’s written work gets noticed and drives results.

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Discussion Comments
By Ted41 — On Aug 27, 2012

@JessicaLynn - It's a good thing you usually buy organic spinach. Everyone should! From what I've read, spinach is a vegetable you should always buy organic. Apparently it absorbs pesticides really well, so if you're going to buy one thing organic, it should be spinach.

By JessicaLynn — On Aug 27, 2012

I love spinach. It's so versatile! You can eat it cooked or raw, as a side dish or as the main course as part of a salad. I usually buy a container of organic spinach on every shopping trip, and I always use it before it goes bad.

I like to add a little bit of spinach to my scrambled eggs in the morning, and I love to make a spinach salad. My favorite spinach salad is spinach, blueberries, goat cheese, walnuts and chicken, topped with a raspberry vinaigrette. I call it my "super food salad" because blueberries are supposed to be really good for you too!

By Monika — On Aug 26, 2012

@betterment - I agree. There are a ton of vegetables out there that are really good for you. There's no need to torture yourself by trying to eat the one vegetable you don't like! I personally hate peas, and I never eat them.

By betterment — On Aug 25, 2012

@ddljohn - It's sad that you just don't like spinach, because it really is very good for you. As the article said, it's full of antioxidants and vitamins. And if you believe the Popeye cartoons, eating spinach also makes you strong!

However, if you really, truly don't like spinach, you shouldn't force yourself to eat it. There are a lot of other vegetables that contain antioxidants (like berries) and there are a lot of other green veggies you can try to. Maybe try collard greens or mustard greens and see what you think? Or try kale, which is also supposed to be very good for you.

By serenesurface — On Aug 25, 2012

@ddljohn-- Not me! I love spinach and I can eat it in any shape or form.

But my favorite spinach recipes are spinach omelets and spinach quiche. Especially quiche is so good! I make mine with onion, milk and lots of spinach and cheddar cheese.

I think spinach is perfect for breakfast because it cooks so fast. Sometimes I buy pre-washed baby spinach and I will add that to the pan when I'm making omelets. It cooks in two minutes so it's like the perfect omelet ingredient.

By burcinc — On Aug 25, 2012

@ddljohn-- Have you ever tried those Greek pastries with spinach and feta cheese in them called "spanakopita"?

I used to be like you, I hated spinach, until I had this pastry. It's really very delicious. The funny part is, you don't taste the spinach all that much. The phyllo dough and the feta cheese sort of mask the flavor. You won't even realizing that you are having spinach.

I think you should try spanakopita. It might be the one food made with spinach that you actually like. You can make it yourself at home and many Mediterranean restaurants offer it too.

By ddljohn — On Aug 24, 2012

I can't eat spinach because I've never liked it. I know it's really good for me and very nutritious, but I think it tastes like grass. Growing up, my mom tried many different recipes to try to get me to eat spinach and none of them worked.

It's not that I didn't try. I've tried many different types of spinach dishes. Everything from fresh baby spinach in salads, to creamed spinach and spinach with pasta. Nope, I can't eat it.

If one day I do find a spinach recipe I actually like, it will be a very big deal for me.

By JackWhack — On Aug 23, 2012

No matter what kind of smoothie or shake you choose to make, you can always sneak in some spinach for vitamins. If you just add a handful, chances are that you won't even be able to taste it.

I have had banana and even chocolate milkshakes with a few spinach leaves blended in, and I could not detect them. My sister-in-law said that she sneaks them into all the smoothies that she makes for her kids, because they would not eat spinach otherwise.

There is one liquid drink that uses spinach, but it doesn't have to be a secret ingredient in this one, because it is a health drink. I juice some carrots, an apple, and some spinach and add a sprinkle of lemon juice and ginger. The result is a supercharged healthy juice that has an interesting and surprisingly addictive flavor.

By cloudel — On Aug 23, 2012

@wavy58 – Spinach makes an excellent filler. I think that spinach's flavor is highly influenced by whatever juice or dressing you add to it, so that makes it perfect for using in salads.

I'm not a fan of lettuce as a filler in salads, because it has no nutritional value. Spinach is just full of vitamins, and it actually has a little bit of flavor of its own. I don't know why anyone would choose lettuce over spinach.

I like eating spinach with a tomato and croutons in a salad. I drizzle some Italian dressing across it, and the flavors meld together. The tomato juice and the dressing both enhance the spinach.

By wavy58 — On Aug 22, 2012

I once ordered a shrimp and spinach meal from a restaurant that tasted awesome. The shrimp had been grilled and had a bit of a bacon flavor to it.

The shrimp were lying on a bed of spinach with bits of bacon and tomato tossed into the mix. It was a very light lunch, but it was so delicious that I haven't forgotten it, even though I last ate it five years ago.

I think that the bacon grease probably made the spinach taste so yummy. I have had raw spinach by itself before, and it just wasn't good. However, when I eat it mixed with other flavorful stuff, I love it.

By shell4life — On Aug 21, 2012

I tried to blanch some raw spinach leaves once, but they turned into a wet, wilted mess. I had heard that you should use a salad spinner after blanching them to get the excess water out, but I didn't have one.

I just don't like the way that spinach tastes once it has been cooked. It takes on a deeper, more bitter flavor that just makes me gag a little. I will stick to eating it raw.

By anon251518 — On Mar 01, 2012

Steaming spinach is not the healthiest. Fat is needed to absorb the fat soluble vitamins in the vegetables. That's why all vegetables taste better accompanied by some form of fat (but not fake veggie oil fats). Organic cold pressed olive oil, various dressings, grass-fed butter, preservative-free bacon fat. Go ahead. It's actually good for you!

By anon158314 — On Mar 06, 2011

fresh spinach, dried cranberries, slivered almonds, sunflower seeds, crumbled cheese, raisins, shredded carrots, with a sweet, light dressing --yummers.

By subway11 — On Jan 10, 2011

Crispety-When I make a salad with spinach I first include the spinach with bacon and then add the Laughing Cow cheese and it is delicious.

Also, if you sprinkle a little of garlic on your spinach and microwave the combination you can have a low fat and nutritious side dish to any meal. You only have to microwave it for about thirty seconds.

It is really an easy spinach recipe.

By Crispety — On Jan 08, 2011

Mentirosa- That sounds delicious. I really love spinach because it does give me so much energy. Sometimes I will apply some spinach salad with my pasta or chicken.

I really offers a more hearty and robust taste. I also love spinach dip, but I have to be careful because unlike spinach salad, spinach dip is very high in fat.

By mentirosa — On Aug 02, 2008

A versatile and healthy vegetable. I like creamed spinach. After I steam it, I cool it slightly, then chop it, and add it to a light roux. Then I add some cool milk, salt and pepper and warm thoroughly. It is good, even children like it.

Diana Bocco
Diana Bocco
Diana Bocco, a versatile writer with a distinct voice, creates compelling long-form and short-form content for various...
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