Description
This Spanish Spinach recipe from the Catalonia region of Spain comes together in no time. Pine nuts and Spinach are added to garlic sauteed spinach. This classic Catalan dish is a fabulous side dish for a weeknight or holiday dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 4 garlic cloves, grated or crushed
- 1 cup raisins
- 2 lbs of frozen spinach, thawed. See Note 1 for fresh spinach
- 1/4-1/2 tsp salt. See Note 3
- Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Make sure the spinach is thawed if it's not thaw it in the microwave
- Using your hands or a fine mesh colander squeeze as much water as you can from the spinach. See Note 2
- In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and sauté pine nuts and raisins in the olive oil at medium heat until the pine nuts start to turn golden, stirring constantly for about a minute. Make sure you don't move away from the stove the pinenuts can easily burn. Set aside
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, add garlic and cook on medium heat for one minute.
- Add spinach, mix well, and cook for about 10 minutes or until all the water that the spinach will release, evaporates.
- Add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt to taste. See Note 3
- Add reserved pine nuts and raisins. Add lemon zest, mix well, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the pine nuts and raisins are warm.
- Serve immediately, drizzle some additional extra virgin olive oil on the spinach, if desired.
- See note 4 to make ahead
Notes
1. You can substitute fresh spinach for frozen. 3.5 pounds of fresh spinach is equivalent to 2 pounds of frozen spinach.
2. To squeeze water out of the spinach you can either take small amounts of spinach in your hands and squeeze excess water, place the spinach in a fine mesh colander and press a large spoon against the spinach to squeeze the water, or take a clean kitchen towel, wrap the spinach and squeeze the water out.
3. Always make sure you salt the spinach after cooking it or you can end up with a very salty dish. Since the excess water from the spinach cooks out it can concentrate the amount of salt used.
4. If you would like to make this Spinach recipe ahead, do not combine the pine nuts and the raisins with the spinach until ready to heat and serve.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Side
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Spain
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 170
- Sugar: 13
- Sodium: 163
- Fat: 8.6
- Saturated Fat: 1.2
- Unsaturated Fat: 6.5
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 22.7
- Fiber: 4.7
- Protein: 5.5
- Cholesterol: 0