This Wilted Lemon Garlic Spinach is a quick and easy steamed spinach side dish to serve with grilled chicken or fish.

A skillet filled with steamed spinach.

I have been making this Wilted Lemon Garlic Spinach as a side dish for years.  It really goes great with salmon and grilled chicken. 

A steamer basket filled with fresh spinach leaves.

In Italy, this Wilted Lemon Garlic Spinach is known as Spinaci del Monaco or The Monk’s Spinach due to the humble ingredients.  Four simple ingredients….spinach (I like to make it with tender leaves of baby spinach) olive oil, garlic and lemon.  You can add a little lemon zest for an extra burst of flavor or add some shavings of Parmesan cheese to spiff it up a bit.

Steamed Spinach Recipe

  • Fresh spinach
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Fresh garlic
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Fresh lemon juice

How To Make Steamed Spinach

This lemon garlic spinach is steamed first then the wilted leaves are sauteed with olive oil and garlic.

  1. Rinse the spinach well and trim off any tough stems.
  2. Quickly steam the spinach until the leaves gently wilt.
  3. Refresh under cold water – then drain and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess water.
  4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Add the garlic and cook on low until the garlic starts to turn golden.

A white plate filled with cooked green vegetables.

Spinach is one of the vegetables that I buy at the market weekly.  I like to add it by the fistfuls to my smoothies in the mornings.  I also like to mix it with my Romaine when I’m making salads.  And I love to throw this sautéed lemony spinach together on a whim for a side dish.  I always have spinach, lemons and garlic on hand, so it’s an easy one for me to make.   

Looking For More Vegetable Side Dish Recipes?

A skilled filled with steamed spinach.
Yield: 4 servings

Monk Spinach

Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

This Wilted Lemon Garlic Spinach is a quick and easy steamed spinach side dish to serve with grilled chicken or fish.

Ingredients

  • 2 large bunches of spinach
  • 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 lemon

Instructions

  1. Rinse the spinach well and trim off any tough stems.
  2. Quickly steam the spinach until the leaves gently wilt.
  3. Refresh under cold water - then drain and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess water.
  4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Add the garlic and cook on low until the garlic starts to turn golden.
  5. Add the spinach and cook for just a minute or two stirring with a spatula so the spinach absorbs the flavors of the olive oil and garlic.  (You don't want to over-cook the spinach).
  6. Remove from heat.
  7. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 a lemon over the cooked spinach.  Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  8. Serve with wedges of lemon.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 79Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 106mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 2g

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