Spinach With Mushrooms and Garlic

Butternut pumpkin stuffed with mushroom and spinach.
annick vanderschelden photography / Getty Images
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This easy and nutritious side dish is the 15-minute answer to your dinner predicaments. Great with any main protein, from meat to plant-based choices, this tasty vegetable mixture is ready in no time and is the perfect accompaniment to whatever you are serving. When it's served on top of garlic pasta, you have a vegetarian main; next to steak or rotisserie chicken, it's a complete meal; or stuffed in a wrap with ham and cheese you've got an uncomplicated, quick lunch. The earthy spinach, pungent garlic, and meaty mushrooms are cooked in olive oil, or butter, and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. An optional addition of Parmesan cheese adds a great tangy punch, but you can omit it if want to keep your dish dairy-free.

If you can, choose organic produce if you can, as it carries less pesticides and generally has better flavor and texture. Organic spinach comes in bunches or in five to 16-ounce containers that are really convenient because they come triple washed and ready to use. If you are buying the bunches but not using all of them at once, wash them thoroughly and wrap what you're not using in paper towels to place back in the fridge. This ensures it keeps fresh and won't get mushy because the paper towel will absorb the humidity. As for the mushrooms, use anything you can find, from white to Cremini, or sliced big portobello caps. If you're a fan of garlic but found that buying a whole head of it sometimes leads to waste, simply peel all the cloves and place them in a mason jar, cover with boiling white distilled vinegar, let it come to room temperature, close, and place in the fridge. This will ensure fresh and delicious garlic for many weeks. Once you have all your ingredients ready, it's time for a quick sautee and voilá, you're ready to eat this tasty spinach before you know it.

To serve a plant-based meal, use olive oil and vegan Parmesan instead of butter and regular cheese, but don't miss out on this flavorful combination. Great with fish, turkey, or beef, the spinach is also great as a lasagna layer, mixed with cooked gnocchi, or as the stuffing for a chicken breast. If needed, use frozen thawed spinach (juices drained), which also has a great flavor and despite what people think, brings to your table all the nutrients and flavor, as most frozen produce is processed at the peak of its freshness.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter, or olive oil
  • 1 pound spinach, about 2 bunches
  • 8 ounces mushrooms
  • 2 shallots, small to medium
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 dash ground pepper
  • Optional: 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Trim the stems from the spinach and wash the leaves thoroughly. Tear the leaves into small pieces.

  3. Clean the mushrooms by rinsing just briefly and wiping with paper towels. Remove the stems, if desired, and then slice them.

  4. Peel and mince the shallots.

  5. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter or warm the olive oil. Add the sliced mushrooms and shallots and cook, stirring, ​until mushrooms are tender.

  6. Add the minced garlic, spinach, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook until the spinach is tender.

  7. Sprinkle with fresh shredded Parmesan cheese just before serving, if desired.

  8. Enjoy!

 

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
147 Calories
6g Fat
19g Carbs
9g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 147
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 7%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 4mg 1%
Sodium 311mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Protein 9g
Calcium 258mg 20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)