Sautéed Spinach Recipe

Rinse the spinach in a large bowl of cold water, lift out and drain. Repeat if very sandy. Shake off excess water and spin or pat dry thoroughly. Trim any large stems if desired. Mince the garlic and measure remaining ingredients.

Heat pan

Place a large wide skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter and let the butter melt and foam but not brown, about 1 minute.

Sauté garlic

Add the minced garlic (3 tsp) to the pan and sauté, stirring constantly, until fragrant and just beginning to color, about 30–45 seconds. If using red pepper flakes, add them now.

Add spinach

Add the spinach in batches if necessary, letting each addition wilt slightly before adding more. Use tongs to toss and turn the leaves so they collapse and cook evenly. This should take 2–4 minutes total; spinach wilts quickly.

Season and finish

When all spinach is wilted but still bright green, season with kosher salt (1 tsp) and black pepper (1 tsp). Remove pan from heat, then drizzle the lemon juice (1 tbs) over the spinach and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Serve

Transfer to a warm serving bowl. If using, sprinkle with grated Parmesan (2 tbs) and toasted pine nuts (2 tbs). Serve immediately.