How to Cook Baby Spinach
Rinse and dry the spinach., Cut the spinach if you wish., Saute the spinach in a skillet., Try boiling your spinach., Steam the spinach.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Rinse and dry the spinach.
Fill a bowl or clean sink with your fresh baby spinach and enough cool, clean water to cover it.
Swish the spinach around to clean it, then remove it to dry with a towel.After moving the spinach around in the water, avoid further agitation so that any dirt removed from the leaves can settle to the bottom.
Remove the spinach by hand or with tongs after washing so that you can dispose of the dirty water.
Repeat if necessary.
You can dry the spinach in a salad spinner if you have one, but patting it dry on a clean towel or paper towel should be all that is necessary to remove most excess water. -
Step 2: Cut the spinach if you wish.
Remove the stems of the leaves if you prefer not to eat them, and cut the leaves into pieces if you wish or if your recipe calls for it.
The stems are perfectly edible, but can be slightly tougher or stringier than the leaves when eating.
If you cook down your spinach to a soft texture, you will likely not even notice this difference.
In addition to any cutting, the baby spinach will reduce its size on its own when cooking. , Place your rinsed and dried baby spinach into a skillet or other pan and stir or turn until it is cooked evenly.
You may cover the pan with a lid for faster cooking.
Saute the spinach over medium heat.
You may add oil or butter first, but the water content of the spinach will quickly be released and prevent it from sticking to the pan on its own.
Continue to stir or turn the spinach with a spatula or tongs until all leaves are heated evenly, appear wilted, and turn a bright green.Fresh baby spinach reduces in size considerably as it cooks.
You can add more spinach to the pan as it cooks down and makes more space, if desired. , Place your rinsed and dried baby spinach into a pot and cover it with water.
Bring the water to a boil and cook for one minute before removing.You can boil the spinach for longer than a minute, but it will quickly get tender and turn a bright green after very little time.
After boiling, pour the contents of the pot into a colander to drain. , Try steaming your spinach by placing your rinsed baby spinach into a steaming basket and putting it into a pot with a small amount of water to boil for three to five minutes.This method cooks the spinach lightly and skips the draining step necessary for boiling.
If you are pressed for time, you can also steam fresh spinach in the microwave by placing it in a microwave-safe bowl with a small amount of water, covering the bowl with a lid, and microwaving for 30 seconds to two minutes depending on your microwave and desired cooking level. -
Step 3: Saute the spinach in a skillet.
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Step 4: Try boiling your spinach.
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Step 5: Steam the spinach.
Detailed Guide
Fill a bowl or clean sink with your fresh baby spinach and enough cool, clean water to cover it.
Swish the spinach around to clean it, then remove it to dry with a towel.After moving the spinach around in the water, avoid further agitation so that any dirt removed from the leaves can settle to the bottom.
Remove the spinach by hand or with tongs after washing so that you can dispose of the dirty water.
Repeat if necessary.
You can dry the spinach in a salad spinner if you have one, but patting it dry on a clean towel or paper towel should be all that is necessary to remove most excess water.
Remove the stems of the leaves if you prefer not to eat them, and cut the leaves into pieces if you wish or if your recipe calls for it.
The stems are perfectly edible, but can be slightly tougher or stringier than the leaves when eating.
If you cook down your spinach to a soft texture, you will likely not even notice this difference.
In addition to any cutting, the baby spinach will reduce its size on its own when cooking. , Place your rinsed and dried baby spinach into a skillet or other pan and stir or turn until it is cooked evenly.
You may cover the pan with a lid for faster cooking.
Saute the spinach over medium heat.
You may add oil or butter first, but the water content of the spinach will quickly be released and prevent it from sticking to the pan on its own.
Continue to stir or turn the spinach with a spatula or tongs until all leaves are heated evenly, appear wilted, and turn a bright green.Fresh baby spinach reduces in size considerably as it cooks.
You can add more spinach to the pan as it cooks down and makes more space, if desired. , Place your rinsed and dried baby spinach into a pot and cover it with water.
Bring the water to a boil and cook for one minute before removing.You can boil the spinach for longer than a minute, but it will quickly get tender and turn a bright green after very little time.
After boiling, pour the contents of the pot into a colander to drain. , Try steaming your spinach by placing your rinsed baby spinach into a steaming basket and putting it into a pot with a small amount of water to boil for three to five minutes.This method cooks the spinach lightly and skips the draining step necessary for boiling.
If you are pressed for time, you can also steam fresh spinach in the microwave by placing it in a microwave-safe bowl with a small amount of water, covering the bowl with a lid, and microwaving for 30 seconds to two minutes depending on your microwave and desired cooking level.
About the Author
Jonathan Perez
Specializes in breaking down complex crafts topics into simple steps.
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