Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 500 g fresh spinach, washed and dried
- 40 g pine nuts
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic, thinly sliced
- 10 ml lemon juice
- kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 164 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 6 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 293 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 769 mg
- Calcium
- 129 mg
- Iron
- 3.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 122 mg
- Phosphorus
- 118 mg
- Zinc
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 586 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 37 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 608 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.24 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 243 mcg
- Water
- 117 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the pine nuts in a dry large skillet over medium heat (approx 175°C/350°F). Toast them, shaking the pan frequently, until golden brown and fragrant.
Return the skillet to medium heat and add the olive oil. Once shimmering, add the sliced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
Add the spinach to the pan in batches if necessary. Toss with tongs until just wilted and bright green.
Remove from heat. Stir in the toasted pine nuts and lemon juice. Season with salt to taste and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting the pine nuts separately is crucial; if you try to toast them with the spinach, they will remain soggy.
- If using mature spinach instead of baby spinach, remove the tough stems before cooking.
- A pinch of red pepper flakes added with the garlic provides a nice heat without overwhelming the dish.
- The volume of spinach will reduce by about 80-90% during cooking, so start with a very large pan.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat gently to avoid overcooking.
Reheating: Warm in a skillet over low heat for 1-2 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Spinach is watery
Cause: Spinach was not dried thoroughly after washing
Fix: Tilt the pan to drain excess liquid before serving
Prevention: Use a salad spinner or pat dry with towels before cooking
Garlic tastes bitter
Cause: Garlic was burned during the sauté step
Fix: Cannot be fixed; discard garlic oil and restart
Prevention: Add spinach immediately once garlic is fragrant, do not let it brown
Cultural Context
Pine nuts (pinoli) and spinach are a classic pairing in Roman and Catalan cuisines (spinaci alla romana or espinacs a la catalana), often featuring raisins for sweetness. This simplified version focuses purely on the savory, nutty crunch essential to Mediterranean simplicity.
