Equipment
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 250 g fresh baby spinach, washed and thoroughly dried
- 50 g kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic, minced
- 1 g red chili flakes
- 1 g sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 130 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 7 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 478 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 720 mg
- Calcium
- 144 mg
- Iron
- 4.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 100 mg
- Phosphorus
- 66 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 591 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 36 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 608 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.11 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.25 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 243 mcg
- Water
- 116 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare your ingredients by halving the olives and mincing the garlic. Ensure the spinach is completely dry to prevent steaming instead of sautéing.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it reaches approximately 180°C/350°F. Add the minced garlic and red chili flakes, and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Do not let the garlic brown.
Add the spinach to the skillet in handfuls. Use tongs to continuously toss the leaves in the fragrant oil. As one batch wilts and makes room, add the next.
Remove the skillet from the heat immediately once the last batch of spinach wilts. Stir in the halved black olives. Taste the dish and add a small pinch of sea salt only if needed.
Transfer the spinach and olives to a serving dish using tongs, leaving any excess liquid behind in the skillet. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Baby spinach releases a massive amount of water as it cooks. To maintain a vibrant green color and pleasant texture, rapid cooking over moderate-to-high heat is essential.
- Olives are heavily cured and naturally salty. Always wait to salt the dish until the very end, after the olives have been mixed in and you have tasted it.
- Residual heat will continue to cook the spinach even after you take it off the stove. Pull the pan from the heat a few seconds before it looks completely done.
- If you want to elevate this dish further, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice added off the heat will brighten the earthy flavors.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The spinach will release water as it sits.
Reheating: Toss briefly in a hot skillet until just warmed through, or microwave for 60 seconds.
Troubleshooting
Spinach is overly mushy or sitting in a pool of water
Cause: Spinach was wet when added to the pan, or the heat was too low to evaporate the naturally released moisture.
Fix: Drain the cooked spinach in a fine mesh sieve or gently press with tongs before plating.
Prevention: Thoroughly dry spinach in a salad spinner before cooking and ensure the pan is hot enough before adding greens.
Dish tastes bitter
Cause: Garlic was cooked too long and burned before the spinach was added.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. In the future, discard burnt garlic and start the oil over.
Prevention: Have all spinach ready by the stove so it can be added the moment the garlic becomes fragrant.
Cultural Context
The pairing of dark leafy greens, olive oil, and cured olives is a cornerstone of Mediterranean cooking. In regions like Greece and Southern Italy, quick-sautéed wild greens (horta) are a daily staple, celebrated for their immense health benefits and robust, earthy flavor profile.
