Lemon-Steamed Spinach
This Easy Lemon-Steamed Spinach is quick, delicious and the perfect new side dish to add to your menu.
With minimal ingredients, this Baby Spinach Recipe with Lemon is a terrific, tasty way to make spinach lovers out of your family!
Lemon-Steamed Spinach
Spinach is one of the only vegetables that Katie will eat, and one of the only vegetables Nick will not. Go figure. I make a spinach souffle practically every holiday as the uber picky daughter will eat that over turkey, roast beef, pork or lamb. So even though I had a huge amount of baby spinach in the fridge while Nick was home on his college spring break, I decided to wait until he was back in the dorms before putting spinach on our menu.
This Lemon-Steamed Spinach has got to be the simplest recipe in Around My French Table…once the water beneath your steamer starts to boil, you can have this dish on the table in less than five minutes. Dorie suggests using this as a base for a chicken, salmon or even a lobster entree.
How to Make This Easy Lemon Spinach
The procedure to make this Easy Lemon Spinach recipe is super speedy. Toss the 1 1/4 pounds of baby spinach (yes, it looks like a massive amount) with a tablespoon (or a wee bit more) of olive oil, the zest of one lemon and salt and pepper to taste.
Add to the steamer of your choice (I had a steamer basket sitting on the bottom of my Dutch oven) and cook, covered, for just three minutes.
Uncover and give it a stir and cook for up to another minute if needed. Voila! This healthy, vibrant baby spinach recipe is perfect for you avid spinach lovers.
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Lemon-Steamed Spinach
Easy recipe for fresh spinach with a lemon twist
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: French, French-American
Ingredients
2 10- ounce bags of spinach
Grated zest of one lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
Set up your steamer, then add water and bring to a boil.
Add your spinach to a bowl and toss with one tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with zest, salt and pepper.
Add it all to the steam and cover the pot. Steam for 3 minutes, then check and add more time if needed.
I honestly don’t know what I like more: the glowing spinach or the beautiful pink meat. Have a great weekend!
Beautifully steamed – not too wilted – not too crispy. Yea!
P.s. I too would love your spinach soufflé recipe =)
Wow, that does sound easy! Have you posted the souffle? Gonna nose around and try to find it… Happy Easter Weekend:@)
I feel like this is something that restaurants use a lot as a base just like you mentioned. I am loving the salmon idea.
Hi Lizzy, I’m back from exile and so missed your blog while I was gone. I love wilted spinach and I just bought a big bag of it to have for breakfast tomorrow with some poached eggs. I don’t have a steamer but I cook it in the frying pan with a little butter and garlic. Happy Easter to you and your family xx
I was raised on this kind of spinach and it’s fantastic. I could eat that whole bowlful right now. And I agree, get that lobster on the menu….SOON!
It was so easy that I forgot to make it… I almost posted the sables today… It looks gorgeous with the meat! My perfect plate to maintain my iron up, not kidding, I´m supposed to eat this dish once a week! Have a great weekend Liz.
Simple and citrussy spinach dish and spinach souffle sound delicious too 🙂
Liz, your Katie and my Lucie would get on just fine. As spinach fans here, our eyes would pop out with thes (popeye, groan…) especially with your Easter-inspired accompaniment. Have a wonderful Easter, Liz, and love to all the family.
What a light and lovely way to eat spinach… a must try. 🙂
We just had something like this in a restaurant and it was wonderful. Thanks for this springtime treat…
Yes – this does hit the top five easy list from AMFT.
Beautiful job, Liz & Happy Easter.
Yea, Katie. Loved the little round tomato (a gorgeous red tomato in the Midwest where it’s still Winter) and lemon perched on top of the spinach. A beautiful rainbow of color. And, now, we can talk about the meat — that’s a major-sized portion – hope that’s for Katie also. Happy Easter to you and your family. Thinking good thoughts for Bill’s dad during this blessed season.
Oh I definitely see this on my Easter Table. I am now enjoying my children’s new fascination with healthy eating. It has only taken 20 years, but progress is progress.
Thanks for sharing the spinach soufflé recipe. It looks scrumptious. Side dishes own Thanksgiving – Katie’s got it right.
My Mom used to make London broil on a regular basis. Your picture brings me tons of memories!
Thanks for the souffle recipe. It sounds like something I would love! Glad you enjoyed this one.
I will have to try your souffle! How funny – I was just looking at that lobster recipe, too! This is a great side with so many things.
Have a wonderful Easter! xoxo
I never tire of spinach…in a salad, cooked simply like here or in a soufflé like the one you posted.
I love that spinach! How marvelous! Have a wonderful Easter!
Great looking dish altogether!
I always loved spinach, even as a child. This is a great even if simple recipe and love how the leaves still keep a nice shape.
That sounds incredibly tasty Liz. I love all vegetables and the freshness of lemon paired with the strong spinach sounds fantastic! This is definitely going on my menu next week. Happy Easter to you and your family.
Such an easy and wonderful way to prepare spinach. And now I totally want to make it with the lobster too! Ooh, that would be awesome. Lovely work with this one, Liz!
I love spinach with lemon! Delicious Liz as always!
I always have spinach in the fridge here – always eat it raw so must try this steamed version. Sounds delish!
Try adding just the slightest pinch of nutmeg. I use nutmeg in all spinach dishes…it adds a nuttiness to the earthy flavor.
Great idea, Jeanne. Sounds delicious!
What a wonderful idea! I love spinach, yest I never make it as a side dish! I normally just have it on salads and or sandwiches! I’m going to try this recipe this weekend! Thank you!
That is simply perfect spinach. And I can eat a pot of it. I could also down an entire spinach souffle… Happy Easter!
Perfect side to a London Broil. It looks so good. Have a Happy easter.
Beautiful job. This was simple and delicious. Happy Easter.
What a mouthwatering plate! I love spinach but rarely steam it… thanks for the reminder that I need to. It can be dressed up so many different ways. Have a very happy Easter, Liz!
Oh, I love how you pair the spinach with the meat. How tasty and beautiful! I hope my baby girl would grow up loving spinach too!
It looks so delicious that I’ll have to try your spinach with lemon, Liz!
Quick easy and to the point just how I like it. Nick doesn’t know what he’s missing.
What a yummy side dish Liz! It sounds perfect with your steak, I’m so ready for this meal right now but I’m having eggs and toast, not quite the same 🙂
Looks simple indeed ! And very appetizing 🙂
Lemon does wonders, doesn’t it? I love this simple side dish and I can see us making it year round. Thank you for sharing, Liz!
Beautiful meal (and plating)! I’m not sure I want to hurry along the lobster. I apologize to mussels before I cook them.
I love spinach, a perfect side dish!
I love both! This is a perfect low-carb and high protein dinner for me.
Happy Easter Liz – and you’re right “vibrant” really describes it well!
Hello Liz, I just read your post a couple of hours too late. I just made a huge dish of garlic spinach for dinner but sure wish I had your recipe to try instead. Fresh and light and high in iron. Have a super Easter weekend. BAM
Hi Lizzy! Spinach is my favorite vegetable… Thanks for sharing with us this steaming method… Gotta try this!
what a great, simple and healthy side dish! I need to get myself a steamer basket 🙂
We love spinach and we eat a LOT of it. Interestingly, I’ve never tried putting lemon on it. Hmm…
Reading your explanation of the process really got my mouthwatering. I love spinach and in just about every way. A few years I started adding lemon to mine and really love the taste. Great photos Liz!
We are planting our first crop of spinach this weekend – and this looks like a delicious way to use some of it. Simple prep is my fave too!
gorgeous colour.
love the idea of lemon in this dish.
Mmmmm.
happy Easter, dear. X
I love that this was super easy and super tasty. Happy Easter Liz!
I must be in need of a dish like this because it had my mouth watering, the beautifully cooked meat and lemon spinach! Delicious!