Use it up
How to Use Up Spinach Before It Goes Bad: 5-Minute Garlicky Spinach
A whole bag of spinach wilts down to a quick garlicky side in 5 minutes. The fastest way to use up spinach before it turns slimy.
- TIME
- 7 min
- SERVES
- 2
- ENERGY
- 120 cal
Spinach is one of the fastest things in the fridge to turn — a full bag can go from fresh to slimy in a few days. The good news is that using up spinach before it goes bad takes about five minutes, and slightly wilted leaves are exactly what you want for cooking.
Sautéed garlicky spinach is the move. A whole bag collapses down to a couple of generous portions, so this is a great way to clear space and get a vegetable on the plate at the same time. As long as the leaves are soft rather than genuinely slimy or smelly, heat brings them right back.
Think of it as a base as much as a side. Stir it through pasta, pile it onto toast with an egg, or fold it into a frittata — the same five-minute spinach turns into three different dinners.
From fridge to table
How to make it
- 01
Warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat and add the sliced garlic and chili flakes. Cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant and just golden.
- 02
Add the spinach in big handfuls, turning it with tongs as it wilts and making room for more.
- 03
Once it's all collapsed (about 2 minutes), turn off the heat.
- 04
Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon, and tip off any excess liquid. Serve right away.
