The Marcella Hazan Side I Make Every Week

For the past 20 years, I’ve developed an oddly reliable habit to get in some greens: I either eat a few handfuls of raw arugula while prepping lunch or dinner, or I make Marcella Hazan’s Sautéed Spinach with Olive Oil and Garlic. The latter is one of my favorite easy dishes, and it’s a weekly staple in my kitchen because I’ve learned that the easiest way to eat more veggies is to make them almost effortless. And with just four ingredients and two simple steps, Hazan’s spinach is pretty effortless.

You might be averse to eating raw arugula straight from the clamshell container (I kind of love it), but I can almost guarantee you will really enjoy this spinach. It’s tender and flavorful and pairs with practically everything. Beyond its simplicity and taste, spinach is packed with nutrients that work quietly in your favor. Kathleen Benson, CSSD, CPT, RDNcalls spinach a “nutrient-dense leafy green,” explaining that it “provides iron, magnesium, potassium, fiber, folate…and antioxidant compounds such as lutein, zeaxanthin and beta carotene [to support] red blood cell production, muscle and nerve function, digestive health and antioxidant defense.” Phew! That’s a big return on investment for such a modest side!

Why I Make Marcella Hazan’s Spinach Every Single Week

Yes, it’s loaded with nutrients. But this no-fuss recipe also relies on ingredients I always have on hand, like spinach, olive oil, garlic and salt. This short list keeps both shopping and prep time to a minimum. There’s also no delicate timing, no emulsions to break and no textures to babysit. If the garlic turns a light golden color and the spinach is tender, you’ve succeeded. From a culinary standpoint, the infused oil is what carries the flavor throughout the dish, but from a physiological perspective, it helps our bodies absorb the spinach’s fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients more effectively. As Benson explains, “vitamins A and K and carotenoids (including lutein and beta-carotene)” all found in spinach, “are more efficiently absorbed in the presence of dietary fat.” Additionally, the monounsaturated fats and polyphenols found in olive oil “support cardiovascular [health]” and reduce inflammation, she adds. Olive oil plays double duty by making spinach taste delicious and helping its nutrients get absorbed more effectively.

Because the flavors aren’t aggressive or bold, it also pairs with everything. Roast chicken, grilled fish, pasta, eggs, beans, steak…there’s never a scenario when it feels out of place. One of my absolute favorite low-key lunches or dinners is a bowl of rice or other grains with a couple of over-easy eggs, a side of this spinach and a drizzle of chili crisp. It’s quick, uncomplicated and super-satisfying, especially since I often have some kind of grain in the fridge. Benson also points out that “cooked spinach is more nutrient-dense per bite.” Because it cooks down significantly, you can eat more “meaningful amounts” than you would if it were raw. If you’ve ever cooked spinach, you know that 2 pounds of it looks overwhelming until it wilts down!

To add to their charm, these leafy greens have a robust nutrient profile. “Spinach contains several micronutrients that support [different physiological] systems,” says Benson. For example, “its fiber supports digestive health by promoting gut motility, while magnesium contributes to smooth muscle relaxation.” Magnesium and potassium, together, “play central roles in muscle contraction, relaxation and nerve signaling.” Spinach also offers powerful antioxidant properties, she explains, which “are largely driven by carotenoids, vitamin C and polyphenols”—antioxidants known to help protect cells from damage and support the body’s built-in defense systems. That’s a lot for a little green leaf.

Perhaps most important, Benson reminded me that “preparing spinach in a way that tastes good is just a good way to increase overall intake.” This is “likely [to be] more impactful for long-term nutrition than focusing on perfect nutrient preservation.” In other words, a vegetable dish you’ll actually make and eat beats a theoretically perfect one that stays on your Pinterest board, in your saved videos or in your recipe folder any day!

How to Make Marcella Hazan’s Spinach With Olive Oil and Garlic

Adapted from Hazan’s quintessential book, Essentials of Classic Italian Cookinghere’s how I make it: Start with about 2 pounds of fresh spinach and pull off any really thick stems. It might sound like a ton, but I promise it will cook down to almost nothing. (Remember what Benson said above?) Hazan references fresh garden spinach, which you’d need to pluck the thick stems from and soak in several changes of cold water. But I always use pre-washed baby spinach, which I just rinse briskly under running water in a colander. This keeps things even easier.

Next, add the rinsed spinach to a covered pan with about ½ tablespoon of salt and just the water that’s still clinging to the leaves from washing. If you’re using baby spinach, this won’t take long at all, just a couple of minutes, until it’s tender. When it’s done, drain it well (but don’t squeeze it) and transfer it to a bowl.

Add two smashed garlic cloves and ¼ cup of olive oil to the same skillet set over medium-high heat. Stir the garlic around until it turns lightly golden brown. Whatever you do, keep an eye on it, because burnt garlic can quickly turn bitter and ruin everything. At this point, you can fish out the garlic if you want it milder, or leave it in if you’re a garlic lover like me.

Return the spinach to the skillet, taste it to see if it needs more salt and cook it for another minute or two, turning it over a few times so every leaf gets coated in the fragrant garlic oil. This light sauté actually helps you get more nutrients from the spinach. Lightly sautéing spinach can “improve nutrient absorption,” Benson explains. And it does this, she says, by softening the plant’s cell walls and lowering substances that can interfere with how your body takes in its minerals. “Although some vitamin C is lost with heat,” she says, “cooking enhances the absorption of minerals and carotenoids, making… [it] a highly efficient way to obtain its key nutrients.” By sautéing it, you’re not just making it taste better; you’re also making it work harder for you.

Lastly, take it off the heat and—this is my addition, not Hazan’s—squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the top. I love the flavor it adds, but as someone who also struggles with low iron, it helps our bodies absorb the iron from the spinach. Because spinach provides non-heme iron, it’s best viewed as “a supportive rather than primary iron strategy,” Benson notes. But you can boost the iron absorption by pairing it “with a vitamin C-rich food, like lemon [or other] citrus, tomatoes, strawberries [or] bell peppers.” That squeeze of lemon I already love brings great flavor. But it’s also a simple addition that helps you get more from your meal.

One quick note before you start cooking: if you have a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones, a common type of kidney stone, Benson says you may either need to adjust how much you eat or “pair spinach with calcium-containing foods,” like skim or low-fat milk, certain fortified plant milks, yogurt, sardines and some low-sodium cheeses like Swiss, ricotta and fresh mozzarella. All of which can keep oxalates from being absorbed as easily, potentially reducing kidney stone risk. This isn’t a reason most people need to avoid spinach, but it is a helpful “know before you go” note for anyone affected.

Easy Variations on Marcella’s Spinach

These small riffs keep Hazan’s spinach exciting without turning it into something unrecognizable. They’re like a “choose-your-own-adventure” but for fast lunches or busy weeknight dinners.

• Chili kick: Add a small pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or some finely minced fresh chiles to the oil for a lovely warmth that makes the garlic feel a little bolder.
• More umami: Before adding the garlic, melt one anchovy fillet in the oil. It disappears, but it makes everything taste deeper and more savory. Alternatively, finish with 1 to 2 tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan for a nutty, salty topping. As a bonus, it also makes it feel more like something you’d order at a restaurant. This is the version you make when you want the spinach to feel like the point, not just the side.
• Add crunch: Fold in a handful of toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds during the final minute of cooking. The textural contrast and richness make it feel like a more substantial side, and you get that satisfying contrast of soft greens and crisp edges in every forkful.

The Bottom Line

Marcella Hazan’s spinach with olive oil and garlic is the definition of a keeper. It’s not flashy or trendy, but that’s exactly why it endures; it’s speedy, dependable and satisfying. If you want a side dish that works with whatever you happen to be cooking, this is it. With minimal ingredients, a straightforward technique and some pretty awesome health benefits, it feels like a no-brainer. So the next time you’re wondering what vegetable to serve or how to make eating greens feel automatic, give Marcella’s spinach a try. As much as I love eating raw, dry arugula from a plastic container, this warm, flavorful dish is so much better.