The Best Stir-Fried Garlic Spinach
This simple and easy-to-put-together Chinese-style spinach dish is a wonderful accompaniment to any meal. The spinach is stir-fried, braised, and flavored with garlic. I find this is best eaten with rice. Other types of greens that work well here include members of the brassica family like bok choy and legumes like pea shoots.
- Yield: 2 to 4 as a side
Ingredients
2 Tbsp neutral vegetable oil with a high smoke point such as grapeseed oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lb/455 g fresh baby spinach
1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce (optional)
1/2 tsp ground white or black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a wok over high heat until it starts to smoke. Pour the vegetable oil into the wok and swirl to coat the wok.
- Add the garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, 30 seconds. The garlic should not brown.
- Add the spinach, mix with the garlic, and cover the wok with a lid. Add half of all the spinach that doesn’t fit into the wok at first; the spinach will start to wilt; add the remaining spinach. Let the spinach cook covered with the lid for about 2 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
- If you don’t own a wok, use a large skillet, saucepan, or Dutch oven.
- Cuisine: Asian
