How to Cook Spinach Without Losing Nutrients: Spinach is one of the favorite greens in many homes because of its rich nutrients. This green veggie is highly nutritious and can be used in preparing various side dishes and salads. It is also used widely in making smoothies and juices. But the veggie loses its nutrients if it is overcooked or blanched too much.
Different methods are used to cook spinach while making various dishes. These methods are effective and do not remove the main ingredients of Spinach. Let us move further and discover the best methods to cook Spinach without losing its ingredients.
Methods to cook spinach
Spinach needs to be cooked in a special way to maintain its important nutrients. It can be cooked in 3 ways which are:
- Steaming
- Blanching
- Sauteing
Steaming method
Steaming is one of the best things you can do when there are many batches of spinach. Take a large pot or vessel and put water on the boil. Then add spinach batches in this vessel and boil for 2 minutes.
This is a slow cooking process that maintains the green color of spinach. Turn off the heat after 2 minutes and serve the cooked spinach with salt and spices like pepper. Add some lemon drops or vinegar to the cooked spinach to reduce the bitterness of the veggie.
Blanching method
The second method to tenderize spinach is a blanching method. It is an easy method by taking a large vessel and adding salted hot water. Then place the batches of spinach in a pot of salted water for a few minutes.
Do not keep the batches of spinach leaves in hot water for more than 2 minutes. You must quickly take out the batches of spinach leaves and place them in cold water to stop the cooking process.
Then remove the extra water from the spinach otherwise it will turn soggy. You can use this method while preparing Creamed spinach.
Sauteed spinach
This is the third and a little long method to cook spinach. Take a big skillet and pour olive oil in it and heat it on medium flame. Throw some spices such as bell pepper, chili flakes, and onions into the oil and start cooking the mixture.
You have to further add spinach leaves and keep stirring them well. The process will take some time. You have to cook the maximum amount of water in the veggie.
Tips to follow while cooking spinach
While cooking spinach, you must follow some tips such as:
Wash the spinach properly
Wash the spinach properly a few times with cold water to remove any dirt or impurities. Then dry the spinach leaves with a simple cloth before cooking them.
Eliminate the stems of spinach
Stems of spinach have a bitter and unpleasant taste. Remove the stems of spinach leaves to get a good taste of spinach in curries or soups. Although it is tedious to remove the stems, you must remove them for the best use.
Take a large amount to cook in a pot
Spinach tends to reduce in quantity when cooked in a vessel. So, you need to take a good amount of spinach leaves to cook until it reduces to a small quantity. Cooking a generous quantity of spinach leaves will save time when you want to prepare curries, soups, juices, or salads.
Take out excess water
Remove water from the spinach to prevent it from getting soggy. Excess water will spoil the taste of any dish that you plan for your dinner.
Add some seasonings to the spinach
Add seasonings to the spinach to bring a unique taste and flavor. Avoid adding salt in excess quantity because spinach already contains a percentage of salt. You can taste the spinach after adding salt.
Add less oil to the spinach
Spinach is filled with lots of water content. It releases a lot of water during the cooking process. You will need very less oil to cook spinach while preparing various spinach cuisines. Add a layer of oil to the final dish to get the best taste.
How to eat spinach?
Spinach can be added to a variety of dishes from soups to curries. It can also be consumed with many other veggies such as garlic and tomatoes. Have a look to try different ways of consuming spinach in your daily life:
1. Take some amount of minced garlic in oil and add seasoning to get a better taste. Saute spinach in this oil and serve it as a side dish with a main course.
2. You can prepare Spinach Potato Fritatta and Spinach smoothie during breakfast or dinner time.
3. If you want a little healthy version of spinach, try vegetarian lasagna or ravioli. You can also prepare Spinach mushroom stuffed chicken to get a satisfying feeling in your tummy.
4. Spinach can be used to make salads of different kinds. You can use some other veggies with spinach to make delicious salads such as Tofu and Tomato. This salad is light on the belly and gives a full feeling to your tummy.
5. You can also enjoy some Indian foods like Palak Paneer Koftas by adding fresh Spinach leaves.
Benefits of consuming spinach regularly
Spinach is loaded with many nutrients and vitamins. It is a superfood for the growth of body and mind. The different benefits of eating spinach are:
- It improves the immune system and increases the resistance power of the body.
- Spinach improves heart health and increases hydration levels in the body.
- Eating spinach reduces frequent hunger and appetite. Thylakoids in spinach help to reduce appetite and frequent food cravings.
- Loaded with iron, spinach will cure anemia by increasing red blood cells and oxygen in the body.
Final words
Now, you know how to cook spinach without losing its ingredients. This superfood is beneficial for both mind and body. You can eat Spinach fresh or store it in ice cube trays to use it in various dishes and foods.
Try any of these methods and enjoy spinach delicacy by gaining a little health as well.
