Frozen spinach - side dish recipe

The benefits of an amazing plant

According to historians, spinach came to European territory from Persia. Fresh leaves of this interesting crop began to be prepared back in the ninth century. In France, dishes made from tender spinach take pride of place on every table. After all, the leafy vegetable is rightly called the “king” here.

Fresh spinach has earned this title because it is full of nutrients. It contains proteins and carbohydrates, fats and unsaturated acids. Using any recipe with a photo, you can replenish your reserves of vitamins A and E, C and H with fresh spinach. As for the protein content, in terms of this indicator, the leafy vegetable is second only to green peas and young beans.

It is very valuable that the entire range of useful microelements and vitamins is preserved in dishes with spinach even after heat treatment. By choosing interesting recipes, you can prepare the plant to your liking, replenishing the reserves of necessary substances and removing toxins from the body. The leafy vegetable promotes metabolism activation and rejuvenation, and any dishes made from it look so appetizing in the photo.

For all its richness in vitamins and microelements, fresh spinach and dishes made from it remain dietary. They look appetizing in the photo, are easy to digest, so they are shown even to children. Moreover, the plant can bring great benefits to a growing organism. Fresh or frozen spinach will be no less valuable for expectant mothers.

By selecting the best recipes, you can use this leafy vegetable for diabetes and hypertension, gastritis and disorders of the nervous system. It is important to know that the product has slight diuretic and laxative properties. It helps eliminate inflammation and tones the body. We provide the best recipes below.

5+ Health Benefits of Spinach

1. It contains four times the required amount of vitamin K (and you will also find vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, beta-carotene, the list goes on for a long time)
2. For its ability to cleanse the body and have a good effect on the gastrointestinal tract, the French nicknamed it “a broom for the stomach”
3. Imagine, despite 20 calories per 100 grams, it is nutritious, stimulates satiety and fights cholesterol
4. Prevents the formation of cancer cells
5. Most greens are grown in China, and in the USA they even make cartoons about it and erect monuments - the pirate Popeye, after eating spinach, literally acquired heroic strength
6. Contains 90% water and is ideal for vitamin-rich vegetable smoothies
7. Persia is considered the birthplace of the vegetable (from Persian the word “spinach” is literally translated as “green hand”)

This is interesting: How to cope with allergies. Part 1

Spinach is literally made for smoothies.

From first to second courses

Traditionally, we are used to using fresh or frozen spinach in the form of salad, casserole or soup. First, let's study recipes for such dishes that will seem nourishing and tasty to every family member, regardless of age. The leafy vegetable can be boiled and baked. It is also consumed fresh and added to sauces.

By the way, spinach is used instead of dye in the food industry to make products look beautiful in photos. It promotes better absorption of protein foods. Therefore, such a popular combination as fresh or frozen spinach and meat, fish, egg. Experienced housewives will advise cooking young greens along with the stems. Thanks to this, the nutritional value of the dish increases, no matter what recipes are used in the kitchen.

Italian spaghetti with mushroom and spinach sauce

Required ingredients:

• Spaghetti or pasta – 300 g;
• Fresh spinach – 400 g;
• Hard cheese – 120 g;
• Cream 20% - 150 ml;
• Mushrooms (champignons or oyster mushrooms) – 350 g;
• Onions – 1 pc. (average);
• Butter – 40-50 g;
• Spices – add to taste.

Preparation:

1. Wash the mushrooms, cut them and place them in a frying pan with preheated butter;
2. Peel the onion, thinly slice into half rings and place with the mushrooms;
3. When the mushrooms and onions are browned, add washed and finely chopped spinach to the pan. Simmer the spinach for 3-4 minutes until it changes color and becomes soft;
4. Next, pour the cream into the pan and mix all the ingredients;
5. Add spices;
6. Then cut the cheese into small pieces, add to the resulting mixture, cover with a lid, remove from heat and leave for 5-7 minutes to allow the sauce to infuse;
7. Place the finished sauce on top of the boiled spaghetti. Before serving, garnish the dish with your favorite herbs.

This dish of Italian cuisine will delight you and your loved ones with its spicy taste. And preparation takes only 25 minutes.

What snacks you can prepare for an outdoor picnic in winter, read our recipes.

Read recipes for cold appetizers that you can prepare for your birthday.

Simple quick snacks that can be easily prepared if guests suddenly arrive, read the recipes.

Hearty soups with chickpeas

Since it’s traditionally difficult to imagine a day without a first course, let’s first try to prepare a hearty soup from fresh or frozen spinach. Whatever rules the recipes dictate, experience shows that you can safely use this leafy vegetable in any form in which you have it on hand. For a nutritious dish that also looks appetizing in the photo, we need the following products:

• one and a half liters of chicken broth;
• one glass of chickpeas;
• one medium onion;
• a few cloves of garlic (to taste);
• two large tomatoes;
• two bunches of spinach;
• five sprigs of green basil;
• 6 tbsp. l. hard cheese, grated;
• vegetable oil;
• salt, spices.

It’s a good idea to soak the chickpeas in water overnight so you can start making fresh spinach soup in the morning. In the morning, rinse the peas and add chicken broth. Bringing it to a boil, cook for one and a half hours.

In the meantime, you can peel the onions and garlic. You need to peel the tomatoes and cut them into small cubes. Next, fry the onion in olive oil in a frying pan and add garlic to it. Then vegetables and tomatoes are added to the soup.

After half an hour of cooking, you can add fresh spinach to the dish. It remains to cook the soup for another 15 minutes. At the end, chopped basil, spices and salt are added to it to taste. Such recipes do not require strict adherence: you can adjust them a little. Before serving, we recommend sprinkling the spinach and chickpea dish with cheese by grating it. Then it will look even more interesting in the photo.

Popular recipes with frozen spinach

Those who have once visited Georgia know that pkhali is a light vegetable snack seasoned with spices. In this kitchen it is prepared from literally everything. The main ingredients may include:

• Beet;
• Grape leaves;
• Broccoli;
• Cabbage;
• Nettle;
• Eggplant.

Special processing helps the dish retain all its valuable substances. A small and simple list of components makes it also budget-friendly. You can also use frozen spinach for pkhali. So, let's look at the recipe for preparing the dish.

Main components:

• 500 grams of frozen spinach;
• Two cloves of garlic;
• 50 grams of walnuts;
• Two stalks of green onions;
• Half a teaspoon of flexible vinegar;
• Half a bunch of cilantro, basil and dill in similar quantities;
• If you are a spicy lover, you can add a piece of chili pepper.

The spinach itself is placed in salted water and boiled for five minutes. Next, we throw the main raw material into a colander and let it drain, then squeeze it out.

Cut the garlic and herbs into small pieces. It is better to grind walnuts in a blender; you can also crush them using a rolling pin. All components should be combined in a deep bowl, seasoned with vinegar, adjika and salt.

Next, we move on to forming balls of the same size, which are decorated with pomegranate seeds. The appetizer should sit in the refrigerator for some time so that the taste is more pronounced.

Interesting to know! In ancient times, spinach juice was used as ink. Any dish to which this vegetable is added will acquire a greenish tint.

French tart with spinach and cheese

The dish is a pie, tasting which a person can feel that he is in sunny Provence, filled with the tastes of grapes and aromatic oils. Tart can serve as both an appetizer and a full-fledged independent dish.

The required components are as follows:

• 50 grams of grated parmesan;
• A tablespoon of olive oil;
• 100 milliliters of cream;
• Half a package of ready-made yeast-free dough (puff pastry);
• One package of frozen spinach;
• 200 grams of ricotta cheese.

You should start preparing the dish by defrosting the dough. It is laid out in the most suitable baking form, and we make punctures with a fork. A layer of parchment is placed on top. To prevent the dough from puffing up during baking, it is sprinkled with beans. The next step is to send it to the oven, preheated at 180 degrees for 15 minutes.

While the dough is baking, make the filling. It is important to remember that spinach does not need to be defrosted, it is simply stewed in a frying pan with olive oil. When it is ready, add cream and two types of cheese.

To make the mass concentrated, you can add a few tablespoons of ground ice seeds diluted with water.

The spinach is laid out in a prepared form and sent back to the oven. Now the baking time is 25 minutes. The dish is usually served cold.

Attention! A similar filling can be used as mince for Italian cannelloni.

Tomatoes baked with basil and spinach

Let's remember a dish of Italian cuisine. Just from using this phrase your appetite should increase significantly.

Main components:

• Four medium tomatoes;
• One eggplant;
• Bunch of basil;
• Three cloves of garlic;
• Half a package of frozen spinach;
• 50 milligrams of olive oil;
• Half a teaspoon of salt;
• 2/3 teaspoon Italian herbs.

Cut off the tops of the tomatoes and set them aside for now. They will be useful for lids later. The so-called “entrails” themselves are removed with a spoon and placed in a separate bowl.

Cut the eggplant into small cubes and fry it in olive oil, add spices and salt to taste, and the remaining tomatoes. The whole mixture is thoroughly mixed and simmered in a frying pan for several minutes.

We stuff the blanks with filling. They should be closed with lids and placed in the oven to bake for 30 minutes.

In this case, the spinach itself must be thawed and ground together with basil and garlic in a blender. The sauce is brought to a boil, water is added, but the consistency should be closer to thick. It should be served along with prepared tomatoes.

To prepare this independent and very tasty dish, you need to take the following components:

• A pack of cottage cheese (250 g);
• Four potatoes;
• Half a pack of frozen spinach;
• One branch of rosemary;
• Olive oil;
• A third of a bunch of basil;
• Salt to taste;
• Three tablespoons of flour.

Potatoes are boiled with rosemary and mashed. Spinach can be defrosted in the microwave by turning on the appropriate setting for five minutes.

As for cottage cheese, it is mixed with flour, salt, and pre-chopped basil. Next, spinach and mashed potatoes are added to the mixture.

If we consider the classic version of the dish - casserole, then an egg is added to it. In the case of vegetarians, you can use flax seeds ground with water for gluing.

The whole mass is laid out in a mold greased with olive oil. It should be baked in the oven for more than 40 minutes. When ready to serve, the dish is usually served with sour cream.

We couldn't help but give an example of a nutritious first course that includes frozen spinach. Let's prepare a traditional hot version. For this we need:

• 2.5 liters of purified water;
• Packaging of frozen spinach;
• 100 grams of rice;
• Three medium-sized potatoes;
• One carrot;
• One onion;
• One processed cheese;
• Greens in the form of parsley and dill;
• Salt, pepper, Provençal herbs to taste.

Onions and carrots are fried in olive oil. Pre-defrosted spinach is also sent there. Rice and potatoes are boiled in two liters of water until tender. Next, frying, spices, and diced cheese are added to the pan.

During cooking, stir the dish with a spoon until the cheese is completely dissolved. The soup is poured into bowls and sprinkled with fresh herbs.

Frozen spinach salad

From this article you can see that there are many ways to cook spinach. It remains to supplement the list with a cold appetizer in the form of a salad of frozen greens. To prepare you need to take:

• One package of spinach;
• Two stalks of green onions;
• A tablespoon of sesame seeds;
• Three tablespoons of soy sauce;
• One tablespoon of olive oil;
• Half a lemon;
• Salt to taste.

To defrost spinach, pour boiled water over it. Next, we squeeze through a colander and mix the main component with finely chopped onion and flaxseeds, fried in a frying pan.

Next we move on to preparing a dressing from soy sauce, oil, lemon juice, and salt. As a result, we get the maximum amount of vitamins for the minimum price.

We suggest you learn more about frozen spinach in the next video.

Juicy and flavorful casseroles

Simple casserole recipes that add healthy leafy vegetables are very popular. Their advantages are that dishes with the addition of fresh spinach are prepared quickly, and they turn out tasty, satisfying and appetizing in the photo.

Casseroles can be made from almost any ingredient you can find in the refrigerator. They will become even more satisfying with the addition of meat or fish. And we offer a recipe with a photo, in which feta cheese is added. To try this delicate dish, you need to collect the following ingredients:

• 375 g feta cheese;
• 250 g fresh spinach;
• 140 g wheat flour;
• 100 g butter;
• 75 g of any hard cheese;
• 8 chicken eggs;
• 2 large onions;
• ½ tsp. baking powder;
• 2/3 cup breadcrumbs;
• salt, spices.

First you need to hard boil two eggs. Place fresh spinach in boiling water and simmer for five minutes. Separately, combine the flour with baking powder, adding butter, which must first soften at room temperature.

Now add grated hard cheese and one yolk to the flour mixture. The result is a dry dough, which is rubbed into crumbs directly into a pre-greased mold. You can put the workpiece in the refrigerator.

While the dough is cooling, prepare the first layer of casserole. To do this, combine two eggs, one white, 2/3 feta cheese and half breadcrumbs. The resulting mass also needs to be put in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, make the second layer for the dish. Fresh spinach is washed and dried. The greens are chopped, boiled eggs and onions are added to it. Leftover feta is also added here. The mass is heated in a frying pan and left to simmer a little. All that remains is to add breadcrumbs and three raw eggs to this mixture, adding salt and spices.

You can remove the mold and the first layer for the filling from the refrigerator. Having laid the egg-cheese mass, put the mixture with the addition of spinach on it. The dish is put in the oven for literally half an hour. It will bake, become rosy and look appetizing in the photo.

Pesto sauce with spinach, recipe

Ingredients:

• Spinach - medium bunch
• Fresh grated Parmesan - 3 tbsp. spoons
• Garlic – 2 cloves, minced
• Curd cheese – 4 tbsp. spoons
• Cream 10% - half a glass
• Sunflower oil – 1 tbsp. spoon

Preparation:

Heat the oil and lightly fry the chopped spinach. Add cream with garlic, stir and simmer a little. Add two types of cheese and heat the sauce well until the cheeses melt.

Among the variety of dishes with spinach leaves, salads stand out with their bold solutions.

Spinach salads and dessert

Now we’ll tell you recipes that are sure to become favorites in every home. First of all, this is a fresh spinach salad that can decorate the table even on a holiday: it will look so impressive in the photo. We’ll also teach you how to cook a non-standard dish – berry jam. We are talking about a special variety of plant – strawberry spinach.

Light and vitamin-rich food

First, let's try to prepare a salad that contains a minimum of calories and maximum benefits. This spinach-based dish looks colorful and vibrant in the photo, and is especially popular among vegans. But we assure you that it is very tasty, even if you are not ready to give up meat. To prepare the salad you will need one hundred grams of spinach, seaweed and sorrel, as well as the following ingredients:

• 50 g frisee salad;
• 20 g chives;
• ½ lemon;
• 2 carrots;
• 1 tbsp. l. honey;
• 50 ml vegetable oil;
• ½ tsp. mustard;
• salt, pepper to taste.

According to the recipe, you first need to peel the carrots and chop them into narrow strips. Next, tear up the frisée lettuce and chop the onion and seaweed. Separately make a sauce from honey, mustard, lemon juice and butter. Add salt and pepper to it.

All that remains is to combine the spinach with the rest of the ingredients in the salad bowl. We fill the original dish with sauce and take a photo as a souvenir: probably in a couple of minutes there will be nothing left of it. This recipe is simple, but everyone at home will appreciate the result. Next we will describe how to make jam.

What can you cook with frozen spinach?

There are many recipes for cooking frozen spinach. In addition to the chefs themselves, housewives began to develop various delicious dishes in the kitchen, adding healthy products.

Smoothie

An excellent vitamin drink with fermented milk product.

Compound:

• kefir – 250 ml;
• spinach (frozen) – 50 g;
• Himalayan salt, red pepper, dried garlic - 1 pinch each;
• fresh parsley, purple basil - 1 sprig each;
• dried parsley – 2 pinches.

Preparation step by step:

1. Remove the frozen product cube in advance and keep it at room temperature.
2. When it softens, add spices and chopped herbs.
3. Mix with a blender.

Pour into a glass and drink between meals or instead of dinner.

Baked cod with sun-dried tomatoes

In this case, vegetables next to the fish in the form will replace the side dish.

Product set:

• cod fillet – 400 g;
• frozen spinach – 400 g;
• sun-dried tomatoes – 30 g;
• lemon juice – 1 tbsp. l.;
• parmesan – 30 g;
• olive oil – 3 tbsp. l.;
• garlic – 3 cloves;
• dried rosemary – 1 sprig.

All stages of preparation:

1. Wash the fish fillet, dry it with napkins and cut into portions.
2. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice, your favorite spices and table salt.
3. Coat with a little olive oil and fry on a grill pan for no more than 1 minute on each side.
4. Crush the garlic, fry in oil and discard. Add spinach to the aromatic mixture, add salt and simmer for about 5 minutes.
5. Soak sun-dried tomatoes in warm water for a quarter of an hour. Drain the liquid and chop the tomatoes into cubes. Add to stewed vegetables.
6. Prepare a baking dish by greasing it with olive oil. Place the vegetable mixture and sprinkle with half the grated cheese.
7. There will be fish pieces on top, pour a little oil and cover with the rest of the chopped Parmesan.
8. Bake at 180 degrees for only 10 minutes.

This dish can be served hot or cold.

Stuffed mushrooms

A simple but very healthy snack dish.

Ingredients:

• frozen spinach leaves – 150 g;
• fresh champignons – 500 g;
• garlic – 2 cloves;
• olive oil – 30 ml.

Prepare in the following way:

1. Wash the mushrooms, remove damaged areas and dry.
2. Cut off the stems, chop and fry along with the defrosted leaves.
3. Before adding the filling, grease the caps inside and out with garlic oil.
4. Bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes.

Serve sprinkled with herbs.

Lazy dumplings

Prepare:

• frozen diced spinach – 4 pcs.;
• cream – 4 tbsp. l.;
• cottage cheese – 400 g;
• egg – 2 pcs.;
• flour – 6 tbsp. l.

All stages of preparation:

1. Grind the curd product with flour, salt and 1 egg. The mass should be homogeneous.
2. Place spinach cubes in a ceramic bowl with a little water. Place in the microwave to defrost.
3. Squeeze out the juice and puree with cream.
4. Divide the rested dough into 2 equal parts.
5. Stir the green mass into one piece and make a sausage.
6. Place it on another piece rolled out and greased with egg white. Twist.
7. Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes to make cutting easier.
8. Cook like regular dumplings.

Place on plates with butter and chopped herbs.

Spicy chicken with spinach

You can boil rice as a side dish for this aromatic dish.

Product set:

• chicken breast – 500 g;
• tomato pieces - ½ tbsp.;
• packaged frozen spinach – 400 g;
• onion – 1 pc.;
• cream – 120 ml:
• garlic – 3 cloves;
• fresh ginger, ground cumin, coriander - 1 tbsp. l.;
• paprika, turmeric – ½ tsp;
• vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. l.;
• hot pepper – 2 pcs.;
• water – 1.5 tbsp.

Step by step guide:

1. Sauté chopped onion in vegetable oil until soft.
2. Add chopped garlic and ginger, fry for a couple of minutes.
3. Mix with coriander, cumin, paprika, 1 tsp. salt and turmeric. Leave on fire for a minute.
4. Chop peeled hot peppers, canned tomatoes, cinnamon, cream and water.
5. Add spinach when defrosted and drained.
6. Simmer the sauce covered for about 5 minutes.
7. Cut the fillet into large pieces and add to the sauce, add salt (1/2 tsp).
8. Cover and cook until done.

It is better to remove the cinnamon stick before serving.

Snack roll of lavash, spinach and red fish

Ingredients for cooking:

• Pita;
• Spinach – 1 bunch;
• Red fish (salmon, pink salmon, tuna) – 350g;
• Beans (canned) – 1 can (400 g);
• Lemon juice – 2 tbsp. spoons;
• Onion (blue) – 1 piece;
• Bell pepper (yellow or red) – 2 pcs;
• Medium carrots – 1 piece;
• Hard cheese – 150-170 g;
• Olive oil – 2 tbsp. spoons;
• Salt – optional;
• Lettuce leaves – 4-5 pcs.

Preparation:

1. Mash the beans with a fork or blend with a blender, adding lemon juice and oil. Salt;
2. Chop the onion as finely as possible;
3. Cut the bell pepper into thin strips;
4. Grate carrots and hard cheese on a medium grater;
5. Cut the fish into thin oblong slices;
6. Wash and dry the spinach;
7. Place all the ingredients on the pita bread in thin layers in the following sequence: beans, spinach leaves, fish, onions, bell peppers, carrots and cheese;
8. Then roll the pita bread into a neat roll and let it soak for 20-25 minutes. Next, cut the pita bread into small rolls and place on a plate decorated with lettuce leaves.

The dish looks very elegant and elegant. This appetizer will brighten up any holiday and is also ideal for a picnic.