34 Best Spinach Recipes

The superfood label might turn some consumers off — and we get it. Advertised "health foods" are often accompanied by lofty price tags, meticulously-designed aesthetic packaging, and (gasp) kind of a lot of sugar, actually. But not spinach. This powerful veggie comes raw and tied in a bundle in the produce aisle, no fancy packaging here. A 3.5-ounce serving of raw spinach packs 2.9 grams of protein and 2.2 grams of fiber. It keeps the digestive tract running smoothly, and it's high in iron, vitamin C, and calcium.

Beyond being a nutritional powerhouse — and even though spinach is 91% water – the leafy green adds a unique earthiness to any dish. Spinach is flavorful when paired with complementary vegetables, but can just as easily be concealed by other flavors and step into a supporting role. And that's not to mention how perfectly it pairs with cream and cheese in some of our comfort food favorites. 

That's why we've rounded up 34 of our top spinach recipes to help you incorporate this aptly-labeled "superfood" into your diet. Whether you're looking to celebrate the vegetable with a simple creamed spinach or hide it in a sweet smoothie, we have just the tips to help jog your culinary brainstorm. It's all about that green.

Popeye-strength meets penthouse apartment in this Classic Creamed Spinach recipe. The elevated vegetable side brings all the "fancy" without any of the "complicated" (as in, it's ready in under 30 minutes and can all be cooked in the same pan). This veggie dish is also simple to transition to a vegan-friendly side by substituting coconut milk, dairy-free butter, and tofu cream cheese.

Pair it with a meaty entrée like roasted duck or grilled portobellos and an herbaceous cocktail like our Ginger-Sage Martini.

Recipe: Classic Creamed Spinach

This white lasagna boasts a creamy, rich bechamel sauce that's amped up with the addition of ricotta. The recipe calls for Italian sausage instead of more traditional ground beef, which results in a comforting dish that's large enough to feed a crowd and simple enough to whip up for dinner on a weeknight.

The recipe adds caramelized onions, fresh herbs, spinach, and red pepper flakes to make it into a sophisticated, warming meal as suitable for a dinner party as it is a busy Tuesday. Serve it as the star of a pasta night with garlic bread, Caesar salad, and a glass of red wine.

Recipe: White Lasagna with Sausage and Ricotta

This flavorful take on a classic substitutes basil for a combination of fresh spinach and mint leaves and swaps the pine nuts with almonds. Its complex flavor profile is earthy, nutty, and slightly sweet. As an added bonus, this pesto is ready in just five minutes; all the ingredients are simply tossed together in a food processor for a quick blitz and it's done.

Toss linguine in it and enjoy the meal with a dry white wine for dinner or serve this almond mint pesto with rosemary crackers as a cheerful snack during your next picnic or garden party. It also works great as a pizza topping, a soup garnish, or stirred into rice.

Recipe: 5-Minute Almond Mint Pesto

This spring quiche perfectly toes the line between richness and lightness. It's packed with sauteed leeks and spinach and two types of cheese: Parmesan and goat (or feta, if goat cheese isn't your thing). The flaky, buttery crust brings a savory, slightly sweet element while the lemon-dressed arugula salad on top keeps the palate bright.

Serve for an impressive (yet deceptively easy) brunch with a savory Bloody Mary or vibrant Aperol spritz.

Recipe: Spring Quiche

Few dishes get a crowd riled up at a potluck quite like stuffed shells. Ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan mingling in a jumbo house made of pasta? Pinch us, we must be dreaming. In this recipe, we're stuffing the shells with crumbled sausage, spinach, and cheese (lots of it), and draping the whole thing in a garlic cream sauce.

Admittedly, this recipe is definitely one of the more labor-intensive ones in our spinach roundup, but we think you'll find the extra preparation is more than worth it. If you're planning on bringing these impressive stuffed shells to a dinner party be sure to set aside a little more time than you would for a more traditional stuffed shell recipe. At home, serve with a simple salad and a pile of focaccia to sop up the leftover cheese and sauce.

Recipe: Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Shells

This vibrant juice is the perfect way to kickstart your day. In it, kale and spinach are sweetened by apple and pineapple and revved up with spicy ginger. Feel free to play around with the flavor balance by adding more or less ginger to taste or swapping the tart green apple with a sweeter variety.

It makes for a quick and easy breakfast, as all the ingredients are simply thrown together in a juicer. (If you don't own one, you can use a blender and then strain with cheesecloth.) To save time on rushed weekday mornings, you could even pre-slice the fruits and veggies and portion them into freezer bags for future use. 

Recipe: Crisp and Gingery Green Juice

Working with fresh artichokes is always a labor of love — but a labor nonetheless. However, these artichoke dip toasts with spinach pesto make the effort more than worth it.

Crispy sourdough crostini get loaded with artichoke, fresh thyme, Gruyère, Parmesan, and a white wine crème fraîche before being topped with a flavorful spinach pesto. For a sophisticated dinner, enjoy these dip toasts with a classic spirit-forward cocktail of your choice, like the Aviation or Boulevardier. 

Recipe: Artichoke Dip Toasts with Spinach Pesto

Pizza soup brings all the classic Italian flavors you'd expect without requiring you to stretch any dough or reach into a super hot oven. It's a quick meal that can be thrown together on a busy weeknight, plus it's super customizable, making it a great way to use up whatever leftover veggies you have lying around.

Use different types of peppers (jalapeño, bell, chile), mushrooms, onions, spinach, and whatever else you can think of to toss in. While this dish can easily be made vegetarian, omnivorous pizza fans can amp it up with some pepperoni or cooked sausage and a generous handful of grated Parmesan cheese. As an added bonus, the whole thing can be assembled in a Dutch oven, so there's no sink full of dishes to stand between you and your evening chill time.

Recipe: Best Pizza Soup

Don't let the fancy-sounding name scare you. Salmon Florentine is actually wicked easy to make and make well, but its simplicity makes it no less impressive at your next dinner party or meal with the in-laws. 

Simply slice a slab of salmon into filets, season them, and bake them in the oven. While they're cooking, whip up a spinach cream sauce in a skillet on the stovetop. Spoon the sauce over your perfectly cooked salmon filets and just like that — it's done! Serve with rice pilaf and a glass of crisp white wine.

Recipe: Salmon Florentine

If you think stuffed chicken breast has to be complicated and laborious, think again. This version is filled with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, and three different types of cheese (mozzarella, cream cheese, and Parmesan) and cooked in an air fryer for a filling main that's easy enough for a weeknight meal.

This stuffed chicken can even be cooked ahead of time, as it's sturdy enough to be warmed up and eaten the next day. Alternatively, you could enjoy your leftovers cold over a fresh salad.

Recipe: Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Breast

A classic brunch option, frittatas are also substantial enough to serve for dinner. Just as delicious hot out of the pan as it is cold the next day, the only real requirements for a frittata are eggs and a cast iron pan.

This frittata recipe comes loaded with spinach, goat cheese, and parsley, but feel free to bulk it up further with whatever vegetables you have in your fridge, like artichoke hearts, broccoli, red bell pepper strips, or tomatoes.

Recipe: Easy Spinach Frittata

This tangy dip combines Greek yogurt, sauteed spinach and onions, garlic, olive oil, and feta cheese to fulfill your wildest snack-related dreams.

Inspired by the Persian yogurt dip borani-e-esfenaj, this caramelized onion dip profers a complex kaleidoscope of savory, umami, and tangy Mediterranean flavors. Since it's so texturally diverse (creamy yogurt with smooth spinach, crunchy walnuts, and crispy shallots), serve it with seedy crackers or another sturdy carb that can hold its weight.

Recipe: Caramelized Onion Dip with Feta, Spinach, and Walnuts

When you think of classic Greek foods, there's a pretty good chance spanakopita is one of the first dishes that come to mind — and for good reason (it rocks).

Delicate, flaky triangles of crispy-yet-tender dough are layered with spinach and feta for the perfect portable appetizer. Our version uses frozen phyllo dough as a time saver, but you're welcome to make it from scratch if you like. The recipe is also easily made vegan by simply opting for a dairy-free butter and a non-dairy feta alternative. Garnish with fresh dill and serve as a side at your next party or with this 1-Pot Greek Chicken Drumsticks and Orzo for a filling, comforting meal on a chilly day.

Recipe: Traditional Spanakopita

Substantial and nutritious enough to serve as breakfast but also perfect for dessert or a sweet midday snack, this Black Forest Smoothie features all the flavors you'd expect from something named after the dark chocolate cake.

The chocolate-cherry combo expertly conceals spinach, flax seeds, and banana, which boost the nutrition, while a drizzle of honey sweetens the whole thing up. If you're looking to make this smoothie even more filling, you can also throw in a scoop of chocolate protein powder.

Recipe: Healthy Black Forest Smoothie

When winter rolls around it can be tough to find a way to incorporate the limited in-season veggies into your diet. This creamed kohlrabi and spinach recipe is the perfect way to switch up your meals while still delivering the comfort you're likely seeking during those cold months.

A root vegetable in the same family as cabbage, kohlrabi boasts a similar earthy, slightly bitter flavor as broccoli stems. In this recipe, that flavor is balanced by cashew milk, Parmesan, garlic, and chopped cashews. Serve as a side with roasted chicken breast, grilled kebabs, or crispy tofu for a filling dinner.

Recipe: Creamed Kohlrabi and Spinach

On busy weeknights, we're all about a fix-it-and-forget-it meal, and crockpots are the best tool for the job when you want to physically walk away from your food as it cooks.

This crockpot vegetable lasagna takes close to three hours start to finish, but it only requires 15 minutes of hands-on prep time. It combines spinach, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese for a dinner so warming and hearty that even the most avid meat-eaters won't care that it's vegetarian. Serve with a side salad and a piece of warm bread slathered with fancy butter.

Recipe: Crockpot Vegetable Lasagna

If you're looking for an easy, affordable, warming dish to enjoy over quiet conversation and curling eddies of coffee steam on a lazy Sunday morning, this is the recipe for you.

Cream, spinach, leeks, and jammy-yolked eggs meld together to create a creamy, gooey dish that gets a pop of brightness and flavor from fresh thyme, Aleppo pepper, and lemon zest. Enjoy straight from the baking dish or scoop it out and serve on pumpernickel or rye toast. For a vegetarian hangover cure-all, load it up with hot sauce and pair with homefries or roasted potatoes.

Recipe: Baked Eggs with Spinach and Leeks

This soup is loaded with spinach, beans, potatoes, an entire grocery store produce section's worth of vegetables, and pasta. In short, this Minestrone recipe has it all.

It's easy to cook up a big batch and freeze, making it the perfect dish to serve on meal prep day: simply divvy out the bowls to eat while it cools slightly and then freeze or refrigerate individual portions. Pair with a soft breadstick, white cheddar grilled cheese sandwich, or even serve a scoop of this hearty soup over a mound of rice for a filling, comforting meal.

Recipe: Hearty Minestrone Soup

This stuffed chicken breast is elegant, sophisticated, and — perhaps best of all — ready in just 35 minutes. It serves two, perfect for a girls' night in or an at-home date night.

For this recipe, succulent chicken is stuffed with spinach and sun-dried tomato before being baked in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil. The dish pairs well with a side of roasted broccoli, baked eggplant, or potato wedges.

Recipe: Spinach and Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breast

A classic Indian dish, this palak paneer recipe is ideal for beginner cooks. The creamy sauce is made with yogurt and spinach — which gives the dish its signature, vivid green color — and packed with cubed Paneer (a light, mild cheese). If you're looking for a more filling meal, you can add cooked chicken or tofu to the recipe.

Serve over rice with a slice of garlic naan and finish up your meal with a scoop of homemade vegan turmeric coconut milk ice cream.

Recipe: Simple Palak Paneer

These luxurious stuffed portobello mushrooms are a protein and nutrient-rich dish that's — believe it or not — totally vegan. The mushroom's natural earthy, umami flavor and meaty flesh make a sturdy vehicle for sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, shallots, and cannellini beans.

This recipe makes two servings (that's two mushroom caps each) and would be a beautiful fit for entertaining a friend you haven't seen in a while or impressing someone special. Serve with warm sourdough bread and a full-bodied red wine.

Recipe: Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Creamy spinach dip is perfect for family reunions, backyard barbecues, and Sunday football games, and can even be a solo movie-watching snack. This version nails the ideal spinach-to-cheese ratio (we use Parmesan and mozzarella) and gets some much-needed tang and that flawless gooey texture from sour cream. It all gets baked in the oven, making for a dip that's melty on the inside with a crispy cheese crust on top. (Hello, Instagram-worthy cheese pulls.)

Pretty much any dip vehicle will get the job done here: tortilla chips, crackers, crostini slices, chunks of baguette, carrot or celery sticks, you name it. If you have leftovers (and that's a big if), they can be stored in the fridge and easily reheated in the microwave.

Recipe: Creamy Spinach Dip

These egg white breakfast cups are like the cooler, more interesting older sister of Starbucks' egg bites. Loaded with spinach, tomato, and orange bell pepper, it's never been easier to start your day with a nutrient-dense knockout of protein and vegetables. 

You could add some grated Gruyère, chopped chives, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce to suit your taste and serve for brunch with toast and jam. They're ultra-portable too, so these breakfast cups can also be eaten in the car during your (late) morning commute.

Recipe: Egg White Breakfast Cups

Instead of mild, predictable mayonnaise or sour cream, the creamy component in this spinach artichoke dip is Greek yogurt, adding both tanginess and protein. Since it's all getting baked down into a dip anyway, this recipe uses canned artichokes to cut down on prep time. It will look like a lot of spinach when you add everything to the slow cooker, but as we all know, it shrinks down immensely as it cooks. 

Scoop this creamy dip up with tortilla chips or pita triangles and serve with hotdogs or burgers fresh off the grill. You can also simply place the slow cooker on a potholder and bring it as your dish-to-share at a potluck. (Bonus points if you position it next to a tureen of buffalo chicken dip.)

Recipe: Slow Cooker Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Spinach, ricotta, and sausage are the stars of the show in this baked stuffed shells recipe — which doesn't take nearly as much time as it looks like it would. (Think 10 minutes of prep and just 20 to 25 minutes in the oven.)

In this recipe, the ultra-creamy sauce is made with both ricotta cheese and tomato sauce, which can be from a jar or one you've made yourself in advance. Use mild or hot sausage, depending on your spice tolerance, and serve with crusty bread and a simple Caesar salad or roasted broccolini and a glass of Pinot Noir.

Recipe: Baked Stuffed Shells

Pureeing a soup adds sophistication points while simultaneously making inaccessible veggies a little more appealing to picky eaters. It doesn't take much to create this fancy yet simple offering: emulsified spinach, leeks, Yukon golds, parsley, and a lemon. That's it. 

This sauteed spinach soup is like a warmed version of a traditional French vichyssoise. Excellent as an elevated side dish to lamb chops, duck confit, beef Wellington, or any pasta dish, it can also serve as a light and bright addition to any seafood dish.

Recipe: Easy Sauteed Spinach Soup

This English bistro treat is ready in just over 30 minutes, only seven of which are prep time. That might seem impossible, considering Salmon Wellington is a smoky salmon filet artfully wrapped in a buttery, flaky puff pastry crust, but this recipe uses store-bought puff pastry for a quick and easier meal. 

The fresh ingredients speak for themselves: bright sprigs of dill, baby spinach, and briny fish. Serve with a drizzle of lemon juice and crispy fried potatoes or a lightly dressed salad.

Recipe: Salmon Wellington

Kimbap is an artful dish, sure to impress your dinner guests. Extra firm tofu, carrots, cucumber, avocado, and spinach are held together in a roll with rice and salty nori sheets. You may not be accustomed to seeing spinach in this context, but trust us, it provides a wonderful texture and elevates the presentation. 

Keep in mind, this kimbap does require a bamboo rolling sheet, so make sure you have one on hand before you start assembling. Serve with miso soup and a pot of hot jasmine tea or chilled citron marmalade tea to keep the meal Korean-inspired.

Recipe: Veggie Kimbap (Korean Seaweed Rice Rolls)

This Buffalo spinach-artichoke dip takes a party snack classic and gives it a rich, savory, slightly spicy, makeover. It's piled with bacon, bread crumbs, smoked blue cheese, cream cheese, hot sauce, and Parmesan designed to please. Just whip out a gooey, crunchy, bubbly, melty dish of this dip at your next barbecue or cocktail party and see what we mean. 

Speaking of entertaining, this recipe is easy to whip up in advance, too. This hearty dip is sturdy enough to hold up in the fridge and it'll warm up just fine in the oven to enjoy later. 

Recipe: Buffalo Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Pro-tip for spinach fans: A "Florentine" dish is pretty much always going to contain some of the nutritious green. This chicken florentine casserole features egg noodles, chicken, and spinach swimming in a creamy sauce made from mozzarella cheese and mushroom soup. 

It's a luxury comfort food that bakes in a casserole dish for easy assembly and even easier serving. Serve with steamed asparagus, broccolini, Brussels sprouts, or a fresh salad and a crisp Riesling.

Recipe: Easy Chicken Florentine Casserole

This crustless quiche can be enjoyed at any time of the day. Aside from salt and cooking oil, this crustless quiche only uses six ingredients: spinach, shallots, onion, eggs, cream, and cheddar cheese. 

Enjoy it for brunch with a bowl of grapes, a few triangles of rye toast, and some crispy fried bacon, as a light lunch with a side salad, or dinner with roasted potatoes. You could even slice this crustless quiche into little squares and arrange them on a tray as a tea party snack.

Recipe: Crustless Spinach Quiche

A traditional Indian dish, pakora is a vegetable fritter — and the perfect way to clean out your fridge and use up the last of your fresh spinach. (We know you bought that family-sized pack with good intentions, but let's be real, you need a little reminder to use it before it goes bad.)

Pakoras are typically deep-fried, but the air fryer works just as well to recreate the crispy, hand-held treats at home. They're often enjoyed as a snack but could be paired with rice to turn it into a more substantial meal. Enjoy it with a dipping sauce of your choice, such as dill-forward tzatziki or white sauce.

Recipe: Air Fryer Pakora

Chicken soup is considered the ultimate comfort food, for both the body and the soul, for a reason: it's hearty, warming, and nourishing. White mushrooms and sliced onions add umami flavor to this classic recipe, while spinach adds a welcome pop of color and a contrasting texture. 

This soup is a formidable workhorse, too — it can all be made in one large pot or Dutch oven, and in an airtight container, it'll keep in the fridge for three days. Enjoy it with a handful of oyster crackers or a hunk of crusty bread for dipping

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Spinach Soup

These squash boats boast all the flavor of loaded pasta with all the nutrients of a veggie dish. It all starts with halved spaghetti squash baked in the oven. Then, those baked squash halves are stuffed with creamy tomato sauce, sausage, and a spinach and cheese mixture in true "spaghetti" fashion. 

Feel free to swap a few ingredients around here and make new creations. Use arrabiata sauce instead of tomato sauce or stir a little pesto into the mix. To keep it light, pair these squash boats with a simple salad (using leftover spinach if you have it) lightly dressed in olive oil or balsamic vinegar.

Recipe: Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats