A mere 15 years ago we spent a Spring Break in Chicago with young kids doing family tourist things like going to the ESPN zone and the American Girl store. We also had an opportunity to meet with college friends for an adult night out (a favorite babysitter moved to Chicago and agreed to watch our kids). They took us to Vivo, an Italian Restaurant owned by friends of theirs…It was an oasis of young, hip city dwellers feasting on phenomenal but simple Italian food. Our friends ordered their favorites for the table and we passed it around family style. The wine and food just flowed around us – it was delightful! I recall the sauteed spinach dish that was served room temperature and thought it was the best spinach I had ever tasted. I do not have the recipe but believe I have duplicaed it pretty well. I make this dish as a side, or room temperature salad on a regular basis. I just checked Vivo’s website and they do have a sauteed spinach on the menu, but it has parmesan cheese instead of the goat cheese…surely it has evolved into something different over time.

Ready to eat!

It is especially delicious with beef or pork – but would be a lovely addition to fish or chicken as well. It is quickly sautéed and cooled so that excess water can be drained or squeezed out. The final sauté adds a healthy amount of garlic and several splashes of red wine vinegar. With salt and pepper, the only added finish is little gems of goat cheese crumbles that soften to add a creamy but tart flavor.

pan full of spinach

cover to steam quickly

wilted enough to cool and remove excess water

I believe that one 10 oz bag of baby spinach is barely eough for two people, but you can start with that. I typically buy 2# containers at Sam’s Club or Costco and use 12 to 16 ounces for each recipe. This should feed four as a side but Dave and I can easily eat it by ourselves! The spinach shrinks down a lot. I believe it is best served within about a half hour of preparing. The spinach will turn a more yellow color after it sits much longer.

strain and press water out

sautee with garlic, more olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper

Italian Sauteed Spinach with Goat Cheese

Serves 2 to 4 as a side dish
Preparation time approximately 20 minutes start to finish.

Ingredients

12 to 16 oz. fresh spinach
2 – 4 Tbs. olive oil
1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 – 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 – 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions

Lightly oil the bottom of a heavy non stick saute pan with olive oil and place on medium-high heat on the stove. Add all of the spinach to the pan and cover for 3 to 5 minutes until it shrivels and releases its liquid. The spinach will not be fully cooked.

Remove the spinach into a colander and let cool for a few minutes. With a potato masher – or your hands, squeeze out excess water. It does not have to be reallly dry.

Return the pan to the stove at medium-high heat and add another 2 Tbs of olive oil. Return the spinach to the pan and stir to coat in the oil. Add garlic, salt and pepper. You want to sauté the mixture, but not let the garlic burn. Add the red wine vinegar to your personal taste and stir to combine.

Place all into a serving dish and top with goat cheese crumbles. This can be served right away hot – or at room temperature, within a half hour.

Notes