Catalan Spinach (Espinacas a La Catalana)

Name: Catalan Spinach Recipes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons raisins; 8 ounces spinach (washed, dried and roughly chopped); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 onion (finely chopped - medium size (about 1 cup)); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 3 tablespoons pine nuts; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 black pepper (freshly grounded)

Spinach is a staple ingredient that I always keep stocked in my fridge. It’s nutritious, versatile, and pairs well with sweet and savory flavors. If you’re looking for more savory spinach recipes, you’ll love this Spinach and Cheese Quesadilla, Green Spaghetti Sauce, or this Spinach Shrimp Salad. Or, to sweeten things up, try my Spinach Blueberry Salad.

Catalan spinach served with tomatoes and roasted garlic on the side.

Table of Contents show

Ingredients

This recipe, also known by its Spanish name, Espinacas a La Catalana, requires only a few simple ingredients. The pine nuts add a nice crunch and an earthy flavor that complements the spinach, while the dried fruit adds texture and a hint of sweetness.

For this spinach Catalan recipe, you’ll need fresh spinach, raisins, extra-virgin olive oil, an onion, large garlic cloves, pine nuts, kosher salt, and black pepper.

Ingredient Substitutions

If you’re missing one or more recipe ingredients, feel free to be resourceful and use what you have on hand. Various nuts would work for that crunch factor, while another type of dried fruit would still add a hint of sweetness. Here are a few recommendations:

Spinach: If you don’t have any fresh spinach on hand, you can use frozen spinach instead. You can use a 1:1 ratio of frozen spinach to fresh spinach. Make sure to thaw your frozen spinach overnight in the fridge and squeeze out the excess juices before using it in the recipe.
Onion: While I chose to use a medium onion for this recipe, you can substitute a shallot for a similar flavor.
Pine nuts: I love the earthy, buttery taste of pine nuts, but I know they can be expensive and sometimes difficult to find at the store. If you’d like to substitute a different nut, I recommend sliced or slivered almonds.
Dried fruit: Raisins aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I like the chewy texture and subtle sweetness they add to this dish. If you don’t have raisins or aren’t a fan of them, you can use dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots instead. You can also use golden raisins, which are a bit sweeter than regular ones.
Optional addition: Some traditional spinach Spanish recipes also include a golden delicious apple in the dish. If you’d like to add in a small golden delicious apple for additional sweetness and flavor, I recommend chopping it up and sauteing it with the rest of the ingredients.

How to Make Catalan Spinach

If you’re craving a quick appetizer or snack, it only takes 20 minutes to make this spinach tapas recipe. Here’s how to do it:

Person soaking raisins and sauteing onion in two images.

Soak the raisins: To help the raisins get plump and juicy, soak them in a small bowl of hot water for 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, make the rest of the recipe.
Saute the onion and garlic: Heat the oil in a skillet. Once hot, add the onion and saute for 5-6 minutes or until translucent, tossing as it cooks. Add the garlic and saute for an additional 30 seconds.

Person showing how to make this spinach side dish in a collage of images.

Cook the spinach: Add the baby spinach and cook until wilted. At first, it will look like you have a lot of spinach, but as it cooks, it will go down to pretty much, nothing.
Add the plump raisins, nuts, and spinach: Drain the raisins and add them to the skillet, along with the pine nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir, and cook for about 3 minutes.
Serve: Transfer the dish to a serving bowl and serve it warm or cold with crusty bread like my Artisan Bread or even more Mediterranean, Kalamata olive bread. I also like it with roasted tomatoes on the side.

How to Store

If you have leftovers or wish to make a double recipe to serve later, you can store the dish in the fridge to have this yummy appetizer ready to go whenever the craving strikes.

To store leftovers, let the dish cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge and enjoy it for up to four days.

How to Serve?

If you’re in the mood for a light meal, enjoy this dish tapas-style with bread and other small snacks and appetizers. You can also serve it up as a side dish to pair with a larger main dish for a more filling meal. Here are some serving recommendations:

Serve it with crusty bread: In Spain, this dish is traditionally served with crusty bread, roasted tomatoes, and roasted garlic. I personally love to pair this recipe with a sliced French baguette and a glass of red wine.
Pair it with a grilled dish: The delicate flavors of this spinach dish pair nicely with grilled meat or fish. On a nice evening, fire up your grill and serve this spinach appetizer with my Grilled Mahi Mahi for a zesty, light spring or summer meal, or pair it with Marinated Shrimp for a crowd-pleasing spread.

Catalan spinach from the top view with a wooden spoon on the side.

Expert Tips

This Spanish spinach dish is pretty quick and easy to make, as it only requires a few basic cooking skills. Even so, I’ve compiled a few tips to help you achieve the best results on your first try. Here’s what you need to know:

Buy prewashed spinach: I think it is a time saver and worth the money.
Salting the spinach: As the recipe states, ensure to season the spinach after it’s cooked. If you season spinach with salt while cooking, it may become too salty as it absorbs the salted water.
Toast the pine nuts: If you have the time, toast pine nuts in an empty skillet until they turn lightly golden brown. It takes only a few minutes to do so but takes the dish to a whole other level.

FAQs

Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?

While you can use frozen spinach in this recipe, we prefer the version made with fresh baby spinach. If you need to use frozen spinach, you can use a 1:1 ratio of frozen spinach to fresh spinach. Make sure to thaw your frozen spinach overnight in the fridge and squeeze out any excess water or juices before using it in the recipe.

What is Catalan spinach?

Catalan-style spinach is a traditional Spanish tapas dish made with spinach, pine nuts, and dried fruit. World-renowned Chef José Andrés created the dish and named it after Catalonia, a region in Spain. He believed the dish represented the Catalonian penchant for combining savory food with sweet flavors, as well as their love for small dishes.

Other Similar Small Dishes You Might Also Like:

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Catalan Spinach Recipes

By Aysegul Sanford

Yields: servings

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

This Catalan Spinach is a fantastic Spanish Tapas dish that is quick and easy to make. Flavored with pine nuts and raisins, it is a flavor-packed dish that is guaranteed to impress.

Catalan spinach in a bowl with tomatoes on the side.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe

Ingredients

▢ 3 tablespoons raisins
▢ 8 ounces spinach washed, dried and roughly chopped
▢ 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
▢ 1 onion finely chopped – medium size (about 1 cup)
▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
▢ 3 tablespoons pine nuts
▢ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
▢ 1/4 black pepper freshly grounded

Instructions

Soak the raisins in hot water and let them plump up for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until translucent, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the spinach and cook until fully wilted. At first, it will look like you have a lot of spinach, but as it cooks, it will go down to pretty much nothing.
Stir in the raisins and pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes.
Serve with crusty bread on the side.

Notes

Serving: Can be served warm or cold.
Storage: Let the dish cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge and enjoy it for up to four days.
Yields: This recipe makes about 1 to 1 ½ cups of spinach that is supposed to be served as tapas style. However, if you want to serve it as a side dish, you can make multiply the recipe as many times as you want.

Nutrition

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Spanish

Diet: Vegan

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Catalan Spinach