Spinach dish with mushrooms

I had some leftover mushrooms in the fridge and wasn't quite sure what to do with them. I quickly grabbed a bag of frozen spinach from the freezer, and that's how I ended up making this simple, no-fuss dish. It turned out quite tasty, and the prep time is reasonable. I've made it a few times when I wanted something light, especially during fasting days or when I wasn't in the mood for complicated cooking.

Quick Info

Total time: about 25 minutes
Prep time: 5 minutes (cleaning and slicing mushrooms, crushing garlic)
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4-5
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: main dish for fasting, side dish, quick lunch or dinner

Ingredients

- 1000 g frozen spinach
- 1 head of garlic
- olive oil (a few tablespoons for sautéing)
- 300 g mushroom stems
- 2-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- iodized salt (to taste)
- about 500 ml cold water

Instructions

1. Place the frozen spinach directly into a pan or pot with a little olive oil. Add the cleaned and crushed garlic.

2. Sauté together over low heat for about 5 minutes, uncovered. Stir periodically to prevent the garlic from sticking or burning.

3. Meanwhile, slice the cleaned mushroom stems into thin rounds.

4. Once the spinach and garlic have softened, add the mushroom rounds, stirring gently.

5. Pour in about 500 ml of cold water, just enough to cover the ingredients by about an inch. Let it simmer over low heat for another 10 minutes, uncovered.

6. In a separate small bowl, mix the flour with a little cold water, stirring well to avoid lumps. The mixture should be fluid, similar to thin sour cream.

7. When the mushrooms are almost cooked, gradually pour in the flour mixture while continuously stirring in the pot. Let it cook for another 2-3 minutes until everything thickens slightly.

8. Add salt to taste, turn off the heat, and let it sit for 1-2 minutes.

9. Serve hot, alongside polenta or bread.

Why I Make This Recipe Often

This recipe is handy when you have frozen vegetables and leftover mushrooms you don’t want to throw away. It cooks quickly, doesn’t require special techniques, and doesn’t dirty too many dishes. It’s suitable for fasting days but also works as a side dish or base for other meals. It can easily be made multiple times a month.

Tips and Variations

Tips

- If the spinach is very watery after thawing, you can lightly squeeze it before cooking.
- Sauté the spinach and garlic over low heat without rushing, so the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Mix the flour well with cold water to avoid lumps.
- Cook without a lid to allow the liquid to reduce.

Substitutions

- You can also use fresh spinach, but the quantity will decrease significantly when cooked. You’ll need to blanch it for 2-3 minutes first, then gently squeeze it.
- If you have whole mushrooms, you can use them all, not just the stems.
- Sunflower oil is fine if you don’t have olive oil.

Variations

- For a richer texture, you can add a small finely chopped onion at the beginning along with the garlic.
- If you want a thicker sauce, use 3 tablespoons of flour.
- For those not fasting, a little milk can be added at the end, but then it’s no longer a fasting dish.

Serving Ideas

- It pairs well with warm polenta, especially freshly made.
- Fried eggs are a simple addition if you’re not fasting.
- It can accompany a piece of simple meat, such as grilled or roasted meat.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use whole mushrooms instead of just the stems?
Yes. If you have whole mushrooms, slice them or cut them into suitable pieces and use them just like you would the stems.

2. Can I make the dish with fresh spinach?
Yes, but it needs to be blanched and drained first. The amount of fresh spinach should be larger because it significantly reduces when cooked.

3. How long should the mixture boil?
About 10 minutes after you add the water, just enough for the mushrooms to soften. If you’re using thicker or tougher mushrooms, you can extend the cooking time by a few minutes.

4. What happens if I don’t mix the flour well with the water?
Lumps will remain in the dish. Ideally, mix vigorously in a small bowl, then slowly pour the mixture in while constantly stirring in the pot.

5. If I want to make the dish thinner or thicker?
You can adjust the consistency by varying the amount of water or flour. For a denser sauce, add more flour or cook longer at the end to reduce the liquid.

Nutritional Values (estimated)

One serving (without bread or polenta, just the spinach and mushroom dish) has approximately:

Calories: 120-150 kcal
Protein: 5-6 g
Carbohydrates: 12-15 g
Fats: 4-6 g (depends on how much oil you use)
Fiber: 3-4 g
These are just estimates, as they depend on the type and amount of oil and mushrooms used. The dish is generally quite light and low in calories.

Storage and Reheating

It keeps well in the fridge in closed containers for 2-3 days. When reheating, you can add a tablespoon of water to prevent it from drying out. Freezing is not recommended, as the flour sauce changes texture and becomes gelatinous upon thawing. If you have leftover polenta, reheat it separately.

The thawed spinach is sautéed in a little oil, together with the peeled and crushed garlic, for about 5 minutes over low heat, uncovered. Meanwhile, the cleaned mushroom stems are sliced into rounds and added to the mushroom mixture. Add about 500 ml of cold water to cover the mixture by about a finger's width, then let it boil for about 10 minutes over low heat, uncovered. The flour is dissolved in a little cold water and added to the dish to thicken it, stirring continuously to avoid lumps, for about 2-3 minutes, seasoning with salt before turning off the heat. The dish is served hot alongside polenta or bread. Enjoy your meal! For sweet days and food lovers, the dish can be accompanied by meat dishes or fried eggs.

 Ingredients: frozen spinach approx. 1000 g, garlic 1 head, olive oil, mushroom stems approx. 300 g, white wheat flour 2-3 tablespoons, iodized salt.

 Tags:  spinach dish