Sautéed spinach with pine nuts & currants

One of my favorite tapas restaurants in San Francisco serves a spinach dish with golden raisins and almonds that’s very similar to this one. I put my own twist on it using pignoli (pine) nuts and currants. PREP TIME 5 minutes COOKING TIME 10 minutes YIELD 2 servings   2 tablespoons (30 ml) raw pine nuts (pignoli nuts) 1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil 4 cups (960 ml) of baby spinach, washed Sea salt and black pepper to taste 2 tablespoons (30 ml) dried currants   SIDE NOTE You can make this recipe with raisins and walnuts if you prefer.   NUTS EGGS NIGHTSHADES FODMAPS   In a large skillet, toast the pine nuts over low heat for approximately 5 minutes, tossing often to prevent burning. Set the toasted pine nuts aside. Melt the butter in the skillet, add the spinach, sea salt, and black pepper. Cover for about 2 minutes. Stir the spinach, and cook until it is wilted. Top with toasted pine nuts and currants.

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Sautéed spinach with pine nuts and currants is a Spanish tapas classic with a sweet-savory twist. Toasted pignoli nuts bring buttery crunch while dried currants dot the wilted greens like little jewels. Ready in ten minutes, it is the kind of side dish that quietly steals the show.

Pro Tips

• Toast the pine nuts over low heat and toss constantly. They go from golden to burnt in seconds, and burnt pine nuts will ruin the whole dish.
• Add the currants with the nuts at the end so they plump slightly from the residual heat without turning to mush.
• Cover the spinach for the first two minutes — the trapped steam wilts it fast and evenly, and you keep the bright green color.
• Raisins and walnuts make a fine substitute as the recipe notes suggest; the walnut version is heartier and works well alongside roast meats.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many does this spinach side serve?

It serves two as a side dish, and the recipe doubles easily — just use a larger skillet so the spinach wilts rather than steams in a pile.

Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?

Fresh baby spinach is strongly preferred here; frozen spinach releases far too much water and would steam rather than sauté.

Is this dish nut-free adaptable?

Yes — simply leave out the pine nuts. The currants still give the sweet contrast, and you can finish with extra butter for richness.

What main dishes pair well with this?

It sits beautifully next to roast chicken, seared steak, or any Spanish-style tapas spread, and it is quick enough to make while the main rests.

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