spinach
Also known as: Fresh chopped spinach
A leafy green with a mild, slightly earthy flavor, eaten raw in salads or cooked, which wilts it down dramatically in volume -- a large bag of raw spinach reduces to a small handful once cooked. Baby spinach is more tender and mild, while mature spinach has larger, more textured leaves and a slightly stronger flavor.
Buying guidance
Look for vivid green, crisp leaves with no sliminess, yellowing, or dark wet patches; bagged spinach should show little condensation inside the bag. Buy only what will be used within a few days, since leafy greens are highly perishable.
Substitutions
- Baby spinach -- milder and more tender than mature spinach, and wilts a little faster when cooked.
- Swiss chard or kale -- work in cooked dishes but need longer cooking and taste noticeably stronger; not a good raw-salad swap.
- Frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry -- fine for cooked dishes where a just-picked look doesn't matter; skip it for salads.
Tips & common mistakes
A pan that looks impossibly overfull with raw spinach usually isn't -- it wilts down to a fraction of its raw volume within a minute or two of high heat, so add it in handfuls, letting each addition collapse before adding more, rather than assuming it won't fit and using less than a dish actually needs.
Storage
Pre-washed bagged spinach starts its clock the moment it's processed, so it turns slimy notably faster once opened than spinach washed and dried right before use -- use it within a few days of opening, and keep a dry paper towel in the bag to soak up condensation.