27 Dinners That Start with a Bag of Fresh Spinach

April 21, 2020

Add a nutritious leafy green to your dinner with these spinach recipes. While the nutritional value differs slightly between raw and cooked spinach, either way you eat it, you’ll be getting lots of vitamins and nutrients. Spinach is full of vitamin K, vitamin A and vitamin C and has been known to help maintain a healthy blood pressure. Recipes like Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta and Spinach Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, White Beans & Basil are healthy, delicious and a great source of veggies.

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Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

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Serve these saucy, ultra-quick chicken cutlets over your favorite pasta. This easy dinner recipe is sure to become a new weeknight favorite. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020

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Best Caesar Salad with Crispy Parmesan

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For a nutrient-packed twist, this healthy Caesar salad features spinach and kale in addition to romaine. But it's the Parmesan crisps that make this salad holiday-worthy. Serve it for Thanksgiving or any other special meal. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November 2019

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Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

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If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019

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Spinach & Artichoke-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

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Stuffed mushrooms and spinach-artichoke dip come together in this quick vegetarian recipe. Serve these cheesy stuffed mushrooms with a big salad for a satisfying and healthy dinner. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020

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Spinach Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, White Beans & Basil

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Roasted sweet potatoes are paired with spinach, cabbage and white beans and tossed together with a bright basil dressing in this healthy main dish salad. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019

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Spinach & Mushroom Tortellini Bake

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This cheesy tortellini bake is a dish the whole family will love--it's filled with sweet-tasting marinara, mushrooms and spinach and topped with melted cheese. Complete the meal, plus get in another vegetable serving, by adding a side of broccoli or a small green salad. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019

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Spring Green Soup with Chicken

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Sautéing chicken in a little oil first (rather than poaching in the broth) creates some browned bits in the pan (aka fond) that give this green soup a richer flavor. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May 2020

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Creamed Spinach-Stuffed Salmon

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For this easy baked salmon recipe, we've stuffed salmon fillets with a luscious creamed spinach mixture for a main and side in one dish. It all adds up to a healthy dinner that's elegant, simple and delicious--and ready in 30 minutes. Wider fillets work best for this salmon recipe because they're easier to stuff than the skinny ones. You could also serve the creamed spinach on the side if you don't feel like stuffing the salmon. Source: EatingWell.com, May 2019

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Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach & Feta Penne Pasta

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In this quick 20-minute dinner recipe, tender penne pasta is combined with garlic, roasted red peppers and spinach and topped with crumbled feta cheese for a fast and easy Mediterranean-inspired meal. This recipe was graciously shared by EatingWell reader Dottie Carpenter, who states, "Recipes are no good if they're not shared!" Source: EatingWell.com, March 2020

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Sesame Shrimp Stir-Fry with Spinach

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This stir-fry recipe calls for buying shrimp that's already peeled and deveined, which saves you about 10 minutes of prep time. Want this on the milder side? Swap ketchup for the chili-garlic sauce. Source: EatingWell Magazine, April 2020

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Spinach & Herb Galette

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A galette is a rustic version of a tart. Here, we fill the whole-wheat crust with spinach, herbs, and three cheeses. With its mild, versatile flavor, spinach works in a wide range of dishes. Baby spinach can be eaten raw or cooked briefly--when cooked it will reduce in volume quite a bit. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Spring 2019

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Skillet Lemon Chicken with Spinach

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This simple, ultra-quick chicken dinner--packed with spinach and peppers--is delicious on its own or served over brown rice or your favorite pasta. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2020

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Creamy Spinach Pasta

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This might be one of the creamiest light pasta dishes you've ever had! The mascarpone cheese adds a richness to the spinach pasta that's unexpected--especially in a healthy pasta recipe. Source: 400 Calorie Recipes

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Fall Chopped Salad with Spinach, Butternut Squash, Apples & Cheddar

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Who says spinach salads are only for spring? Use autumn's tender crop of fresh spinach and other seasonal vegetables to make this fall salad with roasted butternut squash, apples, cheddar and pecans. This colorful and healthy salad would be a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving menu, but there's no reason to save it for holidays--serve it along with chicken or pork for a healthy weeknight dinner, or turn it into a main course by adding some chickpeas or chopped chicken or turkey. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019

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Spinach, Lima Bean & Crispy Pancetta Pasta

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We opt for fresh spinach pasta here--it cooks quickly and adds a pop of color. Cooking lima beans in pancetta drippings infuses them with flavor. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March 2020

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Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon

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This recipe for seared scallops with white beans and spinach turns out a healthy dinner that looks impressive (and tastes great) in just 25 minutes. Giving lemons a quick sizzle in the skillet amps up the flavor of this piccata-inspired dish. The heat helps release even more citrus juice and sweetens it too. When shopping for scallops, look for ones labeled "dry." Some scallops are soaked in a solution that prevents them from searing properly and can give them a soapy flavor. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September 2019

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Spinach Salad with Morels, Bacon & Blue Cheese

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In this hearty spinach salad recipe, asparagus and potatoes star next to bold morel mushrooms, bacon and blue cheese. Mature spinach works best here--it'll hold up better than baby spinach when tossed with warm vegetables and a sharp, mustardy vinaigrette. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2018

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Vegetarian Spring Egg Casserole

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This easy egg casserole is filled with spring green vegetables and rustic whole-grain bread. It's perfect for a healthy vegetarian dinner or a springtime brunch. You can assemble it the night before and bake it in the morning when you're ready. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020

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Slow-Cooker Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna

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Cooking lasagna in your slow cooker rather than in the oven keeps it super moist and cheesy--just like lasagna should be. You can easily assemble this dish in the slow cooker ahead of time and refrigerate it. Just be sure to let the slow cooker come to room temperature before starting it so that the cook time is accurate. Serve with a green salad, if desired. Source: Everyday Slow Cooker

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Green Shakshuka with Spinach, Chard & Feta

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The inspiration for this green shakshuka recipe comes from HaBasta, a popular restaurant on the edge of Carmel Market in Tel Aviv, where the shakshuka is packed with green chard and spinach and a little hot pepper provides just a touch of spice. Serve with pita or crusty bread to sop up the sauce for a quick dinner or for brunch. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May 2019

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Cheesy Spinach-&-Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

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This spaghetti-squash-for-pasta swap slashes both carbs and calories by 75 percent for a delicious, creamy casserole you can feel good about eating. It's worth roasting the squash versus cooking it in the microwave if you have the time: the flavor gets sweeter and more intense. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2019

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Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara

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Fresh pasta cooks up faster than dried, making it a must-have for fast weeknight dinners like this luscious yet healthy meal. Eggs are the base of the creamy sauce. They don't get fully cooked, so use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs if you prefer. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2019

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One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach

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Shrimp, spinach and garlic brown and cook quickly for a simple one-pot weeknight dinner. A fast pan sauce gets life from zesty lemon juice, warm crushed red pepper and herby parsley. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat baguette to swipe up every last drop of sauce. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2018

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Butternut Squash Alfredo with Chicken & Spinach

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If you're not feeling like regular pasta tonight, turn to butternut squash noodles. These delicate veggie strands are a great base for any number of sauces and toppings, like this creamy and decadent Alfredo sauce with chicken, garlic and silky spinach. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2018

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Italian-Style Turkey & Penne Skillet

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This delicious one-skillet pasta meal-for-two is ready in just 35 minutes! Turkey--seasoned with a spicy Italian-seasoning blend--is served with tomato sauce and wilted spinach over multi-grain pasta. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Chicken Stew with Green Herbs & Citrus (Morgh-e Torsh)

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This delicious chicken stew is traditionally made with sour oranges, which are prolific in Iran--if you find them, use the juice of two in place of the citrus called for here. Serve with rice to pair with the flavorful spinach sauce. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2018

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Grilled Corn Salad with Chili-Miso Dressing

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Serve this Asian salad with grilled steak, chicken or firm white fish like halibut. You can also double the recipe and bring it to your next potluck. If you can find tatsoi, a peppery Asian leafy green, use it instead of mild-mannered spinach. Store-bought Thai sweet chili sauce and umami-packed white miso build fast flavor in this easy summer salad. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2018

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