Start by washing your spinach well. Even the pre-washed bags get a quick rinse—trust me, you don’t want a gritty crunch. Shake off the excess water, but don’t dry it completely.
Throw the wet spinach into a large pot with just the water that clings to the leaves. No extra liquid needed. The pot should look way too big for the pile of greens—that’s exactly right.
Turn the heat to medium-high and put the lid on. You’ll hear a soft sizzle, then steam will start puffing out. This whole process takes about one to two minutes.
Lift the lid and stir the spinach with tongs. The leaves at the bottom will be wilted and bright green. If the top leaves are still raw, give it another 30 seconds with the lid on.
Seasoned Water Spinach Side Dish (Asian-style) - Delightful Plate
Drain any extra water in a colander (or just tip the pot). That’s it. You have perfectly cooked spinach, ready to eat.
A little story about “the big pot”
I once tried to cook a whole bag of spinach in a small saucepan. Bad move. The leaves couldn’t move, and they turned into a mushy, watery mess. It was like trying to fit ten people in a tiny car—everyone gets squished and unhappy.
Now I use my biggest pot. The spinach has room to steam and dance. The result is light, tender, and never soggy. This is non-negotiable: big pot, happy spinach.
