Spinach with Onions

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones you come back to again and again. Fresh spinach wilted in a double boiler, tossed with browned onions and a hit of nutmeg and thyme. That’s it.

The secret here is cooking those onions over high heat until the edges go dark and caramelized. That browning creates a sweet, smoky depth that plain sautéed onions just can’t deliver.

At 55 calories a serving with eight portions from the pot, this is the kind of side dish you can pile on your plate without a second thought. It pairs with everything from roast chicken to grilled fish to a holiday ham.

Pro Tips

• Wash the spinach in several changes of cold water. Fresh spinach hides grit in every crinkle, and nothing ruins a dish faster than sandy greens.
• The double boiler method wilts the spinach gently without overcooking it. If you don’t have one, a quick steam in a covered pot with just the water clinging to the leaves works too.
• Get those onion edges properly browned before adding seasoning. The Maillard reaction is doing the heavy lifting for flavor here.