Spring in Australia is the time when spinach truly shines. The warmer days and cool nights of the season produce tender, vibrant leaves with a fresh, earthy flavour. Whether you’re tossing baby leaves into a salad, folding mature spinach through a frittata, or adding it to a buttery pastry, Spring offers the best-tasting spinach of the year.
Selecting the Best Spinach
When shopping, seek out bunches with glossy, deep green leaves that feel crisp and lively. Baby spinach is delicate and slightly sweet, making it perfect for salads, sandwiches and smoothies.
Mature leaves are more robust, with a hearty flavour that stands up beautifully to sautéing, braising, or baking into pies. Stems should be firm and fresh, never limp. If buying loose spinach, choose smaller leaves for tenderness; if buying by the bunch, a quick snap test of the stems tells you all you need to know about freshness.
Storage and Freezing Tips
Spinach is best enjoyed soon after purchase, but with a little care, you can stretch its life. Wrap the unwashed leaves loosely in paper towel and store them in a breathable bag or container in the fridge’s crisper.
This prevents sogginess while keeping the leaves crisp. If you’ve bought a generous bunch and know you won’t get through it all, blanching and freezing is a cook’s best trick.
To do this, briefly boil the leaves for a minute, plunge into ice water, then drain and squeeze out excess liquid. Pack into small portions before freezing - these can go straight into soups, stews, pasta sauces, or curries without thawing. Having a stash of spinach in the freezer means a boost of greens is always within reach.
Culinary Versatility and Health Perks
Spinach’s mild flavour and tender texture make it one of the most adaptable greens in the kitchen. In Spring, enjoy it fresh in salads paired with strawberries, goats’ cheese and nuts for a seasonal touch. Wilt it gently into risottos or stir it through scrambled eggs just before serving for a vibrant pop of colour. Spinach also marries beautifully with creamy sauces and pastries - think spanakopita or spinach and ricotta cannelloni.
Alongside its culinary charms, spinach is also nutrient-rich. It’s loaded with iron and folate, along with vitamins A, C and K. Its antioxidants support eye health, while its fibre makes it as kind to digestion as it is to flavour.
Here are three ways to put fresh and in-season spinach on the dinner table this week:
Loaded with baby spinach and tasty prawns, this seafood risotto is the perfect meal to make this week. Drizzled with tomato pesto and sprinkled with crispy breadcrumbs, it’s a flavour sensation. You can substitute vegetable stock for the dry white wine for an alcohol-free version.
Spinach and lamb complement each other beautifully because their flavours balance perfectly. Lamb’s rich, savoury and slightly gamey taste is lifted by spinach’s earthy freshness. The iron-rich greens enhance the natural depth of the meat, while lamb adds hearty richness to spinach, creating a nourishing and harmonious pairing.
Ready to cook in just 15 minutes, this spinach and semi-dried tomato roast lamb is deceivingly easy. Sprinkle with chilli flakes for an extra hit of spice.
Bursting with mouth-watering flavours, this pork belly yakitori recipe comes together with just five ingredients and in only 30 minutes.
