Categories: EasterEggs, Cheese, & YogurtMeatlessSaladsVegetables

Easter Spinach Salad

5 years ago

If you’re looking for a special dish to serve for Easter, try this salad/side dish featuring fresh spinach and plain madzoon (yogurt). It’s healthy, creamy, and only takes a few minutes to make!

Easter Spinach Salad

This recipe is adapted from Rose Baboian’s Easter Spinach Salad in the ‘Armenian-American Cook Book’. It is called a 'salad', but it's more-like a unique creamed spinach side dish.

10-12 oz. fresh spinach (thick stems removed and discarded; leaves washed and drained with excess water removed. If the leaves are large, rough-chop them.)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 small cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 cup plain, Greek-style yogurt
½ cup flat-leaf Italian parsley (chopped)
salt and black pepper (to taste)
¼ – ½ tsp. Aleppo pepper (optional)

Garnishes

sesame seeds (optional)
parsley sprigs (optional)

In a large non-stick skillet, gently heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds or until it starts to brown Do not let garlic burn!
Add the spinach, a little at a time, stirring to coat with oil and garlic. Sauté until spinach is wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, drain any excess liquid and allow spinach to cool, about 10 minutes. Note: Even though it looks like a huge amount of spinach, it cooks down very quickly.
In a mixing bowl, whisk yogurt until it is creamy. If yogurt seems a bit thick, stir-in a little warm water to loosen it up. Add salt and black pepper to taste, and Aleppo pepper, if desired. Stir to combine.
Add cooled spinach and mix in the chopped parsley; adjust seasonings, if necessary.
Transfer spinach mixture to a serving bowl. Garnish with sesame seeds and/or parsley, if desired.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Salad, Side Dish