Greek Spinach and Pine Nut Stir-Fry with Feta
A vibrant, quick stir-fry inspired by Greek flavors. Fresh spinach wilts together with toasted pine nuts, sweet raisins, and garlic, then finished with crumbly feta cheese and a splash of lemon. Ready in under 15 minutes, it's a light side dish or the base for a grain bowl.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 8 min
- Total
- 18 min
- Makes
- 4 servings (about 1.5 cups per serving)
Steps
Before you start
- Measure out all ingredients before you start—spinach wilts quickly and you'll want everything ready
- If using fresh spinach in bunches, wash and dry it well to prevent excess water from watering down the dish
Toast the pine nuts
- Place the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat.
- Toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Pine nuts burn quickly, so watch carefully.
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Ready when: Nuts are fragrant and light golden brown
Tip: Don't walk away; pine nuts go from toasted to burnt in seconds.
Heat oil and sauté garlic
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
- Once shimmering, add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Be careful not to let it brown.
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Ready when: Garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn pale golden
Tip: Add garlic to hot oil, not warm oil, for better flavor, but watch it closely to prevent burning.
Wilt the spinach
- Add the spinach in handfuls, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
- As each batch wilts, add more spinach.
- This should take about 2–3 minutes total.
- The spinach will reduce dramatically from its raw volume to about 2 cups cooked.
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Ready when: All spinach is deep green, wilted, and no raw leaves remain
Tip: If the pan looks too wet after wilting, tilt it slightly and press the spinach against the side to drain excess liquid.
Add raisins and spices
- Stir in the toasted pine nuts and raisins.
- Sprinkle with red pepper flakes (if using), a pinch of salt, and a grind of black pepper.
- Stir well to combine everything evenly.
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Ready when: All ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the spinach
Tip: Taste at this point and adjust seasoning—remember the feta is salty, so go light on salt.
Finish with lemon and feta
- Remove the skillet from heat.
- Drizzle with lemon juice and gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese using a spatula.
- Stir just until combined; avoid overmixing, which can break the feta into paste.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
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Ready when: Feta is evenly scattered throughout; lemon juice is fully incorporated
Tip: Don't stir too much after adding feta, or the heat will melt it into clumps instead of leaving it as chunks.
Serve immediately
- Divide among four bowls or plates and serve warm.
- This dish is best enjoyed fresh and warm.
Good to know
Tips
- Toast the pine nuts before starting the stir-fry so they're ready to go—they cook so fast in the pan that you won't have time if you wait.
- Pat the fresh spinach very dry with a clean kitchen towel before adding it; excess water will steam the dish and make it soggy.
- Don't skip the lemon juice—it brightens all the flavors and cuts through the richness of the feta and pine nuts.
- This stir-fry works beautifully as a side to roasted chicken, over couscous or rice, or as a filling for warm pita bread with a dollop of Greek yogurt.
Storage & reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The feta and spinach will soften further as they sit. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water, then finish with fresh lemon juice. Do not freeze.
Substitutions
- fresh baby spinach → Frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry). Use about 10 oz (280 g) frozen spinach. Thaw completely, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible in a clean kitchen towel to prevent a watery dish.
- pine nuts → Sliced or slivered almonds, walnuts, or sunflower seeds. Toast in the same way. Almonds and sunflower seeds take slightly longer (3–4 minutes) and offer a different but complementary crunch.
- golden raisins → Dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots. Use the same amount. These add tartness and chewy sweetness. Dried cranberries especially pair well with feta.
- crumbled feta cheese → Crumbled goat cheese or ricotta salata. Goat cheese is tangier and creamier; ricotta salata is firmer and slightly less salty. Both work beautifully with the Greek flavor profile.
