Espinacs a la catalana
Sautéed spinach Catalan-style, sweetened with raisins and enriched with toasted pine nuts — sometimes a whisper of garlic or anchovy.
Espinacs a la catalana is spinach wilted in olive oil and finished with plumped raisins and toasted pine nuts, occasionally with garlic or a melted anchovy for depth. The sweet-savoury pairing of dried fruit and nuts is a fingerprint of medieval Catalan cooking, and it turns a plain green into something distinctly of the place. It appears as a side, a small vegetable tapa, or a light starter.
How it's served
Warm, as a side to fish or meat, or a small vegetable tapa. The raisins and pine nuts are the non-negotiable part.
- Origin
- Catalonia
- Etymology
- 'Spinach Catalan-style' — the a la catalana tag marks the raisin-and-pine-nut treatment.
Frequently asked
Why does Catalan spinach have raisins and pine nuts?
The combination of dried fruit and nuts with savoury food is a legacy of medieval Catalan cooking, when sweet-savoury dishes were prized. It survives most visibly in this spinach.
Is it a main course?
Usually not — it is served as a side, a small tapa or a light starter rather than a main.
Related terms
- SamfainaCatalan vegetable stew of onion, aubergine, courgette, pepper and tomato slow-cooked together. Used as a side or as a sauce for bacallà, rabbit and chicken.
- EscalivadaCatalan smoky vegetables: aubergine, red pepper, sometimes onion and tomato, all roasted whole, peeled and dressed with olive oil.
- PicadaA pounded paste of nuts, garlic, parsley and sometimes fried bread, stirred into a Catalan stew at the end to thicken and finish it.