I buy spinach with good intentions, but I’ve learned that turning the whole bag into salad is probably the least interesting thing I can do with it. Spinach is one of those vegetables that becomes completely different once it hits a hot skillet, a pot of pasta, or a bubbling casserole. It wilts quickly, works with everything from chicken and sausage to beans and cheese, and can make a heavy dinner feel a little more balanced without turning it into “health food.” That versatility is exactly why I keep both fresh and frozen spinach around.
These spinach dinner recipes go well beyond piling leaves into a bowl. I wanted dishes that actually make sense for dinner, so I stuck with familiar combinations and cooking styles I’d genuinely put on my own table: creamy pasta, stuffed chicken, lasagna, curry, soup, baked shells, skillet meals, rice dishes, and a few meatless dinners that are filling enough to stand on their own. Some are cozy weekend meals and others are the kind of quick skillet dinners I lean on during the week, but every one gives spinach a real job to do rather than treating it like a garnish.
1. Creamy Garlic Chicken and Spinach Pasta
Creamy chicken and spinach pasta is where I’d start if I were trying to convince somebody that spinach deserves a regular spot at dinner. I sear seasoned chicken until it develops a good golden crust, then build the sauce in the same pan with garlic, a little broth, cream, Parmesan, and plenty of black pepper. Fresh spinach goes in near the end, when it only needs a minute or two to wilt. Toss everything with penne, rigatoni, or fettuccine and the spinach becomes part of the sauce rather than feeling like a separate vegetable somebody added because they thought they should.
What I especially like about this dinner is how easy it is to change the richness without changing the idea. More broth and less cream gives it a lighter sauce, while extra Parmesan takes it firmly into comfort-food territory. I also keep the spinach fairly generous because a large handful shrinks down to almost nothing once it cooks. Add a squeeze of lemon right before serving and that little bit of acidity wakes up the garlic and cheese beautifully.
2. Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Stuffed shells are one of my favorite ways to turn spinach into a substantial meatless dinner. Jumbo pasta shells are filled with ricotta, chopped spinach, Parmesan, mozzarella, herbs, and seasonings, then tucked into marinara and baked until the sauce bubbles around the edges. It has the familiar comfort of lasagna but feels a little more special when those individual shells come out of the baking dish. Spinach also works especially well here because its mild flavor doesn’t fight the ricotta or tomato sauce.
I usually make the filling fairly spinach-heavy instead of letting ricotta dominate everything. Frozen chopped spinach is actually useful for this recipe because I can thaw it, squeeze it extremely dry, and mix it straight into the cheese. Fresh spinach works too, but I wilt and drain it first so the filling doesn’t become watery. This is also a smart make-ahead dinner: assemble the shells earlier in the day, refrigerate the pan, and bake when everyone is ready to eat.
3. Tuscan-Style Chicken with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
This creamy chicken skillet earns its place in my weeknight rotation because the sauce has enough personality to make a plain chicken breast interesting. I brown the chicken first, remove it briefly, and build a pan sauce with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, broth, cream, Parmesan, and Italian herbs. Spinach gets stirred in just before the chicken returns to the skillet. The leaves soften into the sauce, while the sun-dried tomatoes provide the sharper sweet-tangy flavor that keeps the cream from tasting flat.
I like this one with pasta, mashed potatoes, or a piece of crusty bread because there will be sauce left in the skillet and wasting it feels wrong. Chicken thighs are another good choice if I want something more forgiving than breasts. The important part is not simmering the spinach forever. I add it when the sauce is essentially finished so it keeps some color and doesn’t disappear completely into the cream.
4. Spinach Lasagna
A pan of spinach lasagna is proof that a vegetarian dinner doesn’t need an elaborate meat substitute to feel substantial. I layer lasagna noodles with marinara, a ricotta-spinach mixture, mozzarella, Parmesan, and plenty of seasoning. Once baked, the spinach runs through every layer and breaks up all that cheese without taking over the dish. It’s familiar enough for a family dinner but also practical for feeding a crowd.
Moisture control makes a big difference here. Whether I’m using frozen spinach or freshly wilted leaves, I squeeze out as much water as possible before combining it with ricotta. Watery spinach can turn beautiful lasagna into something that slides apart on the plate. I also let the finished pan rest before slicing it. Those few minutes feel painfully long when the kitchen smells like baked cheese and tomato sauce, but the cleaner slices are worth waiting for.
5. Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells
When I want stuffed shells to be even heartier, shredded chicken is the easiest addition. I combine cooked chicken with spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, garlic, and Italian seasoning, pack the mixture into jumbo shells, and bake them over marinara. The result lands somewhere between chicken lasagna and classic stuffed pasta, and it’s particularly useful when I have leftover roast or rotisserie chicken waiting in the refrigerator.
I also like this recipe because the filling can stretch a modest amount of chicken into a full casserole. There’s enough cheese and spinach around it that every shell still tastes generous. For a creamy variation, I sometimes combine marinara with a small amount of cream before pouring it around the shells. I don’t drown them, though. Keeping some of the shell tops exposed gives the mozzarella a chance to brown rather than simply steaming beneath the sauce.
6. Palak Chicken
Palak chicken, also known in different versions as chicken saag, takes spinach in an entirely different direction from creamy pasta and Italian casseroles. Here spinach becomes the body of a deeply savory curry. I cook onion, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, and warm spices before adding spinach and turning the mixture into a thick green sauce. Chicken simmers in that sauce until tender and takes on the flavor of the spices rather than simply sitting on top of the spinach.
This is the recipe I turn to when I have a large amount of spinach that needs using because those leaves cook down dramatically. The finished curry is excellent with basmati rice, naan, or roti, and I like a little yogurt or cream stirred through at the end for roundness. I wouldn’t overdo it, though. The best versions still taste unmistakably of spinach, aromatics, and spices instead of becoming another generic creamy chicken dish.
7. Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Pasta
Spinach and mushrooms make an especially good meatless pasta because mushrooms bring the savory depth that can otherwise be missing from a simple vegetable sauce. I brown the mushrooms properly first, giving them enough room in the pan to develop color rather than steam. Garlic follows, then a creamy Parmesan sauce and a few large handfuls of spinach. Once the leaves wilt, I toss in pasta and enough reserved pasta water to make everything glossy.
The mushroom choice can change the personality of this dinner without complicating it. Regular cremini mushrooms keep it affordable and easy, while a mixed mushroom package makes it feel more substantial. I like short pasta shapes because they catch little pieces of mushroom and spinach in every forkful. A generous amount of cracked black pepper is essential for me, and a small squeeze of lemon at the end keeps the cream sauce from becoming too rich.
8. Spinach Artichoke Orzo
Spinach-artichoke dip is familiar party food, but those same flavors make an excellent one-pan dinner when orzo gets involved. I cook the tiny pasta in broth until it becomes tender and naturally creamy, then fold in chopped artichoke hearts, spinach, garlic, Parmesan, and a modest amount of cream cheese. The texture becomes almost risotto-like without requiring the constant stirring that traditional risotto usually asks for.
I prefer keeping this dinner savory and bright rather than making it as heavy as an actual dip. Lemon zest and juice help tremendously, and a few red pepper flakes can cut through the richness. Chickpeas are an easy addition when I want more protein without meat, while shredded chicken works if that’s what I have. Either way, spinach and artichokes remain the main flavor combination instead of disappearing beneath a mountain of cheese.
9. Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Stuffed chicken sounds like company food, but spinach and feta stuffed chicken can be surprisingly manageable on a regular weeknight. I make a pocket in each chicken breast and fill it with wilted spinach, crumbled feta, garlic, and herbs. A quick sear gives the outside some color, and then the chicken finishes in the oven until the center is cooked and the filling is hot.
Feta is ideal here because its salty tang keeps the spinach filling interesting without requiring a long list of extras. I sometimes add a little cream cheese to hold the mixture together, but I don’t think it needs much. Lemon, oregano, and black pepper are enough to take the dinner in a Mediterranean direction. Add roasted potatoes, couscous, or rice on the side and it feels like a complete meal rather than simply a stuffed piece of chicken.
10. Sausage and Spinach Gnocchi Skillet
Gnocchi is one of my favorite shortcuts when I want the comfort of pasta without waiting for a large pot of water to boil. For this skillet, I brown Italian sausage, add garlic and gnocchi, then bring everything together with broth and a little cream. Spinach goes in during the last few minutes and wilts around the gnocchi while Parmesan melts into the sauce.
The combination works because each component does something different. Sausage provides seasoning and richness, gnocchi gives the dinner its soft, substantial bite, and spinach keeps the entire skillet from becoming too dense. I prefer mild Italian sausage for a family meal, although spicy sausage works well if everyone likes some heat. This is also one of those dinners where a single skillet genuinely makes sense rather than being a gimmick—the browned sausage bits left behind become part of the sauce.
11. Spinach and Cheese Manicotti
Manicotti deserves more attention when spinach is on the menu. I fill the pasta tubes with ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic, and herbs, line them up over marinara, add more sauce and cheese, and bake until everything is hot and bubbling. It has the comfort of a big baked pasta but feels a little more structured than simply mixing noodles and sauce together.
I find the easiest filling method is to put the ricotta mixture into a piping bag or sturdy zip-top bag with one corner snipped off. Trying to force the filling into manicotti with a spoon is exactly the kind of kitchen task that makes dinner unnecessarily irritating. Once filled, though, the dish is wonderfully low maintenance. I can assemble the entire pan ahead of time and put it in the oven later, which makes it particularly useful when I’m feeding more people than usual.
12. Lemon Parmesan Chicken and Spinach Skillet Pasta
Lemon changes the whole mood of chicken and spinach pasta. Instead of a thick cream sauce, I make this version with chicken, garlic, broth, Parmesan, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a little pasta water. Spinach wilts into the noodles at the end. The sauce still feels silky because of the Parmesan and starch, but the finished dish is brighter and lighter than the creamy versions.
This is one of the spinach dinners I like most during warmer weather when I still want pasta but don’t necessarily want a heavy casserole. Thinly sliced chicken cooks quickly, and baby spinach needs almost no time at all. I finish it with extra Parmesan and black pepper at the table. If the sauce tightens while sitting, a splash of reserved pasta water brings it right back instead of forcing me to add more oil or cream.
13. Spinach and Beef Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers give spinach somewhere useful to hide without making it invisible. I cook ground beef with onion and garlic, then mix in spinach, rice, tomatoes, seasonings, and a little cheese before spooning everything into bell pepper halves. As they bake, the peppers soften and their sweetness works particularly well with the tomato-beef filling.
I prefer chopping the spinach before adding it to the skillet because long wilted leaves can make the filling awkward to spoon and eat. This recipe is also easy to adjust depending on what is already in the kitchen. Cooked brown rice, white rice, or even quinoa can work, and ground turkey is an easy substitute for beef. The basic combination remains familiar enough that it still tastes like a proper stuffed pepper rather than a collection of refrigerator leftovers.
14. Creamy Spinach Tortellini
Refrigerated cheese tortellini can rescue dinner on a night when I don’t have much patience left for cooking. I simmer garlic, broth, cream, and Parmesan into a simple sauce, add the tortellini, and fold in spinach once the pasta is tender. Because the tortellini already contains cheese, the finished dinner tastes far more substantial than the amount of work involved suggests.
Sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers are useful additions when I want another layer of flavor, but I don’t think either is mandatory. Sometimes the straightforward combination of cheese tortellini, spinach, garlic, and Parmesan is exactly what I want. I also watch the sauce closely because tortellini continues absorbing liquid as it sits. Keeping the sauce slightly looser in the pan means it reaches the table creamy rather than dry.
15. Spinach and Chickpea Curry
Spinach and chickpea curry is one of the meatless dinners I can make without feeling like I need to add something else to make it complete. Onion, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala create the base, chickpeas provide the hearty bite, and a generous amount of spinach wilts through the sauce. Coconut milk can make it creamy, although a tomato-forward version is just as satisfying.
I particularly like this recipe for pantry nights because canned chickpeas and spices are things I normally have around. Fresh spinach is easy to add, but frozen spinach works remarkably well too. Served with basmati rice or warm flatbread, the curry feels substantial without being complicated. A squeeze of lemon or lime right at the end sharpens everything and makes the spinach taste fresher.
16. Spinach Pesto Pasta with Chicken
Traditional pesto isn’t the only green sauce worth putting on pasta. Spinach can be blended with basil, Parmesan, garlic, nuts, olive oil, and lemon to create a milder pesto that uses a lot more greens. I toss it with hot pasta and sliced chicken, loosening the sauce with pasta water so it coats the noodles instead of sitting in thick clumps.
I wouldn’t eliminate the basil completely because it gives the pesto the aroma I expect, but spinach is excellent for stretching it into a full dinner sauce. This recipe is especially useful when I have a big container of baby spinach nearing the end of its best days. The leaves don’t need to look perfect if they’re headed into a blender. Cherry tomatoes are good on top when they’re in season, but Parmesan, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon are enough to finish the bowl.
17. Spinach and Mozzarella Baked Ziti
Baked ziti is already dependable comfort food, and spinach slips naturally into the layers of tomato sauce, pasta, ricotta, and mozzarella. I wilt the spinach first, chop it, and mix it with ricotta so the greens are distributed throughout the casserole. Then everything gets layered and baked until the cheese has those browned, bubbling spots around the edges.
I think this is one of the easiest spinach dinners to make for people who claim they don’t like spinach. It isn’t hidden, but it also isn’t the entire point of every bite. The tomato sauce and cheeses remain familiar, while the spinach gives the casserole more texture and keeps it from tasting quite so one-note. Leftovers reheat beautifully, so I rarely regret making a full baking dish even when I’m feeding a smaller group.
18. White Bean, Spinach, and Tomato Skillet
Not every spinach dinner needs pasta or meat. White beans, tomatoes, garlic, and spinach can become a surprisingly substantial skillet meal in about the time it takes to toast some bread. I sauté garlic and onion, add canned tomatoes and drained cannellini beans, let the mixture simmer until slightly thickened, and then fold in spinach. Parmesan on top gives it a savory finish, although the beans already make the skillet creamy in their own way.
The bread is important to me here because the tomatoey juices are too good to leave behind. I like thick slices rubbed with garlic and toasted until crisp at the edges. If I want the skillet a little richer, I add a spoonful of mascarpone or a splash of cream, but most nights I keep it simple. This is an inexpensive dinner that relies on ordinary pantry ingredients and still manages to feel intentional.
19. Spinach and Chicken Enchiladas
Spinach may not be the first thing people associate with enchiladas, but it works extremely well in a creamy chicken filling. I combine shredded chicken with wilted spinach, cheese, green chiles, and a little sour cream or cream cheese, roll it into tortillas, and bake everything beneath enchilada sauce and more cheese. The spinach keeps the filling from becoming nothing but chicken and dairy while fitting naturally with the mild green-chile flavors.
For this dinner I usually choose green enchilada sauce because its tang works particularly well with spinach, although a creamy salsa verde sauce is good too. Rotisserie chicken makes the whole pan considerably faster to assemble. I also make sure the spinach is drained well before mixing the filling. Excess water is the enemy of good enchiladas, especially when the filling already contains sauce and cheese.
20. Spinach, Tomato, and Feta Frittata
I don’t believe eggs should be confined to breakfast, and a substantial spinach frittata makes an easy dinner when the refrigerator looks almost empty. I sauté spinach with onion, add tomatoes, pour seasoned beaten eggs over everything, scatter feta across the top, and finish the skillet in the oven. The edges puff, the feta softens, and the center stays tender as long as I don’t leave it baking too long.
Potatoes or toasted bread turn this into the kind of simple dinner I genuinely enjoy after a busy day. I also like that a frittata is forgiving about quantities. A little extra spinach isn’t going to hurt anything, and leftover roasted vegetables can join the pan without changing the basic recipe. What I avoid is overloading it with watery raw vegetables, because a frittata should slice cleanly instead of releasing liquid onto the plate.
21. Spinach and Sausage Stuffed Shells
Italian sausage changes stuffed shells from a cheesy pasta dinner into something especially hearty. I brown the sausage until the edges caramelize, then combine it with chopped spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, and herbs. The filling goes into jumbo shells, which are arranged over marinara and baked with another layer of sauce and cheese.
This is a particularly good freezer dinner. I can assemble the shells in a freezer-safe pan, cover them well, and save the baking for another night. I like sweet Italian sausage because it doesn’t overwhelm the ricotta and spinach, but spicy sausage gives the tomato sauce a nice kick. Either way, I drain excess sausage fat before making the filling so the finished casserole stays rich without becoming greasy.
22. Creamy Salmon and Spinach Pasta
Salmon and spinach are a natural match for a pasta dinner because both work beautifully with lemon, garlic, and cream. I cook the salmon separately so I can keep the center tender, then make a light cream sauce with garlic, Parmesan, lemon zest, and pasta water. Spinach wilts into the sauce before I gently flake the salmon back through the pasta.
The key word for me is gently. Once the salmon goes back into the pan, too much stirring turns nice flakes into tiny pieces that disappear into the sauce. I prefer fettuccine or linguine here, although penne makes leftovers easier to reheat. A handful of dill can be good if I have it, but lemon and black pepper provide enough freshness on their own. This feels a little more polished than an everyday pasta without requiring restaurant-level effort.
23. Spinach and Potato Curry
Potatoes and spinach make one of those combinations that prove simple ingredients don’t have to produce a boring dinner. I cook cubed potatoes with onion, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and chile, then add spinach once the potatoes are nearly tender. The spinach collapses around them and takes on all the flavor of the spiced tomato base.
I prefer keeping this curry fairly dry rather than turning it into a soupy sauce. That allows the edges of the potatoes to stay distinct while the spinach clings to them. It’s excellent with dal and rice as part of a larger meal, but with naan or roti it can absolutely stand on its own for a simple dinner. Frozen spinach also works, which makes this an especially practical recipe when fresh produce is running low.
24. Chicken, Spinach, and Rice Casserole
A chicken and rice casserole becomes much more interesting once spinach is folded through it. I combine cooked chicken, rice, spinach, onion, garlic, broth, and a creamy element such as sour cream or a simple cheese sauce, then bake everything until the top is golden and the center is hot. A little cheddar, mozzarella, or Parmesan on top gives the casserole the browned finish everyone tends to go for first.
This is exactly the kind of dinner I make when there are odds and ends in the refrigerator that need a destination. Leftover rice and cooked chicken cut down the prep considerably, while frozen spinach means I don’t even need fresh greens. I keep the sauce loose enough before baking because rice continues absorbing moisture in the oven. Dry casserole is difficult to rescue; a slightly creamy one is exactly what I want.
25. Spinach and Meatball Orzo
For the last dinner, I like a one-pan meatball and spinach orzo because it sits somewhere between pasta night and a cozy skillet casserole. I brown small Italian-style meatballs, cook onion and garlic in the same pan, then add orzo, tomatoes, and broth. As the orzo cooks, it absorbs all those flavors and releases enough starch to make the pan naturally saucy. Spinach goes in near the end, followed by Parmesan.
What makes this one especially practical is that frozen meatballs are completely acceptable when dinner needs to happen quickly. Homemade meatballs make it more of a weekend project, but the rest of the recipe stays straightforward either way. I like finishing each bowl with Parmesan and basil rather than piling on extra sauce. The spinach gets plenty of room to show up, and the result is hearty without becoming another heavy baked pasta.
FAQs About Cooking Spinach for Dinner
Is fresh or frozen spinach better for dinner recipes?
I use both because they serve slightly different purposes. Fresh baby spinach is excellent for skillet pasta, soup, frittatas, creamy sauces, and recipes where I want the leaves to wilt directly into the dish. It cooks incredibly quickly, so I usually add it toward the end.
Frozen spinach is especially useful for lasagna, stuffed shells, manicotti, casseroles, curries, and other recipes where the spinach will be mixed into a filling or cooked for longer. The important step is thawing and squeezing it thoroughly when excess moisture could make the finished dish watery.
How much fresh spinach should I add to pasta?
More than you think. Fresh spinach loses a tremendous amount of volume once heated. For a family-size pasta dinner, several generous handfuls can disappear into the sauce in a couple of minutes.
I normally add the spinach in batches if the skillet looks impossibly full. The first handful wilts, which creates space for the next. This is much easier than trying to force an entire package into the pan at once.
How do I keep spinach from making casseroles watery?
Remove as much moisture as possible before the spinach goes into the casserole. I wilt fresh spinach and drain it well, while frozen spinach gets thawed and squeezed firmly.
This matters most with ricotta fillings and baked pasta. Ricotta, mozzarella, tomato sauce, and vegetables already contain moisture, so wet spinach can push a casserole over the edge from creamy to watery.
Can I substitute frozen spinach for fresh spinach?
Usually, yes, especially in baked dishes, soups, curries, fillings, and casseroles. I wouldn’t automatically substitute it in a recipe where barely wilted fresh leaves are an important part of the texture.
Frozen spinach is much more concentrated because it has already been cooked down. I therefore don’t replace fresh spinach cup-for-cup. I add a smaller amount, drain it thoroughly, and adjust according to the dish.
What proteins go best with spinach?
Chicken is probably the easiest pairing because spinach works with everything from creamy chicken pasta to curry and stuffed chicken breasts. Salmon, Italian sausage, ground beef, meatballs, eggs, chickpeas, and white beans are all dependable choices too.
I choose the protein according to the flavor direction of the meal. Feta and chicken work nicely with Mediterranean flavors, sausage belongs naturally with Italian-style pasta, and chickpeas are excellent with spinach in curries.
What cheese tastes best with spinach?
Ricotta is my first choice for stuffed pasta and lasagna, while Parmesan works particularly well in pasta sauces. Feta brings saltiness and tang to stuffed chicken, frittatas, and Mediterranean-style dinners.
Mozzarella is useful when I want the stretchy browned cheese layer on a casserole. I don’t think spinach needs enormous amounts of cheese to taste good, though. Garlic, lemon, herbs, tomatoes, and spices can do just as much of the work.
Can spinach be added directly to pasta sauce?
Fresh baby spinach usually can. Once the sauce is hot and nearly finished, I stir in handfuls of spinach and let them wilt for a minute or two.
If I’m using mature spinach with tougher stems, I remove the stems and sometimes chop the leaves first. Frozen spinach should be thawed and drained if the sauce is already at the consistency I want.
What can I make with a large bag of spinach before it goes bad?
Pasta sauce, curry, lasagna, stuffed shells, pesto, soup, and casseroles are some of my favorite solutions because all of them can use far more spinach than a salad usually does. A seemingly enormous container of fresh spinach becomes surprisingly small after cooking.
If the spinach is still good but I know I won’t use it immediately, I’ll also cook it down and freeze it in portions. That’s much better than rediscovering a forgotten container of slimy leaves at the back of the refrigerator several days later.
Are spinach dinners good for meal prep?
Many of them are. Lasagna, baked ziti, stuffed shells, chicken-and-rice casserole, curry, and enchiladas are particularly convenient because they reheat well and can often be assembled ahead.
For creamy skillet pasta, I prefer cooking it closer to serving time. Pasta keeps absorbing sauce in the refrigerator, so something beautifully creamy on Monday night can be considerably drier by Tuesday afternoon.
What flavors pair especially well with spinach?
Garlic is the obvious one, but lemon is almost as useful because its acidity wakes up cooked spinach. Parmesan, feta, ricotta, tomato, mushrooms, artichokes, onions, nutmeg, ginger, cumin, and warm curry spices are all combinations I return to regularly.
That’s one reason spinach works in so many different dinners. It can sit comfortably in an Italian pasta bake one night and become the foundation of a deeply spiced curry the next without either meal feeling forced.
Final Thought
Spinach gets treated like salad material so often that it’s easy to forget how much better it can become once heat, seasoning, and a few good dinner ingredients get involved. Give me spinach folded into ricotta-filled shells, simmered into curry, wilted through lemony pasta, or tucked inside chicken and I’ll choose that over another bowl of raw leaves almost every time. Cooking also lets me use a genuinely useful amount of spinach instead of watching half a container slowly surrender in the refrigerator.
The bigger lesson for me is that spinach doesn’t need unusual ingredients or complicated recipes to stay interesting. Pair it with foods people already want for dinner—pasta, chicken, rice, potatoes, sausage, beans, eggs, cheese—and it becomes easy to work into the regular rotation. That’s what I want from a useful vegetable: not one spectacular recipe I make once, but enough dependable dinners that I can buy a big bag of spinach and already have several good plans for it.
