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Home / Types / African Recipes

Stewed Spinach (African Style)

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Published:4/28/2020Updated:4/28/2020

Stewed Spinach – Super simple way of enjoy spinach African style – bursting with a good amount of greens and delivers the perfect amount of spice. A quick and easy way of putting greens on the table.

 

If at times you get caught in a rut doing the same recipes over and over again, here is an African spinach dish that is easy to make any time of the week  with minimal prep work.

All you need is spinach, tomatoes, onions, shrimp and smoked turkey and you are on your way to a tasty dish. And for added flavor you may use garlic and thyme. 

This side dish of spinach is one I’ve been making for as long as I can remember, it’s one of  my absolute favorite ways of eating spinach (other than eating it raw in a salad) – simple, rustic, quick and easy, but the taste is remarkably good.

Oh yes! My cousin called that he was coming over for a lunch break and that he was SUPER hungry. I get that a lot, from him. This is when he wants me to whip up something fast . And I always fall for it. Luckily for me, or should I say him, I had some thawed spinach already in the fridge. I got out the rest of the ingredients, grabbed some plantains and within 50 minutes I had finished cooking and had taken a few pictures for the blog. Doesn’t work like this always but today it just did! I gave myself 10 minutes tops for the pictures. 

Now can you believe I didn’t have a plate of this deliciousness? My cousin and hubby wiped the plate cleaned!

No leftovers for the cook😮

For the health conscious, you may boil the plantains – Mine was far past the boiling stage – Okay who am I kidding? I love fried plantains and was hoping to have some leftovers.

Any starchy meal works – plantains (roasted or fried), corn fufu, or yam.

You may leave out the shrimp but the smoked turkey adds a smoky flavor to the dish. Feel free to swap out the spinach for collard greens, add more spices or play with the spice combination to suit your taste buds. If you have crayfish you may throw it in as well.

Enjoy it.

Watch How To Make It

 

 

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African Stewed Spinach

  Stewed Spinach – Super simple way of enjoy spinach African style -bursting with a good amount of greens and delivers the perfect amount spice. A quick and easy way of putting greens on the table.
4.41 from 15 votes
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
African
Servings 5 -6

Ingredients

  • ½ pound shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1/2- 1 teaspoon creole seasoning (or your favorite spice mix) Adjust to taste
  • ½ pound chopped smoked turkey
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 -2 teaspoons thyme optional
  • 4-5 fresh tomatoes chopped
  • ½-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, whole scotch bonnet pepper works too!
  • 1- teaspoon paprika
  • 3 pounds spinach frozen thawed and drained
  • ½ -1 cup canola oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1- teaspoon bouillon powder or Maggie cube optional

Instructions

  • Heat canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot.Season shrimp with salt and creole seasoning(salt free) or use favorite seasoning .
  • Lightly sauté the shrimp in about 2 tablespoons oil ,until turns pink about 4-5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  • Add the smoked turkey sauté with onions in the oil for 3-4 minutes, stirring often and scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
  • Add minced garlic , thyme  , cayenne or whole  pepper, paprika, chicken (bouillon) and cook stirring for about a minute, then add tomatoes . cook for about 10 minutes. Salt lightly
  • Through in the spinach, and let it simmer, for about 3-5 minutes.
  • You may add saute shrimp at the point or serve with shrimp on top of the spinach , adjust for seasonings 

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 379kcal (19%)| Carbohydrates: 14g (5%)| Protein: 25g (50%)| Fat: 26g (40%)| Saturated Fat: 2g (13%)| Cholesterol: 141mg (47%)| Sodium: 602mg (26%)| Potassium: 1816mg (52%)| Fiber: 7g (29%)| Sugar: 3g (3%)| Vitamin A: 26215IU (524%)| Vitamin C: 86.8mg (105%)| Calcium: 352mg (35%)| Iron: 9.3mg (52%)
Author: Immaculate Bites
Course: Main
Cuisine: African
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Nutrition Facts
African Stewed Spinach
Amount Per Serving
Calories 379 Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Fat 26g40%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 141mg47%
Sodium 602mg26%
Potassium 1816mg52%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 25g50%
Vitamin A 26215IU524%
Vitamin C 86.8mg105%
Calcium 352mg35%
Iron 9.3mg52%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

 

african stewed spinach
african stewed spinach
stewed spinach

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    Comments & Reviews
    1. Casey Israel says

      Posted on 2/12 at 10:19PM

      I’m my own personal chef now ❤️ Love this website

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 2/13 at 10:07AM

        THanks.

        Reply
    2. Miriam cooper says

      Posted on 12/6 at 9:54AM

      Can olive oil be substituted?

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 12/8 at 3:41PM

        Yes it can.

        Reply
    3. Siara M. says

      Posted on 11/4 at 1:04PM

      I’m Pescatarian so I substituted the meat with cauliflower… Truly great meal!!

      Reply
      • Imma Adamu says

        Posted on 11/4 at 11:05PM

        Great choice!

        Reply
    4. PC Miles says

      Posted on 2/29 at 3:10PM

      I added garbanzo beans to give it a more complete profile, Great ………..

      Reply
    5. Bridgette says

      Posted on 1/25 at 6:42AM

      Can this be made with fresh spinach? If so will I need to change anything?

      Reply
      • imma africanbites says

        Posted on 1/25 at 2:26PM

        Hi. Yes, you may use fresh spinach. Blanch the fresh spinach first for a couple of minutes, let it cool. Then squeeze out the water and you are all set to start cooking. Happy cooking!

        Reply
    6. Dani S. says

      Posted on 11/9 at 9:46AM

      I am very interested in trying this recipe, it looks amazing!! While I LOVE spinach, by boyfriend can’t have it due to a stomach disorder. But somehow he can tolerate collard greens just fine. I saw you had mentioned using collard greens instead. If I were to use fresh collards instead, do you have any advice on how to prepare them instead of frozen spinach? Thank you!

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 11/10 at 9:29PM

        Hi Dani,
        Blanch the collard greens before using . Do this by bringing a large pot of water to a boil . Add chopped collard greens, submerge them completely in the boiling water . The water . Let the collard greens cook for about a minute or less. Remove , submerge in ice water , drain and add to the pot.

        Reply
    7. AWATT mofat says

      Posted on 8/23 at 9:57AM

      Well done dear

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 8/24 at 12:59AM

        Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

        Reply
    8. leslie taylor says

      Posted on 7/22 at 1:07PM

      Made the stewed spinach yesterday with baked chicken thighs and fresh corn. I love it……I could just eat the spinach by itself. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 7/22 at 9:45PM

        I could just eat the spinach by itself too:)! I am glad you loved it. Thanks for stopping by Leslie.

        Reply
      • Ms. Brown says

        Posted on 9/10 at 4:44AM

        In my home we eat the spinach over rice by its self it’s so fulfilling!!

        Reply
    9. Carmen says

      Posted on 2/11 at 12:57PM

      The measurements seem strange. Why no use 1/2 or 1 teaspoon or tablespoon? How can you use .08 of an onion?

      Reply
      • Moji says

        Posted on 5/13 at 2:52PM

        Where did you see 0.8 of an onion?

        Reply
    10. Charlotte Butler says

      Posted on 12/28 at 8:03AM

      Right before Thanksgiving I ran across your page using the search feature on instagram, that page is so informative. I just want to say thanks for sharing, your recipes are so full of flavor, I have prepared the Sancocho recipe,sofrito,trinidad corn pie,jellof rice and african stewed spinach and i eat spinach all the time just not like this recipe, which is the best that i have tasted all of my life (for real). I do a lot of yard work, walking my dogs, stationary bike, so I’ve incorporated spinach, rice, chicken, in my diet for a while with no special time of day to eat it, your spinach recipe has a special place in my diet, even though i love shrimp i only used the smoke turkey and coconut oil, the oil being the only change. I will continue to use your recipes.

      Reply
    11. Cathy says

      Posted on 11/25 at 5:37PM

      Looks delicious! Where do you get the chopped smoked turkey from? Do they sell this in stores already chopped, or would you have to buy turkey, cook it and cut it up yourself?

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 11/28 at 9:05AM

        Hi Cathy, I use left over cooked turkey. Or you can buy smoked turkey legs or wings and cut into bite size pieces.

        Reply
    12. Tuandalayia says

      Posted on 9/30 at 7:07PM

      This was really good, thanks for sharing your recipe!

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 9/30 at 8:00PM

        So happy to hear it worked out well for you .

        Reply
    13. eve says

      Posted on 9/7 at 8:58AM

      1/2 to 1 cup of oil is too much oil to cook with. To make this more healthier I used 1 to 2 tablespoon. that is more than enough oil. That’s my opinion..

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 9/9 at 6:19AM

        Yes, adjust oil to your needs. Start with a small quantity and add as you go if needed. Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    14. China says

      Posted on 8/2 at 6:46PM

      It sounds like a lot of tomatoes. 4-5 tomatoes, what kind? I’m excited to try this recipe it looks amazing and your reviews are awesome

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 8/2 at 8:04PM

        It’s roma tomatoes and they run pretty small.

        Reply
    15. Krystal J says

      Posted on 3/13 at 6:26PM

      Hi. First let me say. I’m a big fan of your recipes! I’ve tried several and have loved them all. This recipe was no different but I kept reading over this looking for where to add the tomatoes and didn’t see it in the instructions. I skimmed the comments to see if anyone brought this up and didn’t see anyone mention it there either. I added them where I thought they should go but I didn’t know if you hadn’t noticed that or maybe it’s me? I asked someone to look at it for me and they didn’t see it either. Regardless, I plan to make it again. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Krystal J says

        Posted on 3/13 at 6:31PM

        I also didn’t see how to season the shrimp.

        Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 3/14 at 5:13PM

        Hi Krystal, thanks for bringing this to my attention. Happy to hear it worked out well for you. I have rewritten recipe to make it clearer. Thanks again.

        Reply
        • Krystal J says

          Posted on 3/15 at 6:12AM

          Great. Thank you!

          Reply
    16. Jessica J says

      Posted on 12/27 at 9:50AM

      I just made this now and my my my it turned out awesome!

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 12/29 at 6:51AM

        So happy to hear it worked well for you Jessica.

        Reply
    17. Shay says

      Posted on 9/29 at 7:50AM

      Any advice for using fresh spinach?

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 9/30 at 6:39AM

        Blanch first for a couple of minutes, let it cool. Then squeeze out the water -and you are all set to start to start cooking.

        Reply
    18. kelly smith says

      Posted on 9/28 at 12:24AM

      I don’t love spinach and never eat. but when I have tried this recipe, it really tasty and delicious. I love it.

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 9/28 at 6:24AM

        Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!

        Reply
    19. Emily says

      Posted on 9/26 at 3:59AM

      Another delicious recipe! I don’t want anything else for dinner, just a big plate of these greens! OK, maybe I will have a few fried plantains, too 🙂
      I made this with part frozen turnip greens (cooked those a while before I added the frozen spinach). I didn’t have smoked meat so added a few drops of Liquid Smoke. I did cook the shrimps and they were tasty! I also used canned tomatoes.
      I will be making this often for my family.
      Don’t skip thawing and draining the frozen greens!

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 9/27 at 6:18AM

        Awesome! Totally agree with not skipping thawing and draining – makes a whole lot of difference. Thanks Emily ! You are too Kind.

        Reply
      • Keshari says

        Posted on 7/16 at 1:58AM

        Hello i don’t eat meat but do eat seafood. is there a way of making this without the turkey?

        Reply
        • ImmaculateBites says

          Posted on 7/17 at 3:58PM

          Sure you can. It’s still tasty without turkey

          Reply
    20. TexasGirl says

      Posted on 9/17 at 2:52PM

      I just made this with fresh spinach and it tastes AWESOME!!! Also made fried plantains. The flavor is amazing. Will definitely revisit this site for more recipes. I love to cook and this site seems to have tons of great recipes to choose from.

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 9/18 at 8:50AM

        Awesome! Thanks for letting me know. You are going to have a blast going through the archives . Do let me know which ones you try out .

        Reply
    21. Debbie Spivey says

      Posted on 9/4 at 1:59PM

      Looks delicious!

      Reply
    22. Patricia says

      Posted on 9/4 at 8:01AM

      I am so glad I stumbled on your blog. Have made a couple of recipes and love
      Best

      Reply
    23. Aliyyah Conway says

      Posted on 9/4 at 7:49AM

      Hi what type of smoke turkey?

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 9/4 at 6:27PM

        It really doesn’t matter. I use the one available in most super markets, smoke chicken, or fish would work as well.

        Reply
    24. Mamei says

      Posted on 3/8 at 3:13AM

      Imma! Thank you for this recipe! I went to a party some years ago where a dish VERY close to this was served… I’ve been stalking it since! Yours is perfect! I made some last night, and my boyfriend raved about how delicious it was! Many thanks for the great site & recipes! Take care 🙂

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 3/11 at 8:38PM

        Awesome! Glad you liked it. Thanks for letting me know.

        Reply
    25. Fae says

      Posted on 7/4 at 8:36AM

      Made this the way you have it and it was very lovely. Today I added chivo and smoked fish and I’m in love at how this recipe can be altered and still turn out fantastic

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 7/6 at 5:22AM

        Awesome! Nice touch with the chivo. Glad you enjoyed it!!!

        Reply
    26. Mrs. A says

      Posted on 1/6 at 2:10PM

      I used fresh spinach and not frozen spinach. Didn’t quite turn out right. Could that have been the reason

      Reply
    27. Mrs. A says

      Posted on 1/6 at 2:07PM

      Tried it. Nothing special.

      Reply
    28. Kisha says

      Posted on 2/24 at 3:02PM

      Does it matter what flavor of the cube is? (Chicken or beef)

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 2/24 at 5:02PM

        Kisha, it really doesn’t matter.

        Reply
    29. Dawn says

      Posted on 11/20 at 1:04PM

      Love this easy recipe – looks like it will be tasty.

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 11/20 at 1:47PM

        It is definitely tasty make it all the time.

        Reply
    30. Megan says

      Posted on 11/18 at 2:43AM

      Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe, I added beef tips in mine. Also I was unable to find a Maggi cube so I used Know instead.

      Reply
      • Megan says

        Posted on 11/18 at 2:45AM

        Sorry I meant Knor cubes instead

        Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 11/18 at 8:25AM

        Megan, thanks for the feedback.

        Reply
    31. Tomasina says

      Posted on 8/7 at 5:10PM

      I just made this tonight and it was wonderful. Best spinach ever!

      Reply
      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 8/7 at 5:14PM

        Aww, thanks Tomasina

        Reply
    32. Therese says

      Posted on 5/28 at 11:49AM

      Just tried this, very nice!! I an your number one fan Immaculate!!

      Reply
    33. [email protected] says

      Posted on 1/8 at 6:37AM

      Have mercy, that looks awesome! 🙂

      Reply
      • Africanbites says

        Posted on 1/10 at 7:42AM

        Thanks Christina.

        Reply

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