These baby spinach recipes help ensure your bag of baby spinach won't go to waste in the fridge! There are so many delicious dinner ideas where you can stir in a little spinach for a dash of color and more flavor.
Ok, we've all seen those memes about how bags of baby spinach end up going to waste in our fridge.
We buy them with such good intentions but then the thought of using them in a salad and they just keep getting brushed aside.
Not anymore! Now you are going to be armed and ready with the most delicious baby spinach recipes ever.
You'll find yourself reaching for that bag of baby spinach over and over so that you can sprinkle some fresh green leaves into almost anything you're cooking!
Here are my family's top favorite baby spinach recipes, I hope your family loves them, too.
Jump to:
- Why These are the Best Recipes
- Baby Spinach Appetizers
- Cold Spinach Dip
- Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza
- Spinach Quiche
- Soups with Fresh Spinach
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Tortellini Soup
- Spinach Pasta Salads
- Chicken Pasta Salad with Grapes
- Asian Chicken Pasta Salad
- Spinach Pasta Recipes
- Baked Cheese Tortellini
- Goat Cheese Pasta with Spinach
- Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Italian Sausage Pasta Casserole
- Easy Garden Lasagna Cups
- Lasagna Roll-Ups
- Fresh Tomato Pasta with Spinach
- Pesto Chicken Casserole
- Comfort Food with Spinach
- Spinach Rice with Shrimp
- Chicken Spinach Alfredo Pizza
- Garnish a Turkey Burger
- Spinach Salad Recipes
- Crispy Rice Salad
- Spinach and Citrus Salad
- More Delicious Ingredients
- 💬 Comments
Why These are the Best Recipes
I'm always looking for ways to make our family meals just a little more healthy. I think these are the very best baby spinach recipes because:
- Kid-Friendly: Whether or not your kid is a picky eater, it can be tricky to get kids to like spinach. These dishes are all kid-approved by my own daughters.
- Wide Variety: Whether you're stirring it into an appetizer, wilting it down in a pasta recipe, or chopping it up to add to a casserole, there are so many different ways you can use baby spinach beyond the salad plate.
- Amazing Flavors: Spinach has a strong flavor but it doesn't need to overpower your dish. These recipes offer spinach at its best with complementary flavors like bright lemon, rich cheeses, and savory tomato sauces.
Baby Spinach Appetizers
I've learned one of the best ways to get my kids to like a new vegetable is to make it a yummy appetizer with chips or crackers.
One of the most requested dips in our house is the cold spinach dip my daughter and I perfected together!
Cold Spinach Dip
This cold spinach dip recipe was tweaked to perfection to match a prepared dip we found at a local deli shop that my daughter loves. She swears it tastes even better than the original!
Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza
I absolutely love my crescent roll veggie pizza recipe because you can mix and match your family's favorite vegetables for the topping.
If you want to use up some bagged baby spinach, just be sure to give it a rough chop so you can sprinkle it in with the other diced veggies.
Spinach Quiche
My easy quiche recipe is the base for mixing in your favorite combinations of ingredients.
If you want to make a spinach quiche, you can add the chopped baby spinach with some shredded cheese and even consider adding diced ham.
Soups with Fresh Spinach
Stirring in some fresh baby spinach to a hot soup is one of my favorite ways to serve spinach to my family because it quickly wilts down into the broth.
It adds a beautiful dose of color to an otherwise brown soup and the flavor it gives each bite brightens up the quick soups made with prepared chicken stock.
Italian Wedding Soup
You can make Italian wedding soup with homemade or frozen meatballs and a bit of baby spinach will make the whole dish taste more fresh.
Tortellini Soup
Add a bag of baby spinach to a package of cheese tortellini for this light and healthy tortellini soup loaded with fresh vegetables.
Spinach Pasta Salads
Substitute a bag of baby spinach for regular salad greens and your pasta salad will have so much more flavor.
Chicken Pasta Salad with Grapes
Tender pasta, savory chicken, and sweet grapes are the perfect match for fresh baby spinach in one of my all-time favorite chicken pasta salads.
Asian Chicken Pasta Salad
For a deeper, more savory flavored pasta salad, don't miss the crispy-crunchy Asian chicken pasta salad on a bed of baby spinach with red peppers and carrots.
Spinach Pasta Recipes
Pasta and spinach go hand in hand because just like with the soups, the spinach will wilt down quickly in a hot pasta sauce or even just from the heat of the noodles themselves.
Spinach pairs so well with rich tomato sauces, light and lemony pasta sauces, and adds flavor to oil and garlic sauces, too.
Baked Cheese Tortellini
Your kids won't even notice the wilted baby spinach that is hiding inside this delicious baked cheese tortellini skillet with crispy bread crumbs on top!
Goat Cheese Pasta with Spinach
My creamy goat cheese pasta has a lovely lemon zest but it is even more delicious once you stir in some fresh baby spinach for color.
Though this is an excellent vegetarian-friendly recipe, you could add sliced chicken breasts or chopped chicken tenderloins for a bit more protein if you like.
Tuscan Chicken Pasta
With sweet sundried tomatoes and a rich creamy sauce, bright green spinach adds beautiful flavor and contrast to my slowcooker Tuscan chicken pasta recipe.
Italian Sausage Pasta Casserole
My mom is famous with all her friends for this classic meal train casserole that she brings whenever someone is sick.
Savory Italian sausage pasta casserole has lots of baby spinach hiding under that melted parmesan cheese. SO yummy.
Easy Garden Lasagna Cups
Another fantastic vegetarian-friendly, meatless dinner idea is my easy garden lasagna cups that the kids and I love to bake together.
Layers of wonton wrappers are filled with a sweet vegetable mixture and shredded cheese. They are make-ahead friendly and so delicious.
Lasagna Roll-Ups
For heartier appetites, you'll definitely want to try baking a pan of my beefy lasagna roll-ups.
Chop the baby spinach up and stir it into the beef filling and the kids won't even notice.
Fresh Tomato Pasta with Spinach
Any time you see fresh arugula called for in a pasta recipe, you could most likely substitute baby spinach for it instead.
My fresh tomato pasta has a few peppery arugula leaves but baby spinach would be just perfect here, too.
Pesto Chicken Casserole
If your kids love pesto sauce, you can help them to love baby spinach by making this creamy pesto chicken casserole.
The sauce is already a little green, so the spinach leaves won't be quite as noticeable.
Comfort Food with Spinach
I actually love the flavor that baby spinach adds to some of my favorite comfort foods.
You can stir it into rice casseroles, use it to top warm sandwiches, and even use it as a pizza topping.
Spinach Rice with Shrimp
My Instant Pot spinach rice with shrimp is one of my favorite easy dinners. I love the seasoning on the shrimp paired with that garlic-lemon rice.
Chicken Spinach Alfredo Pizza
Chicken spinach alfredo pizza is my take on the famous pizzeria dish at home. You could easily turn this into a spinoccoli pizza by adding some chopped fresh broccoli, too.
Garnish a Turkey Burger
Baby spinach makes an excellent hamburger topping. I especially love it in place of the fresh arugula on my baked turkey burgers with fresh tomatoes and provolone cheese.
Spinach Salad Recipes
Last but not least, spinach salad is probably one of the first things you think of when you buy a bag of baby spinach but there are so many unique salad recipes you could use it for.
You could pick any of the salad recipes on my site and just start by substituting 50% of the green lettuce for baby spinach and instantly have more flavor.
That said, here are a few salad recipes that would work the very best with baby spinach in the mix:
Crispy Rice Salad
Warm wild rice and roasted carrots top this crispy rice salad on a bed of baby spinach and salad greens.
Spinach and Citrus Salad
Baby spinach pairs so well with fresh citrus fruits AND did you know your body is more likely to absorb the nutrients when they are paired together?!
Serve my favorite sunny citrus salad with chopped pistachios and crumbled feta for a delicious side dish or add some oven baked salmon to turn it into an entree.
More Delicious Ingredients
Do you have a favorite ingredient? Or maybe you're just looking for easy ways to introduce these delicious items to your kids? Here are some more recipe inspiration lists you'll find handy:
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