This Korean Spinach Side Dish (Sigeumchi-namul) is seasoned with sesame oil, garlic and soy sauce. A simple spinach recipe that takes less than 10 minutes to make with incredible flavour. Vegan + Gluten free option!

Something I absolutely LOVE about going to Korean restaurants is their offering of a variety of banchans. What are banchans? Banchans are basically a variety of small side dishes served with mains or rice in Korean cuisine. If you’ve never been to a Korean restaurant before, I highly recommend visiting a couple to experience all the different kinds of Korean side dishes! Today I’ll be sharing a Korean Spinach Side Dish recipe AKA Sigeumchi-namul, one of my favourites!

Ingredients to make Korean Spinach Salad

  • spinach
  • soy sauce
  • sesame oil
  • garlic
  • sesame seeds

A recipe can not get easier than this. You probably already have these ingredients in your kitchen too!

How to make Korean Spinach Side Dish

  1. Mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and sesame seeds in a bowl.
  2. The spinach is quickly blanched for around 30 seconds. If using the spinach with stems, it could take around 45 seconds, just so the stems get cooked as well. Quickly shock the spinach with ice cold water to stop the cooking process.
  3. Squeeze out the excess water and slice the ball into 1/2 of 1/3.
  4. Season with the dressing and mix with your hands to combine well. Serve & enjoy!
koran spinach salad close up side shot

What does this Korean Spinach Side Dish taste like?

This Korean side dish is SO packed with flavour because of the spinach salad dressing mix. The spinach should not be over cooked. It should retain a slightly crispy texture but still be tender. The pairing of sesame, soy sauce and garlic is a classic and so tasty! To make a Korean spicy spinach side dish, you can also add a bit of Korean chili flakes (just a pinch).

korean spinach side dish in a bowl

If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy spinach, I highly recommend trying this Korean Banchan recipe out! It might become your new favourite way of eating nutrition packed spinach.

koran spinach salad close up side shot

More Korean Side Dishes to Love:

  • Chilled Spicy Tofu (COMING SOON)
  • Pickled Carrot & Radish Salad (COMING SOON)
  • Mung Bean Side Dish (COMING SOON)
  • Vegan Kimbap
seasoned spinach salad in a bowl close up

If you recreate this Korean Spinach Side Dish recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!

korean spinach salad in a bowl

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Korean Spinach Side Dish (Sigeumchi-namul)


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 8 reviews

  • Author: Lisa Kitahara
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings 1x

Description

This Korean Spinach Side Dish is seasoned with sesame oil, garlic and soy sauce. A simple spinach recipe that takes less than 10 minutes to make with incredible flavour. Vegan + Gluten free option!

 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bunch spinach, stems discarded (300g)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 12 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
  • pinch of salt


Instructions

  1. Cut the stems of the spinach off and rinse thoroughly. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanche the spinach for 40-60 seconds (until the stems are no longer tough). If using baby spinach, blanch for around 30-50 seconds.
  2. Quickly drain the spinach into a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Squeeze out as much excess liquid from the spinach, then cut the ball of spinach in half.
  3. Combine the rest of the ingredients together into a bowl and whisk until combined. Using your hands, mix the spinach with the prepared sauce.
  4. Transfer to serving bowl and enjoy!

Notes

  • Garlic: Start with 1 garlic clove. I tend to use 2 because my family and I love the spicy flavour of garlic. 
  • Gluten free option: Use gluten-free soy sauce/tamari.
  • Storage: Place in a air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
  • Disclaimer: Nutritional values are a estimate based off the USDA data base for produce and food products. 
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 5
  • Category: Sides
  • Method: Stove top
  • Cuisine: Korean

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 86
  • Sugar: 0.7
  • Sodium: 557.6mg
  • Fat: 5.5
  • Saturated Fat: 0.8
  • Unsaturated Fat: 4.2
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 6.6
  • Fiber: 3.7
  • Protein: 5.5
  • Cholesterol: 0

SAVE IT FOR LATER! ↓

korean spinach side dish

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Konnichiwa

About Lisa

I'm Lisa, a home cook, recipe developer and founder of Okonomi Kitchen. Here, you'll find a mix of classic and modernized Japanese recipes, and creative, plant-forward meal inspiration using seasonal ingredients. I hope to share more about Japanese cuisine and culture through food and recipes.


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10 Comments

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  4. So good! I made this using 1 garlic clove and really enjoyed it. There was enough left over to keep for the next day and on the first day the garlic tasted stronger, but both days tasted really good. It’s so good to have recipes that can be made in advance and love how quick and easy it is to make. X






  5. Very easy to prepare and so good! I always have a batch in the fridge, ready to eat with anything. Thank you for the recipe!






  6. I made this side dish and it was delish with my Korean BBQ that I made at home. I personally would maybe add one more garlic to the mix and a little bit of grated ginger to add a bit of brightness. Love your recipes!






  7. Despite my advanced age, I started collecting, typing, and photographing my Korean recipes and putting them in a binder. Many banchan are quite easy to make and packed full of flavor and high in nutritional value. This spinach dish, along with at least 2 other banchan make for delicious lettuce wraps along with the perfect sauce. Thanks.






  8. This Korean Spinach Salad looks tasty and healthy both at the same time! I have all the ingredients at home to prepare this salad apart from the sesame oil. I’ll just buy the sesame oil Today from the supermarket on my way back to home from work and prepare this deliciously healthy Korean spinach salad