By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 2
139 cal · 25 min
Fresh Spinach with Vegetables
Recipe GLPRa7e3eb228d1aae
Eat your greens and love them too! A vibrant, nutrient-dense sauté of tender spinach combined with earthy eggplant and sweet squash, seasoned with warming nigella seeds and optional heat from dried chilli. This simple yet satisfying dish celebrates whole plant-based ingredients and is ready in minutes.
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Ingredients
500 grams fresh spinach, cleaned and washed
200 grams purple eggplant, diced
200 grams winter squash or sweet potato, diced
¼ teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
2 teaspoons neutral cooking oil
1 small dried red chilli, optional
Directions
Heat the neutral cooking oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the nigella seeds and optional dried red chilli if using, and toast for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the diced eggplant and diced winter squash or sweet potato to the skillet. Stir well to coat with oil and toast for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and lightly brown at the edges.
Pour in a splash of water (about 1/4 cup) to create steam and help the root vegetables cook through. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes until the eggplant and squash are tender.
Add the fresh spinach in batches, stirring after each addition to wilt the leaves into the pan. Continue until all spinach is incorporated and wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve warm as a main course or side dish.
Comments
This dish checks most boxes for Charlotte weeknight cooking: spinach, eggplant, and winter squash are all available at any major chain, and the ingredient list is short and cheap—realistically around $4–5 for two people, driven by the squash. Budget an honest 35 minutes once you factor in peeling and cubing the eggplant and squash, which the stated 25 minutes does not account for. The real caveat is nigella seeds, which you'll need to find at Harris Teeter's spice aisle or skip in favor of a pinch of cumin; most Food Lion and Walmart locations stock a limited spice range. It's a flexible weeknight vegetable sauté that reheats well, though eggplant texture softens, so best eaten fresh.
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