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    Home » Recipes » Main Dish

    Egyptian Spinach With Tomato Sauce

    By Lily・Published: Feb 4, 2021・Updated: Jun 6, 2021・Post may have affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Egyptian spinach with tomato sauce is made with fresh spinach leaves, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and cilantro. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and packed full of vegetables.

    Egyptian sauteed spinach with tomato sauce in a bowl

    Just to keep the record straight, this recipe isn't molokhia, which is sometimes called Egyptian spinach.

    The tomato sauce, also known as Egyptian magic red sauce, is the sauce base for this recipe. It's freezer-friendly and easy to make.

    Ingredient Notes

    • Spinach: Full-leaf adult spinach is the best option for spinach in this recipe. It looks like the image below. The entire spinach leaf including the stems will be chopped finely for this recipe.
    • Tomatoes: Any type of red tomato will work for this recipe from Roma tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, tomato on the vine, and grape tomatoes (for a sweeter tomato sauce).
    • Onion: White onion, yellow onion, red onion, or sweet onions are the best option.
    • Cilantro (Coriander): Fresh cilantro, or coriander, is needed for this recipe.
    • Garlic: I prefer fresh garlic whenever possible.
    • Broth: You can use any type of broth. Duck broth, chicken broth, vegetable broth, or oxtail broth are all great options. Additionally, you can use water and a bouillon cube, which is what I did. This recipe is vegan if using a vegetable broth.
    • Spices: Ground coriander, salt, and pepper are the spices used for this recipe.
    spinach leaves

    How To Make Egyptian Spinach

    Prepare the ingredients. Blend the onions and garlic in a food processor.

    blended onion in a food processor

    Blend the tomatoes in a blender and strain.

    add the halved tomatoes to a blender
    strain the blended tomatoes to remove the seeds

    Wash and chop the spinach very finely. Wash and chop the cilantro.

    chopped spinach in a strainer

    Make the rice. Lebanese vermicelli rice in an instant pot is a good side. Or, make steamed Calrose rice on the stovetop.

    instant pot recipe for Lebanese rice with vermicelli

    Make the tomato sauce. Sautee the onion and garlic mixture in a little olive oil for around 5 minutes.

    fry the blended onion

    Add the strained tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes covered.

    cook the onion and tomato sauce

    Add the chopped spinach. Cook for another 10 minutes covered while continuing to stir every few minutes. Add the chopped cilantro and ground coriander and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

    Egyptian spinach in a bowl

    Tips and Variations

    Try to use full-leaf spinach instead of baby spinach leaves. Adult spinach is more fibrous than baby spinach making this recipe less mushy. For the right texture, I wouldn't recommend using baby spinach. However, if the texture is not an issue for you, then baby spinach is an option.

    Wash the spinach well. For some reason, my spinach is always super sandy. I have to wash and re-wash the spinach in a large bowl (or sink) about 4 or 5 times until the water is clear.

    Chop the spinach finely. Chop the spinach leaf and stem all together very finely. Add the chopped spinach to a strainer.

    Use fresh tomatoes. Use the tomato sauce for bamia (okra), bisilla (peas), and this one-pan chicken and potatoes meal.

    Serve with rice. Egyptian spinach is best with a side of steamed rice. I prefer Calrose rice, which is medium-grain rice. However, it's completely possible to eat this recipe as is, it's that good!

    Storage

    Keep the spinach in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days. Freeze this spinach dish without rice for up to 3 months.

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    📋 Recipe

    vegan egyptian spinach with tomato sauce in a bowl

    Egyptian Spinach With Tomato Sauce

    Author: Lily
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Egyptian
    Prep: 15 minutes mins
    Cook: 30 minutes mins
    Total: 45 minutes mins
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Servings 6
    Egyptian spinach with tomato sauce is not to be confused with molokhia. This delicious vegan recipe is made from nutrient-dense spinach leaves.

    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric

    • 2¼ lbs fresh spinach leaves
    • 10 small tomatoes or 9 medium tomatoes
    • 2 large onions or 3 medium onions
    • 1 bunch of cilantro coriander
    • 9 cloves garlic
    • 3 cups broth any type or 3 cups water with a bouillon cube
    • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    Prepare The Ingredients

    • Blend the onions and garlic in a food processor.
    • Blend the tomatoes in a blender and strain.
    • Wash the spinach leaves very well. Continue to wash the spinach until the water is sand-free. It might take 4 or 5 washes to completely remove the sand.
    • Cut off the base of the spinach leaves and discard. Chop the spinach leave very finely and add to a strainer. 
    • Wash and finely chop the cilantro (coriander).

    Make the Tomato Sauce

    • In a large stovetop pot on medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the blended onions and garlic. Sautee until the onion mixture starts to turn golden (about 5 minutes). 
    • Add the strained blended tomato mixture. Add the ground salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes on medium-high heat covered.

    Make The Egyptian Spinach

    • Add the chopped spinach and broth to the tomato sauce. Cover the pot and cook on medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
    • Add the chopped cilantro and ground coriander. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from the stove.
    • Serve with rice.

    Notes

    1. Use vegetable broth for the vegan version of this recipe. 
    2. The nutrition information doesn't include rice.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2cups | Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 840mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g

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    About Lily

    Howdy! My name Lilian, but my friends call me Lily. I'm the founder and one of the recipe authors here at The Matbakh. I enjoy sunsets, long walks to the fridge, meaningful relationships, and anything related to food. I'm so happy you are here!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Mira

      March 19, 2023 at 4:16 pm

      Hi Lilly,
      Try adding 1 tablespoons if rice or better freekeh while cooking the onions, it gives the dish more nice texture and taste.
      This is how we do it in Egypt ❤️

      Reply
      • Lily

        March 19, 2023 at 4:34 pm

        Hi Mira, Thank you so much for that tip! I will try it next time when I make it.

        Reply
    2. Laurie

      September 01, 2021 at 6:43 pm

      5 stars
      I just received some Egyptian spinach from my CSA and I am so excited to find this recipe! I love Egyptian food, and this sounds like a perfect meal. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Lily

        September 01, 2021 at 6:53 pm

        Woohoo! Hope you like the recipe!

        Reply
    3. Ameerah

      August 03, 2021 at 7:02 pm

      I have made this many times Its not an Egyptian dish although it is eaten alot in Egypt My family is American and we made this alot growing up. Some of us like eating it with rice and others with bread.

      Reply
      • Lily

        August 03, 2021 at 7:42 pm

        Thanks for the comment! I like eating it with rice, but I'll try bread next time.

        Reply
      • S

        August 16, 2022 at 10:47 pm

        It is 100% an Egyptian dish. 7000
        Years of civilization brought forth many such stews.

        Reply
    4. Amina

      July 12, 2021 at 7:56 am

      5 stars
      An excellent vegetarian meal. Loved how many vegetables this meal has.

      Reply
      • Lily

        July 12, 2021 at 7:59 am

        Thanks for the comment. I'm trying to get lots of vegetables servings in too.

        Reply

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    lily at the matbakh

    I'm Lily

    I'm an American Lebanese living in Texas. My kitchen, or matbakh, is a hodgepodge of recipes from the U.S. and Mediterranean region.

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