Balsamic Glazed Spinach wilts a mountain of baby spinach into glossy greens with toasted walnuts and chives. The balsamic leaves a light sweet glaze that tastes far more indulgent than it is. It is on the table in under fifteen minutes.
How to Make Balsamic Glazed Spinach in the Instant Pot
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 12 minutes (including pressure release time) Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- Baby Spinach: 1.5 lbs (24 oz / 680g)
- Veggie Stock: 0.25 cups (2 fl oz / 60g)
- Walnuts (chopped): 1 tbsp. (0.5 oz / 14g)
- Chives (chopped): 1 tbsp. (0.1 oz / 3g)
- Balsamic Vinegar: 1 tbsp. or 3 tsp. (0.5 fl oz / 15g)
Directions:
- Place the 1.5 lbs (24 oz / 680g) of baby spinach directly into the stainless steel inner pot of your Instant Pot, then pour in the 0.25 cups (2 fl oz / 60g) of veggie stock and 1 tbsp. or 3 tsp. (0.5 fl oz / 15g) of balsamic vinegar.
- Sprinkle the 1 tbsp. (0.5 oz / 14g) of chopped walnuts and 1 tbsp. (0.1 oz / 3g) of chopped chives over the greens.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid, turn the venting knob to the "Sealing" position, and select "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" mode on High pressure for 7 minutes.
- When the cooking timer goes off, allow the pot to sit undisturbed for a 5-minute natural pressure release, then carefully switch the valve to "Venting" to release any remaining steam.
- Remove the lid, give the Balsamic Glazed Spinach a gentle stir to coat the leaves evenly in the tangy glaze, and serve warm.
Nutrition per Serving:
- Calories: 13
- Total Fat: 1.2g (0.04 oz)
- Protein: 0.5g (0.02 oz)
- Fiber: 0.2g (0.01 oz)
Expert Chef Tips
Achieving the perfect texture and flavor with pressure-cooked greens requires a little finesse. Here are my top pro tips for making this dish shine:
- Toast Your Walnuts: Before adding the 1 tbsp. (0.5 oz / 14g) of walnuts to the Instant Pot, lightly toast them in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes. This amplifies their natural oils and adds a much deeper, nuttier crunch to the finished dish.
- Choose a Quality Vinegar: Since balsamic vinegar is the star flavor profile here, use a high-quality, aged balsamic if possible. Aged varieties are naturally sweeter and thicker, creating a richer glaze without needing extra reduction time.
- Manage the Moisture: Spinach naturally holds a lot of water. If you find there is too much liquid left in the pot after the pressure release, use a slotted spoon to serve the greens, or quickly turn on the Instant Pot's "Sauté" function for 1-2 minutes to evaporate the excess veggie stock.
- Serve Immediately: To keep that vibrant green color and prevent the baby spinach from overcooking in its own residual heat, transfer it to your serving bowl as soon as the pressure release is complete.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh baby spinach for this Balsamic Glazed Spinach recipe? It is highly recommended to use fresh baby spinach for this specific Instant Pot recipe. Frozen spinach is pre-blanched and retains a high amount of water. Cooking it under pressure will result in a mushy texture and dilute the tangy balsamic glaze.
How do I prevent my Instant Pot spinach from getting too soggy? Leafy greens cook incredibly fast. To avoid a soggy texture, strictly adhere to the 7-minute high-pressure cooking time and the 5-minute natural release. Leaving it in the pot longer will overcook the greens. Draining any excess liquid before serving also helps maintain a better texture.
Can I make this quick veggie side dish ahead of time? This cooked baby spinach dish is best enjoyed warm and fresh, right out of the Instant Pot. Making it ahead of time and reheating it can cause the delicate leaves to lose their bright color and become overly soft. Because the prep and cook time combined is under 20 minutes, it is perfectly suited for making right before dinner!
What other toppings work well if I have a walnut allergy? If you need an alternative to walnuts, toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds provide an excellent, allergy-friendly crunch. If you just want a different flavor profile, toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds pair beautifully with the balsamic vinegar greens.
Pro Tips
- Toast the chopped walnuts in a dry skillet for 2 to 3 minutes before they go in the pot. The warm nuts bring a much deeper, nuttier crunch to the finished greens.
- Use a high-quality aged balsamic vinegar. Aged varieties are naturally sweeter and thicker, so you get a proper glaze without any extra reduction time.
- Spinach releases a lot of water under pressure. If the pot looks soupy, serve with a slotted spoon or run the Sauté function for a minute or two to boil the stock off.
- Give the greens a gentle stir right before serving so every leaf gets coated in the tangy glaze rather than sitting under it.
- Leftovers keep 2 to 3 days chilled. Rewarm them briefly over low heat; spinach toughens if it cooks twice as long as it needs to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is balsamic glazed spinach keto?
It is about as low as a side gets: 13 calories with 1.2 g of fat and 0.5 g of protein per serving. Even the balsamic is used sparingly, so the carb impact is tiny.
Can I make this spinach ahead of time?
Cook it up to 2 days ahead and chill it. Rewarm gently and give it a fresh drizzle of balsamic to wake the glaze back up.
Can I use frozen spinach instead of baby spinach?
Fresh baby spinach is much better here since the recipe relies on the leaves wilting in the pot. If you use frozen, thaw and squeeze it dry first and cut the cook time sharply.
What can I use instead of walnuts?
Chopped pecans toast and crunch the same way and keep the fat-to-carb ratio just as keto-friendly. Toast them dry first either way.
Recipe card below.
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Ingredients
Method
- Place the 1. 5 lbs (24 oz / 680g) of baby spinach directly into the stainless steel inner pot of your Instant Pot, then pour in the 0. 25 cups (2 fl oz / 60g) of veggie stock and 1 tbsp. or 3 tsp. (0. 5 fl oz / 15g / 0.53 oz) of balsamic vinegar.
- Sprinkle the 1 tbsp. (0. 5 oz / 14g) of chopped walnuts and 1 tbsp. (0. 1 oz / 3g) of chopped chives over the greens.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid, turn the venting knob to the Sealing position, and select Manual or Pressure Cook mode on High pressure for 7 minutes.
- When the cooking timer goes off, allow the pot to sit undisturbed for a 5-minute natural pressure release, then carefully switch the valve to Venting to release any remaining steam.
- Remove the lid, give the Balsamic Glazed Spinach a gentle stir to coat the leaves evenly in the tangy glaze, and serve warm.
