Spinach Crowns with Sesame Dressing

Elevate your appetizer game with these elegant Spinach Crowns with Sesame Dressing—a stunning and healthy dish that’s bursting with bold, nutty flavors. Tender blanched spinach is delicately shaped into "crowns" and topped with a velvety sesame dressing made from toasted white sesame seeds, soy sauce, mirin, and a hint of sesame oil. The balance of savory and subtly sweet flavors, paired with the wholesome goodness of fresh spinach, creates a refreshing and visually striking starter. Ready in just 15 minutes, this Japanese-inspired recipe works beautifully as a light appetizer or a chilled side dish for any meal. Perfect for showcasing the magic of simple, fresh ingredients!

Nutriscore Rating: 69/100

Prep Time:10 mins

Cook Time:5 mins

Total Time:15 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 500 grams Fresh spinach leaves
• 3 tablespoons White sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
• 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 liters Water

Directions

Step 1

Fill a large pot with 1 liter of water and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring the water to a boil.

Step 2

While the water heats, thoroughly wash the spinach leaves under cold running water and remove any tough stems.

Step 3

Blanch the spinach in the boiling water for 30 seconds, or just until the leaves wilt and turn bright green.

Step 4

Immediately transfer the wilted spinach to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes.

Step 5

Remove the spinach from the ice water, gently squeeze out excess water, and shape the spinach into 4 even portions to form small 'crowns'. Set aside on a serving plate.

Step 6

Toast the white sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to burn them.

Step 7

Transfer the toasted sesame seeds to a mortar and pestle or a food processor and grind them until they form a coarse powder.

Step 8

In a small mixing bowl, combine the ground sesame seeds, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and sugar. Mix well to form a smooth dressing.

Step 9

Drizzle the sesame dressing generously over the spinach crowns.

Step 10

Serve immediately as a starter or chilled for later. Enjoy the nutty, savory flavors of this elegant dish!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1612.6g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	464.1

Total Fat 29.2g	0%
Saturated Fat 3.9g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.9g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 3946.9mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 37.5g	0%
Dietary Fiber 15.1g	0%
Total Sugars 12.7g
Protein 22.7g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 833.8mg	0%
Iron 17.7mg	0%
Potassium 3023.9mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 52.2%

Protein: 18.0%

Carbs: 29.8%