Sigeumchi Namul (Korean seasoned spinach)
Bright, garlicky Korean spinach side — quick to make, vibrant, and perfect with a bowl of rice or as banchan.
Sigeumchi namul is a no-fuss Korean banchan: garlicky, nutty and packed with green colour. It’s the sort of small dish that lifts a whole meal and takes about as long as a kettle to boil.
Make it when you want a vibrant vegetable side that’s vegan, gluten-free and reliably moreish — great alongside grilled tofu, bibimbap or a simple bowl of rice.
Ingredients
- 500 g fresh spinach
- 5 ml sea salt — for blanching and to taste
- 15 ml tamari — gluten-free soy alternative
- 15 ml toasted sesame oil
- 2 garlic clove — finely grated or crushed
- 1 spring onion — green part only, finely sliced
- 15 g toasted sesame seeds — plus extra to scatter on top
- 5 g caster sugar — about 1 tsp, optional to balance seasoning
Equipment
- large saucepan
- colander
- tongs
Instructions
Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a rolling boil on a high heat. Add the sea salt to the boiling water.
Working quickly, add the fresh spinach to the boiling water in batches so the water returns to the boil. Blanch for 40 seconds until leaves are bright and just tender.
Immediately transfer the spinach to a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking and set the colour. Leave in the iced water for 5 minutes.
Drain the spinach in a colander, then press out as much water as you can using your hands or wrap handfuls in kitchen paper and squeeze. Aim to remove most of the moisture so the dressing won't be diluted.
Roughly chop the squeezed spinach into 3–4 cm lengths and transfer to a mixing bowl.
Finely slice the spring onion and grate or crush the garlic. In a small bowl combine the tamari, toasted sesame oil, caster sugar, grated garlic and sliced spring onion — taste and adjust so it’s balanced (salty, a hint of sweet).
Pour the dressing over the chopped spinach, toss thoroughly to coat, then sprinkle over the toasted sesame seeds. Taste and add a pinch of sea salt only if needed. Leave to rest for 2 minutes so the flavours marry, then serve.
Tips
- Blanch only briefly — 40 seconds is usually perfect for supermarket spinach; baby leaves may need less. Overcooking changes the texture and colour.
- Squeeze out excess water thoroughly using kitchen paper or by pressing in a colander; too much moisture dilutes the seasoning.
- Toast sesame seeds yourself in a dry frying pan for 1–2 minutes until fragrant for a more intense nutty flavour.
- Make ahead: dress the spinach, then store in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Give it a quick toss before serving as the leaves will relax and absorb the dressing.
- If using frozen spinach, fully defrost, heat in a sieve over boiling water to remove excess water, then proceed — texture will be softer than fresh.
Substitutions
tamari → regular light soy sauce, same quantity (15 ml); will contain gluten unless labelled gluten-free
Noticeably differenttoasted sesame oil → neutral oil (rapeseed) 15 ml plus an extra 10 g toasted sesame seeds
Stays closecaster sugar → rice syrup or maple syrup 5 ml (note: maple syrup is not vegan-neutral in taste)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 90
- Calories
- 5 g
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 650 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes — thaw fully, squeeze out all liquid and warm briefly to release extra water before seasoning. Texture will be softer than fresh but still tasty.
Is this dish gluten-free?
As written it is gluten-free because it uses tamari. Regular soy sauce contains wheat and will make the dish not gluten-free unless you use a gluten-free labelled soy sauce.
How long will it keep?
Kept in an airtight container in the fridge it will be best within 24 hours; leaves soften over time and the dressing will be absorbed.
Can I add chilli?
Yes — add a small pinch of Korean chilli flakes (gochugaru) or a little sliced fresh chilli to the dressing for heat.
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