Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Seasoned Spinach)
- Korean Food Addict
- Oct 11, 2025
Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Seasoned Spinach)
Sigeumchi namul is a basic Korean side dish that's indispensable on Korean tables - a healthy namul (seasoned vegetable dish) that anyone can easily make. Blanched spinach is simply seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil, ready in just 15 minutes. Spinach is rich in vitamins and iron, making this a nutritious side dish with high versatility - perfect as a rice side dish and also as kimbap filling.
Nutritional Benefits of Spinach
Spinach is called a "treasure trove of nutrition" for good reason, packed with various nutrients. Rich in vitamins A, C, and K, it's beneficial for eye health and immune system strengthening, and abundant in iron and folic acid, making it effective for preventing anemia. It's also rich in dietary fiber, helpful for intestinal health, and high in potassium, aiding in sodium excretion. As a low-calorie, high-nutrition food, it's perfect for dieting.
Cooking Tips
The key to making delicious sigeumchi namul is proper blanching time. If blanched too long, it becomes mushy and nutrients are destroyed, so blanching for just 20-40 seconds to preserve the crispy texture is best. After blanching, you must rinse in cold water to cool it down - this maintains the vibrant green color. Squeeze out moisture thoroughly so the seasoning penetrates well and doesn't become watery - remember this important step.
Storage and Uses
Sigeumchi namul can be refrigerated for 2-3 days. Store in an airtight container after cooling completely. It's delicious eaten plain with rice, and using it as an ingredient in kimbap or bibimbap enhances both nutrition and flavor. It's also great as an accompaniment to noodles or cold noodles.
Instructions:
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Wash Spinach
- Prepare 1 bunch of spinach
- Thoroughly rinse spinach to remove dirt
- You can trim tough stems before or after blanching
- Wash Spinach
- Prepare 1 bunch of spinach
- Thoroughly rinse spinach to remove dirt
- You can trim tough stems before or after blanching
- Blanch
- Bring a large pot of water to boil
- Add 0.5 tablespoon salt
- Add spinach to boiling water
- Blanch for 20-40 seconds (shorter for crispier texture, maximum 1 minute)
- Cool and Drain
- Remove blanched spinach and immediately rinse in cold water
- Cool in cold water, then squeeze out excess moisture
- Cut into bite-sized pieces
- Season
- Place spinach in a bowl
- Add 0.5 tablespoon minced garlic
- Add 2 tablespoons soup soy sauce
- Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Add a pinch of sesame seeds or roasted sesame
- Wearing food-safe gloves, mix thoroughly
- Adjust Seasoning and Finish
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed
- Serve as a side dish or use in kimbap and other dishes
Recipe Notes:
- Don't blanch spinach too long. 20-40 seconds is sufficient.
- Rinse immediately in cold water after blanching to maintain vibrant green color.
- Squeeze out moisture thoroughly so seasoning penetrates well and doesn't become watery.
- Spinach bunch sizes vary significantly between vendors, so adjust soy sauce amount accordingly.
- Using soup soy sauce creates prettier color, but regular soy sauce works too.
- When using as kimbap filling, squeeze out moisture even more thoroughly.
- Refrigerated, it keeps for 2-3 days.
- Add sesame oil and sesame seeds last to preserve their aroma.
Ingredients:
Serving size
Main Ingredients
- 1 bunch spinach
- 0.5 tbsp salt (for blanching)
Seasonings
- 0.5 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp soup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- a pinch sesame seeds or roasted sesame
- as needed salt (for seasoning)