Spinach and Egg Stir Fry (菠菜炒蛋)

Name: Spinach and Egg Stir Fry (菠菜炒蛋)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 bunch spinach; 2 eggs (, beaten with a pinch of salt); 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 clove garlic (, minced); 1/4 teaspoon salt

By fathima

• Published Jan 2, 2026

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My mom’s spinach and egg stir fry recipe only uses 5 ingredients and 15 minutes to whip up a hearty dish that pairs well with a bowl of rice. It’s a quick side dish but tastes as satisfying as a main.

Chinese spinach and egg stir fry on a ceramic plate

This simple spinach and egg stir fry is one of those quiet, everyday dishes that never makes a grand entrance, but it’s the kind of food I grew up eating and keep coming back to. In a Chinese home kitchen, dishes like this aren’t “recipes” so much as habits. It’s quite common for us to cook various types of vegetables with eggs, making a fast yet nourishing side dish within minutes. For example, tomato and egg stir fry, bitter melon and egg stir fry, and garlic scape and egg stir fry all belong to this genre. No sauce, no complicated seasoning. Just good ingredients treated with care and cooked quickly over high heat.

In a typical Chinese dinner, this dish usually sits next to a braised meat dish or a rich stir fry, offering something light and clean to balance out the meal. This is true homestyle Chinese cooking: practical, seasonal, and meant to be eaten hot, right after it leaves the wok.

Ingredients

Spinach and egg stir fry uses five simple ingredients that you can easily find in your pantry. The eggs add richness and protein, while the spinach brings freshness and a gentle sweetness once wilted. Garlic is used sparingly, just enough to give fragrance to the oil without overpowering the vegetables. When done right, the dish tastes fresh and savory, not watery or overcooked.

Spinach: I used bunched spinach in this recipe, but you can use baby spinach as well. See the note below if using very mature bunched spinach (the type you usually get from Chinese markets).
Eggs: I always use free range eggs for the best result, since this dish doesn’t use heavy seasonings and you want the ingredients themselves to shine.
Oil: Any neutral oil that has a high smoking point will work.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is key.
Salt: My mom also likes to add a bit of chicken bouillon powder to boost the flavor of this dish. But I think salt alone provides a great result.

How to prepare very mature spinach?

This recipe is suitable for small bunched spinach and baby spinach. If you purchase very large heads of very mature spinach (over 12” / 30-cm long) from the Chinese market, you should blanch the spinach before stir frying it. As spinach matures, it accumulates more oxalic acid, the compound responsible for the sharp, metallic, or mouth-drying taste. To minimize the unpleasant taste, boil a big pot of water and blanch the spinach for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until tender, then drain and squeeze out the excess water. Then cut the spinach into large bite-size pieces before proceeding to the stir fry. This is how my mom always prepares the dish, since larger heads of spinach are the default in China.

How to make

1. Scramble the eggs: I like to heat a generous amount of oil really hot before adding the beaten eggs. Then cook the bottom of the eggs until golden, then lightly scramble them. This way, the eggs will have crispy edges and be very fluffy inside, creating a great texture.

2. Infuse the oil with garlic: You only need to briefly stir it before adding the spinach, since the garlic cooks very quickly.

3. Cook the spinach: Use high heat to cook the spinach until just wilted, then sprinkle in the salt and stir until fully wilted. It’s very common for the spinach to release some liquid during cooking, but if done properly, your dish won’t turn out watery.

4. Add back the eggs: Finish up the dish by adding back the eggs and stirring everything together. You should taste the dish and adjust seasoning if needed. For a more fragrant dish, you can also splash a small amount of toasted sesame oil for nuttiness.

Do not overcrowd the wok

If you want to make a larger quantity, you should still cook 1 bunch of spinach at a time. If you overcrowd the wok, the wok temperature will drop too fast and the spinach will not be seared properly. The spinach will end up releasing a lot of liquid and won’t have the nice smoky flavor of wok hei.

Homestyle Chinese spinach and scrambled eggs

How to Serve

This spinach and egg stir fry is usually served as a side dish alongside rice and a couple of other plates. For example, serve it with main dishes such as Braised Chicken with Mushroom, Pork Stuffed Tofu, or Lion’s Head Meatballs. It’s also perfect on its own for a quick lunch or a light dinner, especially when you want something warm and nourishing without much effort.

Frequently asked questions

Should I remove the spinach stems?

For young spinach, the stems are tender and don’t need to be removed. If the stems are thick and fibrous, you probably have very mature spinach and you should blanch it before stir frying. To achieve the best texture, you can blench the spinach stem a little longer before blanching the leaves.

Why are the eggs cooked separately first?

Cooking the eggs separately generates the best texture. By taking them out, it ensures the spinach will be seared properly without overcooking the eggs.

Can I add soy sauce or other seasonings?

Traditionally, this dish is seasoned very lightly with just salt and sometimes a pinch of chicken bouillon powder. Soy sauce can overpower the spinach and da

Spinach and scrambled eggs stir fry close-up

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