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5 from 10 votes

Borani Esfenaj - Persian Spinach and Yogurt Dip

Borani Esfenaj is a classic Persian spinach yogurt dip that's usually served with bread. With a lot of spinach and garlic, this delicious dip is something you don't want to miss!
Prep Time3 minutes
Cook Time2 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Persian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 86kcal

Ingredients

  • 6 cup Baby Spinach
  • 2 cloves Garlic Minced
  • 2 ½ cups Plain Greek Yogurt
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Heat a pan on medium heat. (No oil needed)
  • Place baby spinach in the pan, lower the heat and wait so that the spinach starts wilting. 
  • Once the spinach is wilted, add in mined garlic and stir. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat or until the excess water is evaporated. 
  • Mix the yogurt, spinach and garlic in a bowl.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve with toasted Iranian bread, naan, toasted bread or pita chips.

Video

Notes

  • 6 cups of spinach might seem a lot but spinach wilts as it cooks so be generous with spinach.
  • Get the firmest yogurt you can find. Runny yogurt is not suitable for this dip. A combination of half sour cream and half Greek yogurt would work great, too.
  • It's important to use freshly minced garlic in this spinach yogurt dip as it gives way more flavor than garlic powder or pre-minced garlic. 
  • About the spinach stems, it's up to you to remove them or not. If using baby spinach, I usually don't remove them because they're very tender and have a lot of flavor. 

Nutrition

Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 81mg | Potassium: 427mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4220IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 1mg