Sautéed garlicky greens are so quick and easy to make, not to mention, so incredibly tasty! Sautéing greens in a pan with a little oil, salt, and garlic is a delicious way to enjoy fresh seasonal greens, as well as spinach, Swiss chard, and kale year round. Everyone in my family (including the kids) loves this simple side dish!
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Not in a box.
Not with a fox.
Not in a house.
Not with a mouse.
I would not eat them here or there.
I would not eat them anywhere…
You do not like them.
So you say.
Try them! Try them!
And you may.
Try them and you may, I say.
Our kids are very familiar with these words of Dr. Seuss. Not only because Green Eggs and Ham is such a fun book to read, but also because they often hear the refrain, “try them! try them! and you may!”, at the dinner table when presented with new foods.
As someone who rarely ate vegetables as a child or my early adult years, I can say that Dr. Seuss does know what he’s talking about.
I now enjoy most vegetables. My tastes have changed, and thankfully, our kids are already in the habit of eating a variety of veggies. My older children regularly fight us for extra servings of greens, and even our pickier little eaters surprise us on occasion by eating seconds of the delicious side as well.
I will not insist that EVERYONE should enjoy sautéed greens, but I will echo Dr. Seuss and say “Try it! Try it! And you may!!!”
(This is as much true for our children as it is for us. Introduce fresh vegetables often and make it the norm to try new things together as a family. Your kids may surprise you as you create a culture of healthy eating in your home.)
Sautéed Garlicky Greens
Our garden is currently producing an abundance of Swiss chard, so we have been eating a lot of sautéed garlicky greens with freshly picked chard. However, during most of the year, my go-to is simply sautéing up mixed greens that I find at Costco. “Power Greens” (a mix of baby spinach, baby kale, and baby Swiss chard) is a staple in my kitchen because it’s so versatile and I use it in just about everything.
When I’m using the mixed greens from the bag, I don’t even bother to chop the leaves. However, when I’m using full-sized Swiss chard from the garden or store, I prepare them the same way I do my collard greens. (Though unlike collards, I chop the stems of the Swiss chard and cook them along with the leaves).
It’s best to have everything minced and chopped before you start cooking because this side dish comes together very quickly.
To Prep Swiss chard:
- Cut the stems from the leaves.
- Stack the leaves, them roll them tightly together.
- Slice the leaves across, then come back and slice again perpendicular to the first cuts.
- Finely chop the stems.
We like our greens with heaps of garlic, but if garlic isn’t your family’s thing, feel free to cut the garlic in half. It will also seem like you are using an overwhelming amount of greens, but they cook down so much we have found that it’s hard to use too many. (REALLY, every time I make these greens my husband reminds me to make more than I think we will need. And then we almost always wish we had more!)
If you are including the stems in with your sautéed greens, you will want to start them first before the chopped leaves. This gives them a chance to soften since they require more time.
Once the stems have sautéed for about five minutes, you can add the greens. Stir them well to incorporate the garlic and stems, season with a little salt, then add about a quarter cup of water and cover the pan. This short covered cooking time speeds up the greens wilting. After a few minutes, you can remove the lid, set it to the side, and add more greens to the pan. Simply stir them in and give them a chance to wilt slightly before serving.
Make it a meal ::
- Pan Fried Chicken Strips
- London Broil on a cast iron griddle
- Instant Pot Creamy Cauliflower Au Gratin
- Stone-Ground Grits in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore
- Creamiest Instant Pot Mac’n’Cheese
- Instant Pot Cinnamon Apples
Sautéed Garlicky Greens
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Description
Sautéed garlicky greens are so quick and easy to make, not to mention, so incredibly tasty! Sautéing greens in a pan with a little oil, salt, and garlic is a delicious way to enjoy fresh seasonal greens, as well as spinach, Swiss chard, and kale year round. Everyone in my family (including the kids) loves this simple side dish!
Ingredients
- 6–8 cups chopped greens (kale, spinach, swiss chard, or a combination)
- 6–8 garlic cloves, minced (more or less according to preference)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.
2. If using chopped stems, add them to the pan first and sauté for 5 minutes. After the stems begin to soften, add 3-4 handfuls of greens and stir until the garlic (and stems) is mixed in evenly. Season with the salt and pepper, then pour in a quarter cup of water. Cover the greens and cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Remove the lid and set to the side. Stir 3-4 more handfuls of greens into the skillet. Cook for 3 more minutes until the second portion of green have wilted to the desired consistency.
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We grew Swiss chard in our garden this summer, and I made this recipe and it was so easy and delicious!! Your one hour French bread is another recipe that I love. Thank you for sharing!