This foolproof recipe for simple sautéed greens takes less than 10 minutes from prep to table. A perfect side dish for your busy weeknights. This sautéed greens recipe uses any mix leafy greens you have on hand including kale, spinach, or swiss chard.
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Every season has its favorite green, bok choy in the winter or arugula in the spring. Between our CSA and the fact that I randomly write"greens" on every shopping list we always have something on hand so we can throw together a quick side dish.
But when life calls and the greens start to pile up we need a go-to recipe to fall back on. So it is either sauteed greens or I throw them in a pot of soup in place of noodles. Check out our Herby Turkey Kale Soup to see what I am talking about!
Types of Greens to Use for Sauteing
And yes, I do love fancy leafy greens with roasted pine nuts or preserved lemons but I don’t always have time for that (or the ingredients on hand!). So, I stick with what works. easy sautéed greens! My favorite is a combination of kale and swiss chard. But sometimes I am just lopping off the top of my turnips and going to town.
Not familiar with all the options for sauteing greens? Lets review.
- Spinach- Probably the easiest and simplest green to work with. You can use the pre-washed bagged spinach or use the large bulk spinach. Spinach tends to be very sandy. Give it a pre-rinse and then remove the stems. After that soak the leaves in a big bowl swirling around the leaves. The dirt and sand will drop down, repeat until the spinach is clean. The spinach will take 3 to 4 minutes to cook.
- Kale- Just like with spinach you can use the pre-washed baby kale or the larger kale. Lacinato is my favorite variety. To use these larger varieties remove the stems and chop into 1-inch pieces. Kales takes 4 to 5 minutes to cook.
- Swiss Chard- I like using baby chard greens. Destem and cut the leaves into 2-inch pieces. These greens are perfect after sauteing for about 5 minutes.
- Arugula- These peppery greens are light and airy. Arugula is easy to overcook. I cook for one minute and then turn off the heat. The residual heat will cook the greens in 1-2 minutes.
- Mustard Greens- This is a fun one if you can find them. Wash similar to the spinach. Most people feel strongly about sauteed mustard greens, love, or hate. But if you cook them for 4 to 5 minutes they will be delicious.
- Collard Greens- While collard greens are typically associated with a slow cooking method you can use use the smaller leaves for sauteeing. Prep them just like the swiss chard. They take longer to coo, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Root Vegetable Greens- Don't waste these delicious greens! The tops of turnips, carrots, beets, and even radishes are great additions. No waste! If you are unsure about working with root tops try doing a 50/50 mix with root greens and kale.
How to Make Sautéed Greens
The goal of this recipe is to give you a template to follow for your favorite greens. A quick sauté on the onion to soften gives a slight sweetness but keeps the texture needed to stand up to the greens. we love caramelized onions, just not for this.
Next, thirty seconds on the garlic takes the bite out without burning. Add the greens, turning the greens frequently to ensure they evenly wilt. Finally, a touch of acid in the form of apple cider vinegar removes any bitterness.
You can use any vinegar you like Or even lemon juice. An optional garnish of lemon zest is always a nice touch. I love citrus zest on pretty much everything in the winter. It makes the grey Ohio skies feel way less depressing!
Sauteed Greens Recipe Variations
Looking to jazz up your sauteed greens a bit? Here are some ways to dress up your greens.
- Sesame- Drizzle your cooked greens with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame seeds.
- Italian- Add ¼ cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes with the onions and top with a ¼ cup of toasted pinenuts.
- Greek- Mix in 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh oregano and ⅓ cup each of sliced kalamata olives and feta crumbles.
- Harvest- Stir in ½ cup dried cranberries and ½ cup chopped walnuts.
If you enjoyed this recipe be sure to check out our post no easy ways to eat more vegetables. We rounded up 75 new vegetable recipes for that one!
If you try this recipe, be sure to post a photo on Instagram with #peelwithzeal! Follow Peel with Zeal on Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook for the latest posts.
Sautéed Greens
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 bunch greens (kale, spinach, swiss chard etc)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ medium onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- kosher salt
Instructions
- De-stem greens (if needed) and tear into pieces
- Melt coconut oil in high sided sauté pan over medium heat
- Add onion, 2-3 minutes until slightly soft
- Add garlic, cook 30 seconds
- Add greens, stir until wilted (1-2 minutes for lighter greens, 3-4 minutes for hearty greens)
- Turn up heat slightly, add apple cider vinegar and allow to deglaze slightly
- Remove from heat, salt to taste and serve
Notes
- Any unused stems can be saved and added to smoothies
Karyl Henry says
Sometimes simple is the best! That's what I do when I make kale, and I could probably eat it every day. I've never tried adding apple cider vinegar though...I'll have to do that next time. Thank you for the tip!
Jen says
A little ACV makes all the difference!
Lauren Vavala says
I love that you add vinegar to this recipe! My fiance always makes the greens around here and is heavy handed on the vinegar. So I'm super used to it haha! I would love to try them with coconut oil too!
Hannah Healy says
So important to get your leafy greens! This looks so good!
Mahy Elamin says
Looks fast and easy. Perfect combination of all ingredients. This is a great recipe for me and my family. I really like! Thank you.
Dan Zehr says
You make it sound so easy! Can't wait to try this one. I like this! And the fact that you added vinegar to this recipe seems perfect. So YUMMY!
Claudia Lamascolo says
We love healthy greens and recipes like this. You sure made them look easy to make and yummy. We will love these
Marisa Franca says
Frankly, I like all greens. We like to experiment and try out different flavor combinations. We like our kale and usually swiss chard is our special green we make during the holidays. We make it gratin style. We love sauteed kale with lots of spice. Hubby would love the touch of vinegar -- that's the way his mom made it.
Jen says
Gratin sounds delicious!
Veena Azmanov says
I love greens. Kale, Swiss chard and spinach are my favorite. Love the simplicity of this dish, very similar to how I like it. Though I have never used vinegar in mine. I must try next time.
Jen says
ACV makes all the difference but try it with Champagne vinegar for a twist!
Michelle says
So simple but I am sure so delicious! There's something about a quick healthy and delicious recipe that always hits the mark