Mustard Greens Recipe

Tender sautéed greens are an easy go-to side everyone should know how to make. They pair with everything from roast chicken to takeout pizza, and come together in minutes. These mustard greens are smothered in lots of garlic, kicked up with a pinch of red pepper flakes, and brightened with balsamic. When you have the main dish squared away, they’re the easiest answer to “What should we have with it?”

While mustard greens might not be as trendy as kale or as omnipresent as spinach, they’re well worth getting to know. They’re the leafy green of the mustard plant and are related to collards, cabbage, and, in fact, kale, and are common in Indian, Chinese, Japanese, African, and Southern U.S. cooking. Mustard greens come in all sorts of colors, shapes, and sizes, but the bunches you’re most likely to find are bright green in color with ruffled, frilly leaves.

What makes mustard greens unique is their flavor. They’re peppery, pungent, and a little bitter — quite similar to mustard, which makes sense since the seeds used to make mustard come from the same plant!

While mustard greens can be enjoyed raw, heat greatly mellows their pungency, which is why sautéing them is such a great choice.

The key to taming the inherent bite of mustard greens is actually quite simple: Use a combination of heat, fat, salt, and acid. When these elements work in tandem, they mellow the greens and result in something truly tasty.

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Simple Sauteed Mustard Greens

Prep: 0 10min0

Total: 0 25min0

Yield: 6 servings

Serving Size: 1 of 6 servings

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 of 6 servings, calories 53, Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 0g, Carbohydrate 2g, Fiber 1g, Sugar 0g, Protein 1g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 86mg

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bunches mustard greens, stemmed and chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard

Instruction:

1. In a large pan with straight sides on medium heat add the oil. Add the garlic to the hot oil. Saute until garlic is softened and fragrant and has infused the oil.
2. Add the mustard greens. Season the greens with salt, and pepper, and saute while tossing to wilt. Once wilted add the chicken stock and stir. Raise heat to a simmer, then lower and cook for about 5 minutes more.
3. Stir in the ground mustard. Serve warm.

How to Cook Mustard Greens: The Best, Easiest Method

This quick and easy method results in garlicky, perfectly sautéed greens ever time.

Prep: 300sec

Total: 1260sec

Serving Size: Serves 4

Nutrition Facts: Saturated Fat 0.9 g, unSaturated Fat 0.0 g, Carbohydrate 2.9 g, Sugar 1.0 g, servingSize Serves 4, Protein 1.0 g, Fat 6.9 g, calories 74 cal, Sodium 95.8 mg, Fiber 1.0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds mustard greens (about 2 bunches)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instruction:

1. Prep the mustard greens and garlic. Trim the thick bottom stems from 1 1/2 pounds mustard greens and discard. Coarsely chop the greens with their thin stems attached (about 12 cups). Rinse in a colander but do not dry. Thinly slice 3 garlic cloves.
2. Sauté the garlic and red pepper flakes. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, wide, high-sided sauté pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes if desired. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute (do not let the garlic brown).
3. Add the mustard greens and cook. Add the mustard greens a few handfuls at a time, stirring after each addition so that they start to wilt, until all of the greens are added. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mustard greens are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, and serve.

Mustard Greens

Peppery, tangy, and packed with nutrients, mustard greens are a Southern cooking staple! Their unique taste lends a touch of creativity to any meal, and their versatility makes them perfect for everything from weeknight meals to holiday extravaganzas.

Prep: 15min

Total: 60min

Serving Size: 135 g

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 135 g, calories 75 kcal, Carbohydrate 6 g, Protein 5 g, Fat 5 g, Cholesterol 6 mg, Sodium 570 mg, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 2 g

Ingredients:

• 1 pound mustard greens, (cleaned, stems removed, and cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 6 slices bacon, (coarsely chopped)
• 1 cup onion, (coarsely chopped)
• 3 cloves cloves, (minced)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• ½-1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instruction:

1. Start by pulling and tearing greens away from stems, then chop them by taking a hand full of greens, rolling them up, and cutting the rolls horizontally into 3 or 4, resulting in approximately 1½-inch pieces.
2. Next, place greens in a clean sink and wash them thoroughly with cold water removing all grit, sand, and debris until the water becomes clear. Set aside.
3. Place bacon in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Cook, frequently stirring, for 5-6 minutes or until crisp. Remove half the bacon from the pan and reserve it for later on.
4. Add onion, garlic, and thyme to the pot, and sauté until the onion is translucent and fragrant (3-4 minutes). Next, add the greens to the pot and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes or until wilted.
5. Once mustard greens have wilted, add broth, Creole seasoning, pepper flakes, sugar, and vinegar. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and continue simmering for 25-30 minutes or until the greens are tender. Uncover the pot, season with salt and pepper to taste, and add more broth if needed. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
6. Sprinkle the rest of the bacon on top and serve.

How To Cook Collard/Mustard Greens the RIGHT Way!

FAQ

How do you get the bitterness out of mustard greens?

What are 3 ways you can eat mustard greens?