Sautéed Mustard Greens

Tender sautéed greens are an easy go-to vegetable side everyone should know how to make. They pair with everything from quick pastas to weeknight chicken dinners, and come together in minutes.

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. 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!

When you have the main dish squared away, these easy mustard greens are the easiest answer to “What should we have with it?”

• It’s a quick side with big flavor. These punchy mustard greens are smothered in lots of garlic, kicked up with a pinch of red pepper flakes, and brightened with balsamic, and they’re ready in under 20 minutes.
• They go with everything. Serve up sautéed mustard greens next to a grilled steak, a roasted chicken, or even as part of your Thanksgiving meal. They’re your new go-to simple side dish.
• Cooking tames mustard greens’ strong flavor. While mustard greens can be enjoyed raw, heat greatly mellows their pungency, which is why sautéing them is such a great choice.

• Mustard Greens. Mustard greens are bright green in color with ruffled, frilly leaves. When shopping for mustard greens, note that the smaller, more tender leaves of spring will generally be milder in flavor than the mature leaves of summer and fall. Look for crisp leaves and bright color, avoiding any bunches that are yellowed, wilted, or have brown spots or holes.
• Garlic. Fresh garlic adds complimentary allium flavor to the punchy greens.
• Olive oil. Coating the leaves in olive oil softens their bite.
• Red pepper flakes. A touch of spice livens up the greens.
• Balsamic vinegar. Acid plays off the warm pungent greens, fat, and salt to put everything in harmony. 

1. Trim and chop the greens. Trim the thick mustard green stems, coarsely chop the leaves, and give them a good rinse.
2. Bloom the garlic. Cook the garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil in a large skillet.
3. Sauté the greens. Add the chopped greens and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and serve.

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