Easy Sautéed Mixed Greens Recipe

Written by
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Jolinda Hackett
Updated 09/22/20
Easy sauteed mixed greens

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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
106 Calories
4g Fat
16g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 106
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 137mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Protein 5g
Calcium 158mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

New to cooking with greens and just looking for a simple way to prepare them? A great way is to just lightly sauté greens with a bit of garlic and scallions or shallots in olive oil with a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper or a touch of hot sauce.

This recipe calls for either kale or chard and a bunch of spinach as well. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free, it's super nutritious and super delicious!

Add baked or fried tofu, and you've got yourself a simple vegetable stir-fry to accompany quinoa, rice, or any other grain or grain mix. If you're not eating vegan, grate a little cheese right on top; try fresh Parmesan or a goat gouda.

Ingredients

  • 1 large bunch kale (or chard)
  • 1 large bunch spinach
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 green onions (chopped, or 1 large shallot, minced)
  • Sea salt (or Kosher salt, to taste)
  • Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for sauteed greens
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  2. Before you start, make sure your greens are prepared and ready to go. Give them a good rinse and let them dry.

    Prepare the greens
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  3. Kale and chard need to be removed from the thickest part of the stem, but the thinner softer stems are fine to leave on. Give them a coarse chop into chunks a bit bigger than bite-sized. Greens will cook down and reduce in size.

    Remove stems
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  4. Once your greens are prepared, heat the garlic in olive oil over medium heat for about a minute.

    Heat garlic in olive oil
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  5. Add the onions or shallot and heat for another 1 to 2 minutes.

    Add onions
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  6. Add kale or chard and heat until just barely tender—about 6 to 8 minutes for kale, and a little less for the chard.

    Add chard
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  7. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted but still bright green—about 1 to 2 minutes.

    Add spinach
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  8. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

    Season with salt and pepper
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  9. Serve immediately.