Best 7 Perfectly Cooked Greens Recipes

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From collard greens to spinach, turnip greens, kale, and mustard greens, there are many varieties of greens that are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They can be cooked in a variety of ways, but the key to perfectly cooked greens is to not overcook them. Overcooked greens can become tough and bitter, so it's important to cook them just until they are tender. Here are some tips for cooking perfectly cooked greens.

Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!

THE RIGHT WAY TO COOK GREENS!



The RIGHT WAY To Cook Greens! image

There's a short way and a long way, so no excuses will be accepted for tough, bitter greens!

Provided by rjkuns

Categories     Side Dish     Vegetables     Greens

Time 20m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 4

¼ cup bacon drippings
4 bunches collard greens, tough stems removed
salt to taste
3 cups water

Steps:

  • Heat bacon drippings in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the greens. Stir-fry, I suppose, since you are stirring and frying, for 1 to 4 minutes (depends on how tough the greens are) or until greens are limp, tender, and have greatly reduced in size. Pork fat is good because it helps cover the bitterness of greens while bringing out their great flavor.
  • At this point, you have a choice. Either serve them straight from the pan with a sprinkling of salt, or add 3 to 4 cups of water and salt to taste, and boil the greens 1 hour for extra tender, probably-won't-even-have-to-chew greens. If you don't have teeth, clearly you see which way to go here.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 217.3 calories, Carbohydrate 15.9 g, Cholesterol 14.1 mg, Fat 16 g, Fiber 10.1 g, Protein 6.9 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Sodium 83.6 mg, Sugar 1.3 g

COOKED GREENS



Cooked Greens image

Provided by Michael Symon : Food Network

Categories     side-dish

Time 1h30m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 pound bacon, diced
1 onion, small diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Fresno chiles, seeded, and diced
2 pound greens, cleaned, and stemmed (collard, Swiss chard or rapine)
Kosher salt
3 ounces white wine vinegar
Granulated sugar

Steps:

  • Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Add onions and garlic and cook for additional 2 minutes. Add chiles and cook for 1 more minute. Add greens, season with salt and cook for 1 hour over low heat until greens are tender. Add vinegar and a pinch of sugar and cook for 5 more minutes.
  • Check seasoning and serve.

MIXED GREENS



Mixed Greens image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     side-dish

Time 2h30m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 4

4 pounds mixed collard, mustard and turnip greens
8 strips bacon
6 cups water
Salt and pepper, to taste

Steps:

  • Wash the greens well, picking them over to remove any brown spots or blemishes. Drain well. Discard the discolored outer leaves and cut out the thick ribs. Tear the greens into pieces. Place the bacon strips in a large heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat until it is translucent and the bottom of the pan is coated with the rendered bacon fat. Add the greens and the water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook until the greens are tender, about 2 hours. Add the seasonings and serve hot. Top with traditional accompaniments, if desired.;

PERFECTLY COOKED GREENS



Perfectly Cooked Greens image

This delicious recipe is from "Jamie's Italy," by Jamie Oliver.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dinner Recipes     Dinner Side Dishes

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 large bunch Swiss chard, leaves and stems separated
Coarse salt
1/2 freshly squeezed lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and return to a boil. Add Swiss chard stems and cook about 4 minutes. Add leaves and cook 2 minutes more. Drain greens and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool slightly.
  • Place greens in a large bowl and add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.

GRANDMA'S COLLARD GREENS



Grandma's Collard Greens image

My grandmother made the best collard greens recipe in the world. Eating them with a slice of buttermilk cornbread is pure bliss. -Sherri Williams, Crestview, Florida

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Side Dishes

Time 2h30m

Yield 6 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 10

3 tablespoons lard or shortening, divided
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 pounds smoked ham hocks
6 cups water
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 to 3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 large bunch collard greens (about 2 pounds), coarsely chopped
1-1/2 cups white wine

Steps:

  • In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon lard over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until tender. Add ham hocks, water, seasoned salt, pepper flakes, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 55-60 minutes or until meat is tender., Add collard greens, wine, and remaining lard. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 55-60 minutes or until greens are very tender. Remove meat from bones; finely chop and return to pan. Discard bones. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 204 calories, Fat 9g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 19mg cholesterol, Sodium 849mg sodium, Carbohydrate 13g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 7g fiber), Protein 10g protein.

CHEF SCOTT'S KICKIN' MIXED GREENS



Chef Scott's Kickin' Mixed Greens image

If you like greens, you will love this recipe. The bacon and onions give them a wonderful flavor. Add more red pepper for a little more spice.

Provided by chefboy11

Categories     Side Dish     Vegetables     Greens

Time 1h20m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 11

¼ cup olive oil
8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound fresh collard greens, cut into 2-inch pieces
½ pound turnip greens, cut into 2-inch pieces
½ pound mustard greens, cut into 2-inch pieces
5 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 pinches red pepper flakes

Steps:

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook and stir bacon in hot oil until crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove bacon from pot, crumble, and return to the pot. Add onion to the bacon; cook and stir until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir garlic into the bacon mixture; cook and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add collard greens, turnip greens, and mustard greens; cook and stir until the greens start to wilt, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Pour chicken broth into the pot; season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low, cover pot with a lid, and cook at a simmer until the greens are tender, about 45 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 163.5 calories, Carbohydrate 10 g, Cholesterol 13.2 mg, Fat 11.3 g, Fiber 4.5 g, Protein 7 g, SaturatedFat 2.3 g, Sodium 1423.5 mg, Sugar 1.7 g

PERFECT MIXED GREENS



Perfect Mixed Greens image

A delicious mixture of greens. The washing process is the most important part for these tender, tasty greens. Don't forget the sugar! If you follow directions exactly, you'll have the most perfect greens ever!

Provided by Mama Luvs Papa

Categories     Side Dish     Vegetables     Greens

Time 1h15m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 bunches collard greens
2 bunches mustard greens
2 bunches turnip greens
3 tablespoons salt
4 cups chicken broth, divided
½ cup vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
½ cup cooked real bacon bits
½ cup white sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

  • Pull the leaf portions of the collard, mustard, and turnip greens away from the tough stems, and discard the stems. Gently wash the greens in warm water to remove all soil and sand. Partially fill a clean sink with warm water, and stir in 3 tablespoons of salt and 2 cups of chicken broth; allow greens to soak in the mixture for 10 minutes. Scoop up the greens and allow to drain in a colander; discard used chicken broth. Do not rinse the greens.
  • Pour the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth into a large pot, and mix in the greens. Stir in vegetable oil, garlic, bacon bits, and sugar, and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the greens are tender, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 174.3 calories, Carbohydrate 16.6 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Fat 10.7 g, Fiber 4.7 g, Protein 5.5 g, SaturatedFat 1.8 g, Sodium 2250.4 mg, Sugar 8.9 g

Tips:

  • Choose the right greens: Different types of greens have different cooking times and textures. For example, collard greens and kale take longer to cook than spinach or arugula.
  • Wash the greens thoroughly: Greens can be gritty, so it's important to wash them thoroughly before cooking. Swish them around in a bowl of cold water, then drain and pat dry.
  • Remove the stems: The stems of greens can be tough and fibrous, so it's best to remove them before cooking. Simply hold the green by the stem and pull it off.
  • Chop the greens: Greens can be chopped into any size you like, but smaller pieces will cook more quickly.
  • Cook the greens in a little bit of liquid: Greens don't need a lot of liquid to cook, just enough to cover the bottom of the pot. Water, broth, or even vinegar can be used.
  • Season the greens: Greens can be seasoned with a variety of herbs and spices. Salt, pepper, garlic, and onion are all good choices.
  • Cook the greens until they are tender: The cooking time for greens will vary depending on the type of green and the size of the pieces. In general, greens should be cooked until they are tender but still have a little bit of crunch.

Conclusion:

Perfectly cooked greens are a delicious and nutritious side dish. They can be served with a variety of main courses, or they can be enjoyed on their own. By following these tips, you can cook greens that are tender, flavorful, and packed with nutrients.

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