Sautéed Garden Greens with Garlic and Lemon: A Quick, Healthy Side Dish

This easy summer greens recipe is rich in vitamins, ready in minutes, and perfect as a side or plant-forward meal.

This quick and easy dish can be made year-round, but is especially lovely in summer, when markets brim with hearty bunches of Swiss chard, kale, and beet greens, great sources of vitamins A, C, and K, plus iron and potassium. You can use one kind of green, or mix two or more types (I like the combination of red chard and kale).

Serve as a side dish, or pile on top of thick slices of grilled bread along with protein-rich cannellini beans and fresh grated Parmesan cheese for a healthy and satisfying meal. 

Sautéed Garden Greens with Garlic and Lemon Recipe

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

• 2 bunches fresh greens (6-8 cups), washed, thick middle stalk removed, and chopped

• 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

• 2 T olive oil

• 1 T fresh lemon juice

• ⅛ tsp red pepper flake, if desired

• Salt and pepper, to taste
  
• Optional: Add fresh garden herbs to shift the flavor profile to your liking

• Optional: Rustic bread (cut into thick slices, brushed with olive oil, and toasted or grilled), cooked cannellini beans, fresh grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

You’ll need: Large skillet with a cover

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add garlic, and saute for about 30 seconds, until just fragrant.
3. Add greens and stir quickly to coat with oil and garlic. Cover and cook until just wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. 
4. If using, stir in red pepper flakes.
5. Toss with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (greens only, per serving): 55-60 Calories, 3.8 g Carbohydrate, 1.8 g Fiber, 3.8 g Fat, 1.5 g Protein

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