The BEST Sauteed Greens
Sauteed Greens have never tasted this good! This easy to make side dish is ridiculously delicious thanks to a simple secret ingredient that adds an addictive saltiness to the dish. These Sauteed Greens take less than 15 minutes to make and can be made with all Sauteed Spinach, Sauteed Kale or a combination of the two. 
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THESE SAUTEED GREENS
- This is not your average sauteed spinach or kale, I can confidently say that this is hands down the best sauteed greens you will ever have thanks to one simple ingredient.
- These sauteed greens are a super easy side dish that take less than 15 minutes to make start to finish
- It’s an easy enough side dish to serve with weeknight dinner, but delicious enough to serve to guests
- This recipe is incredibly versatile and you can use a variety of different greens depending on what you have on hand, or only sauteed spinach or sauteed kale if that’s what you prefer.
- This is a great way to get in extra healthy greens!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THESE SAUTEED GREENS
These delicious sauteed greens require only a few simple ingredients and the recipe is incredibly versatile, you can swap out certain ingredients and adjust the quantities depending on what you prefer.
- Greens: I have been making this recipe regularly with just swiss chard as it’s something that grows in abundance in my garden. For this recipe I changed the greens to spinach and kale as they are more easily found and more commonly used. That being said as stated below you can really use any greens you prefer in this recipe.
- Garlic: be sure to use fresh garlic, not garlic from a jar for the best strong flavour. Also feel free to reduce the amount to 1 or 2 cloves if you aren’t a big fan of garlic.
- Anchovy Paste: The star ingredient that adds an addictively good saltiness to the sauteed greens. DO NOT SKIP THIS! If you have never used anchovy paste and are worried it will be fishy tasting, I can promise that this dish has no fishiness.
- Butter or Ghee: I prefer using butter but ghee also works.
- Chili Flakes: chili flakes add a nice touch of spice and help to cut through the saltiness of the dish. Feel free top add more or less chili flakes depending on your desired level of spice.
- Parmesan: Although not necessary, I find that parmesan adds a nice crumbly texture to the dish. If using parmesan be sure to use the very finely grated parmesan, not flakes or shredded parmesan which will melt and add too much cheesiness.
WHAT TYPE OF GREENS CAN I USE
Although this recipe lists spinach and kale as the two greens to use, you can really get creative and use a variety of different types of greens including curly kale or tuscan kale, swiss chard, broccoli rabe, collard greens or beet greens. Feel free to make the recipe with all of one type, a 50/50 combination of 2 or a mix of 3 or 4. Just be sure to add the different greens in order of their toughness (ie collards and kale type leaves first followed by the softer and more tender swiss chard or spinach a few minutes later) and cut out any of the tough and chewy stems.
WHAT IS SWISS CHARD AND CAN I USE IT IN THIS RECIPE?
I absolutely love swiss chard. Truthfully until very recently it was a vegetable that I would walk past in the grocery store and never consider buying, but this year I began growing it in my vegetable garden and have fallen in love with it. Swiss chard belongs to the beet family and has vibrant green leaves and colorful stalks, including red, white, and yellow. Both the leaves and stalks of Swiss chard are edible and nutritious. The leaves have a slightly bitter, earthy flavor, while the stalks are crisp and have a taste similar to beets. I find swiss chard is a great alternative to kale and spinach for sauteing because it has a firmer texture to spinach without being chewy like kale can sometimes be. In terms of health benefits, swiss chard is incredibly high in Vitamin K which plays a critical role in bone health and the cardiovascular system.
TRICKS FOR COOKING KALE
Kale gets a bad reputation for often being chewy and hard to digest. Here are a few simple tricks that I recommend doing when making sauteed kale:
- Remove the thick stem: Kale has a chewy stem that takes a long time to soften. I recommend cutting off the thickest part of the stem and only using the thinner part in the leaves. Cut the leaves away from the stem in the center and then very finely chop it. When sauteing kale, add the stem first and saute for 4 to 5 minutes until soft before adding in the shredded leaves which will cook much faster.
- Very finely shred the kale: The finer you shred the kale, the easier it will be to chew and digest. Unlike spinach or swiss chard which can be left in larger pieces which will wilt down, sauteed kale tends to hold its shape and size more as its cooked and therefore should be very finely cut.
CAN I USE ANCHOVY FILLETS IN PLACE OF ANCHOVY PASTE
You definitely can! 1 teaspoon of anchovy paste is equivalent to 2 anchovy fillets, just be sure to very very finely chopy the filets. I prefer using anchovy paste for it’s concentrated flavour and the fact an ease of use, just note that different brands may vary in flavour intensity.
WHAT SHOULD I SERVE WITH THESE SAUTEED GREENS?
These sauteed greens are a super versatile side dish that can be served with a variety of different meals. It’s a side dish that I make regularly on weeknights when I am in need of something fast and easy to serve with chicken or steak for dinner. This would be a great side dish to serve with sauteed shrimp,white fish or salmon, roast chicken, or a heavier meal such as a big steak dinner, pot roast or short ribs.
ARE THESE SAUTEED GREENS WHOLE30 OR PALEO?
To make these sauteed greens Paleo, Whole30 or Dairy Free use coconut oil or olive oil in place of butter or ghee when sauteeing the greens and skip adding in the parmesan. The greens will still be absolutely delicious as the anchovy paste is really the star ingredient that makes the dish so tasty.
CAN I MAKE THESE SAUTEED GREENS IN ADVANCE?
These Sauteed Greens are a fantastic make ahead dish. You can saute them up to 2 days in advance and quickly reheat them in the microwave until heated through, or in a pan on the stove top with a splash of water to ensure that they do not burn. I find that sauteed kale will last a bit longer in the fridge than sauteed spinach so you can adjust your quantities of each depending on when you are planning on serving the dish.
WHAT ABOUT LEFTOVERS?
Leftover Sauteed Greens will last for up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They can be reheated in the microwave, in a pan on the stove or even enjoyed at room temperature.
Here are a few more simple side dish recipes that you might enjoy…
- Brussels Sprout, Bacon & Kale Gratin
- The Best Cauliflower Mash
- The Best Roasted Broccoli
- Caramelized Leek, Fennel & Onion Gratin
- One Pan Green Beans & Bacon
- Sheet Pan Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprout & Bacon
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Sauteed Greens
Ingredients
- 4 oz Kale
- 4 oz Spinach
- 2 tbsp butter or ghee
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp anchovy paste or 2 anchovy fillets very finely chopped into a paste consistency
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp finely grated Parmesan
- Pinch chili flakes
Instructions
- Cut the thick center stem out of the kale leaves and thinly shred the kale and spinach leaves
- Melt the butter or ghee in a large skillet on medium heat. Add in the minced garlic and anchovy paste and stir around to break up the paste.
- Add in the shredded kale and leave it to cook down for approximately 5 minutes until its tender and then add in the spinach and cook for 3 more minutes.
- Once the spinach and kale is wilted, sprinkle the finely grated parmesan overtop right before serving. Sprinkle with chili flakes if desired.
Pretty darn good. We enjoyed it thoroughly and have added it to my recipe box
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