Sautéed spring greens

We get spring greens quite regularly in our vegetable bag and they’re always welcome here.

Packed full of nutrients and easy to cook, when sautéed they're a great side dish for many different meals.

I love sautéing my spring greens because:

• the quick cooking time helps them to keep their vibrant colour
• it doesn’t take long to make
• they’re full of goodness
• it’s a flexible recipe - different veggies and/or protein sources can be added.

What are spring greens?

Put simply they are young cabbages that have been harvested before they’ve fully grown. This means that the greens haven’t formed the thick core common to fully grown cabbages and the leaves are easier to separate.

Preparation

Spring greens are easy to prepare. 

Simply separate the leaves and shred thinly. I like to roll up each leaf widthways and slice through to get finely shredded leaves.

Once shredded place in a colander and give them a good wash under running water to remove any mud or bugs that may be inside.

Uses

Spring greens are a great addition to a stir fry or lightly sautéed as a side dish.

They can also be added to curries, soups or Italian-style stews in place of kale, cabbage, chard or spinach.

Are spring greens healthy?

Yes, like all leafy green vegetables, they are very good for you.

They contain plenty of vitamin C, as well as vitamin K, both of which are essential nutrients.

Read more about the health benefits of spring greens.

What can I use instead?

Kale, chard, cabbage and spinach can all be used in this recipe instead of spring greens. 

If you use spinach or chard you'll find it wilts quicker.

I particularly like cavolo nero in this recipe as an alternative.

Serving suggestions

Here are some ways to make more of a full meal out of this recipe.

• Serve with rice or other grains.
• Add a tin of chickpeas.
• Roast some tofu and add to the wok at the end of the cooking time. Tempeh is also good.
• Serve with toasted nuts or seeds - sesame seeds and/or cashews work well.
• Serve alongside a roast dinner (yes, seriously - greens are essential with a roast in my opinion).

More greens recipes you might like

• Miso chard with Jerusalem artichoke purée
• Chard frittata (vegan)
• Sautéed kale and mushrooms
• Lentil, kale and sweet potato salad
• Chickpea and kale salad
• Potato and spinach curry
• How to cook samphire
• Pak choi stir fry

Ingredients

• Sunflower oil
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Chilli
• Red pepper
• Miso paste
• Soy sauce
• Spring greens

Equipment

Here's what you need to make this recipe:

• Chopping board*
• Sharp knife*
• Wok*
• Wooden spoon*

How to make sautéed spring greens

1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large wok and stir fry the chopped garlic, ginger and chilli.
2. Add the red pepper and fry until soft.
   
3. Next stir in a tablespoon each of miso paste and soy sauce.
   
4. Stir well with the back of a wooden spoon until the paste has broken down.
   
5. Add a handful of greens at a time, stirring well after each addition.
   
6. Continue until the leaves have wilted and you’ve used them all up.
   

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Sautéed spring greens

Spring greens, sautéed with garlic, ginger and chilli, and flavoured with miso and soy sauce is a delicious side dish. Make a meal of it by adding tofu, nuts, seeds pulses and/or grains. Suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

3 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Asian, Vegan

Servings 2

Calories 153 kcal

Equipment

• Chopping board
• Knife
• Wok
• Wooden spoon

Ingredients

 

MetricUS customary

 

1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil sesame oil is also good
• 2-3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
• thumb sized piece ginger peeled and chopped
• 1 green chilli deseeded and chopped (adjust quantity to taste)
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 1 tablespoon miso paste
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 500 g spring greens shredded

Instructions

 

• Heat 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil in a large wok.
• Add the chopped garlic, ginger and chilli and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until softening.
• Now add the chopped red pepper and sauté for around 5 minutes until soft. Stir often.
• Add a tablespoon of miso paste and a tablespoon of soy sauce and stir well until the miso paste has broken down.
• Next place the shredded spring greens into the wok, a handful at a time. Stir well after each addition.
• It may look like there’s too much to fit in your wok but as it cooks it will reduce.
• Continue until all the spring greens have been added and it has wilted down.
• Serve with rice or noodles or as a side dish.

Notes

1. I don’t add any extra salt to this as I find it has enough flavour with the miso paste and soy sauce.
2. Nutritional information is approximate and is intended as a guide only.

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 6gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 962mgPotassium: 605mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 4711IUVitamin C: 138mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 2mg

Keyword spring greens

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