Garlicky Sautéed Mustard Greens

If you’ve never had this veggie, you’ve got to give this simple preparation of garlicky sautéed mustard greens a try.

Mustard greens may not be the go-to vegetable for your grocery list, but don’t pass them by. Peppery mustard greens mellow with sautéing and plenty of garlic goes perfectly. This side dish goes great with so many meals and cooks up quickly. If you want more garlicky greens, try my Sautéed Beet Greens recipe too.

There are more details about this tasty veggie below, or you can click here to jump straight to the recipe.

What Are Mustard Greens?

Mustard greens are the leafy greens from the mustard plant. Yes, the same plant that also produces the seeds used to create the prepared mustard you enjoy on sandwiches and hot dogs. The leaves are peppery and spicy, reminiscent of horseradish, with a texture between spinach and kale.

Mustard greens can be found in the produce section of your grocery store, either in bunches or chopped and sold in bags. The chopped and bagged versions are usually already washed, but read the label to make sure.

How To Cook Mustard Greens

Mustard greens can be braised, like collard greens, but I prefer them sautéed with lots of garlic. When cooked, mustard greens’ peppery flavor mellows out a bit, so adding things like garlic and crushed red pepper flakes will always compliment them nicely. 

To make the garlicky mustard greens, add the chopped greens to a large bowl with one tablespoon of the olive oil and the salt. Toss the greens in the oil and salt until well coated. The reason for doing this is to more evenly distribute the oil and salt. You see, not all of the greens will initially fit into the skillet at once. So you’ll only be adding some of them in. If you only add oil to the pan, then only the first batch will have real contact with the oil. By adding some of the oil to the greens directly prior to cooking, the oil is more evenly distributed throughout as you cook.

In a large skillet heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat, then start by adding as many mustard greens as the pan will hold. Cook, tossing the greens in oil until just wilted. Add the remaining greens and continue cooking and tossing until wilted, 2-3 minutes.

Add the garlic to the pan and toss with greens until well combined. Cook this until the stems are just fork tender, about another four minutes.

If you enjoy greens with vinegar, add a splash or two of red wine vinegar at the end of cooking, and if desired, top with crushed red pepper flakes.