Mustard greens, with their peppery flavor, are delicious when sautéed. This six-ingredient, garlicky sautéed mustard greens recipe is ready in 15 minutes and is so tasty with a simple meal of dal and rice.
Table of Contents
What are mustard greens?
Mustard greens are the leafy greens that sprout when you plant mustard seeds. They belong to the brassica family - the same as kale, collards and cabbage - and possess all of the health benefits associated with these veggies. They are a cool weather crop, so they are best eaten in spring, early summer and fall.
The greens have a distinct, peppery, ever so slightly bitter flavor that makes them ridiculously delicious. They cook faster than leafies like collard greens and kale, but they don't wilt down and lose all texture, like spinach, which makes them perfect for quick sautés.
How are mustard greens cooked?
Mustard greens are so delicious on their own, they need little help in the kitchen. In the American south mustard greens are frequently braised with ham hocks or bacon. In Asian recipes they are sautéed with a few spices.
For my sautéed mustard greens recipe I add lots of flavor to the greens with garlic and a few Indian spices.
This dish, with its Indian flavors, is not to be confused with another popular, differently delicious north Indian dish, sarson ka saag, made by cooking mustard greens with spinach and other leafy greens that are then pureed. Sarson ka saag is a delicious variation on other north Indian puréed greens like saag aloo and palak paneer.
These sautéed mustard greens need just one pan to make, and they are soy-free, nut-free and soy-free. They are delicious with any entrée, and they are so nourishing. I make this recipe nearly every week when mustard leaves are in season, and I hope you'll try it too!
Recipe card
Sautéed mustard greens recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 small shallots (sliced)
- 6 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
- ½ pound mustard greens (about 18 large leaves, coarsely chopped)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet or wok on medium high heat. Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to sputter. Stir in the red pepper flakes.
- Add shallots to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes until the shallots soften.
- Stir in the garlic and sauté for another minute.
- Add the mustard greens to the pan and mix them in with the spices and garlic. Add salt to taste. The mustard greens will wilt immediately and begin to release some moisture.
- Cover the pan and cook five minutes or until the mustard greens are tender. You can cook them longer depending on how soft you want them to be. I like them with a little texture and bite.
- Serve the mustard greens hot or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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Recipe FAQs
You can buy mustard greens in supermarkets and in Asian grocery stores. There are many varieties of mustard greens on the market, including mizuna, red garnet and southern giant. For this recipe I used red giant mustard greens, which have large, gorgeous, lacy, red-green leaves. The different varieties have only slight variations in flavor so any one of them will work for this recipe. Always pick leaves that look fresh and crisp, not wilted or brown.
Clean mustard greens by dropping them in a big bowl or pot of cold water and swirling them with your fingers so any dirt drops to the bottom. Repeat a couple of times until there's no grit in the bowl. Pat the leaves dry before using.
The sautéed mustard greens will work as a side with any entree. With their Indian flavors they are particularly good with a simple Indian meal of dal and rice.
Store the sautéed mustard greens in the fridge up to four days, and in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw and reheat before serving.
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