Fresh Greens Recipes

Photo by Yunhee Kim; written by Elaine Johnson

Tagliatelle with Nettle and Pine Nut Sauce

Seattle chef Ethan Stoll serves this delicate, fresh-tasting sauce over housemade nettle pasta. Nettles have small stinging hairs when raw; once cooked, they’re safe to touch.

Recipe: Tagliatelle with Nettle and Pine Nut Sauce

Photo by Annabelle Breakey

Spicy Rainbow Chard with Bacon and Polenta

For an easy vegetarian version of this hearty main dish, omit the bacon and add a little more olive oil when you sauté the shallot mixture.

Recipe: Spicy Rainbow Chard with Bacon and Polenta

Photo by Yunhee Kim; written by Elaine Johnson

Sautéed Escarole with Toasted Pearl Couscous and Poached Eggs

At Staple & Fancy Mercantile in Seattle, chef Ethan Stowell makes this comforting dish with fregola sarda (a toasted Sardinian pasta) and duck eggs, but widely available pearl (aka Israeli) couscous and chicken eggs work well too.

Recipe: Sautéed Escarole with Toasted Pearl Couscous and Poached Eggs

Photo by Yunhee Kim; written by Elaine Johnson

Collard Greens with Guanciale and Chiles

San Francisco chef Craig Stoll jokes that the nontraditional greens with classic Italian seasonings make this dish “Southern/Italian—as opposed to southern Italian.” It’s worth it to track down guanciale—rich, sweet Italian-style bacon—and fruity, hot Calabrian chiles.

Recipe: Collard Greens with Guanciale and Chiles

Photo by Annabelle Breakey

Swiss Chard and Sausage Frittata

This hearty frittata is great for brunch or dinner.

Recipe: Swiss Chard and Sausage Frittata

Photo by Iain Bagwell

Red Russian Kale and Chorizo Soup (Caldo Verde)

This lightly spicy soup shows off the heirloom kale’s tender texture and mild flavor.

Recipe: Red Russian Kale and Chorizo Soup (Caldo Verde)

Photo by Iain Bagwell; written by Amy Machnak

Red Quinoa Bowl with Swiss Chard and Poached Egg

Technically a seed (so no gluten), quinoa is touted as a superfood for its high fiber and protein. The runny yolk of a poached egg creates a little sauce on top.

Recipe: Red Quinoa Bowl with Swiss Chard and Poached Egg

Photo by Annabelle Breakey

Kale Chips Three Ways

Soy and Sesame Kale Chips (pictured)

Instead of a bag of potato chips, try these crunchy, savory treats.

Get the recipe

Olive Oil and Sea Salt Kale Chips

A sprinkling of coarse salt tastes satisfying without all the sodium of processed snacks.

Get the recipe

Cheesy Pepper Kale Chips

Choose from parmesan or nutritional yeast for the cheesy flavor.

Get the recipe

Photo by Alex Farnum

Roasted Cauliflower and Shallots with Chard and Dukkah

The secret ingredient in this dish, inspired by one served by chef Matthew Dillon at the Corson Building in Seattle, is an easy-to-make Egyptian nut-and-spice blend called dukkah. Add protein-rich chickpeas for a more filling version.

Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower and Shallots with Chard and Dukkah

Photo by Yunhee Kim; written by Elaine Johnson

Crispy Grilled Kale and Pancetta Risotto

Elise Wiggins, chef at Panzano in Denver, makes her risotto with speck, a cured ham with a smoky juniper flavor. Pancetta works fine as a substitute.

Recipe: Crispy Grilled Kale and Pancetta Risotto

Photo by Yunhee Kim; written by Elaine Johnson

Tuscan Kale, White Bean, and Ciabatta Soup

Day-old bread thickens this soup from Cathy Whims of Nostrana in Portland, making it custardy. The soup has a kick; for a milder flavor, cut back on the chile flakes.

Recipe: Tuscan Kale, White Bean, and Ciabatta Soup

Photo by Yunhee Kim; written by Elaine Johnson

Kale and Radicchio Salad with Broken Caesar Dressing

This eggless Caesar dressing from Seattle chef Ethan Stowell has lots of anchovies, yet the flavors are perfectly balanced. Ethan uses a very bitter chicory called puntarelle; we’ve used the more available (and milder) kale and radicchio.

Recipe: Kale and Radicchio Salad with Broken Caesar Dressing

Photo by Annabelle Breakey

Ruby Swiss Chard and White Bean Soup

We like the robust flavor of red Swiss chard in this soup, but you could also make it with green Swiss chard, which is milder, or spinach.

Recipe: Ruby Swiss Chard and White Bean Soup

Photo by Lisa Romerein; written by Stephanie Dean

Crispy Grilled Kale with Creamy Sesame Dressing

Not just for salads anymore--try this delicious version of healthy kale.

Recipe: Crispy Grilled Kale with Creamy Sesame Dressing

Leigh Beisch

Winter Green Turnovers

Light and flaky phyllo dough offers a nice contrast to the soft and creamy green filling of these turnovers. They make perfect hors d’oeuvres or a side dish served with grilled lamb chops and a glass of wine.

Recipe: Winter Green Turnovers

Leigh Beisch

Asian Greens and Tofu Soup

This soup is a nice remedy to those cold, damp winter days. Dashi, a light Japanese broth made from seaweed and flaked bonito fish adds the rich savory flavor without being overly fishy.

Recipe: Asian Greens and Tofu Soup

James Baigrie

Kale, Chorizo, and Manchego Pizza

Kale's hearty texture holds up to the high heat needed to create a crisp pizza crust. Its deep flavor is a great match for spicy chorizo and bold manchego cheese.

Recipe: Kale, Chorizo, and Manchego Pizza

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Swiss Chard Pesto Pasta

Using fresh chard leaves in place of the usual basil is a great way to enjoy the classic sauce year-round. You could also try spooning the pesto over squares of pan-browned polenta instead of pasta.

Recipe: Swiss Chard Pesto Pasta

Leigh Beisch

Chard-Stem Gratin

Chard stems are sometimes discarded because they’re so much tougher than the leaves. This recipe lets the stems shine by letting them cook a little longer to soften the texture. The toasted breadcrumbs add the crunch that’s missing.

Recipe: Chard-Stem Gratin

Leigh Beisch

Curried Spinach with Fresh Cheese (Sag Paneer)

Feeling a little adventurous? This classic Indian recipe is full of spiced flavor. Served over steamed jasmine rice with warmed flat bread on the side, it’s a fantastic meal to serve anytime.

Recipe: Curried Spinach with Fresh Cheese (Sag Paneer)

Photo by Annabelle Breakey

Chinese Black Pepper Pork and Spinach Salad

This Asian-inspired salad would also be good made with chicken or shrimp instead of pork.

Recipe: Chinese Black Pepper Pork and Spinach Salad

Photo by Annabelle Breakey; food styling by Karen Shinto

Squash and Chickpea Fritters with Winter Greens and Hazelnut Salad

Warm and crispy veggie fritters accompanied by a crisp seasonal salad makes for a lovely autumn appetizer.

Recipe: Squash and Chickpea Fritters with Winter Greens and Hazelnut Salad

Photo by Annabelle Breakey

Shaved Honeycrisp Apple and Kale Salad

For such a simple, fast recipe, this salad--from chef-partner Steven Redzikowski of Oak at Fourteenth, in Boulder, CO--packs a surprising amount of complexity and flavor. Ichimi togarashi, a Japanese ground red pepper, really makes it pop.

Recipe: Shaved Honeycrisp Apple and Kale Salad

Leigh Beisch

Steamed Halibut Packages

Little bundles of fresh fish make a stunning presentation in this dish. Easy to make, good for you, and incredibly fresh tasting, you can’t go wrong with this one. The butter sauce is the special ingredient that makes it deliciously decadent.

Recipe: Steamed Halibut Packages

Leigh Beisch

Flank Steak Braciole

The contrast of seared steak filled with greens makes a striking duo here. The roll can be assembled a few hours ahead of time, making this a nice meal for entertaining or a weeknight dinner.

Recipe: Flank Steak Braciole

Leo Gong, Randy Mon

Pappardelle with Chicken and Winter Greens

Pasta and chicken get a burst of color and flavor from the addition of in-season greens. Served with fresh parmesan cheese on top; it’s sure to satisfy everyone at the table.

Recipe: Pappardelle with Chicken and Winter Greens

James Carrier

Chard and Ricotta Torta

Get your daily serving of greens baked in a pie. This recipe makes a nice vegetarian main course, a side dish to grilled meats, or an on-the-go lunch item.

Recipe: Chard and Ricotta Torta

Annabelle Breakey; Karen Shinto

Whole-Wheat Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Kale

If only all vegetarian lasagna tasted this good. The crunchy kale and the puréed squash make a fabulous duo layered between sheets of pasta and tangy tomato sauce.

Recipe: Whole-Wheat Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Kale

Alex Farnum, Randy Mon

Bacon and Kale Adobo

Tangy, salty, and a touch of heat is the flavor mix in this non-traditional version of Filipino adobo, given to us by Chef Tim Luym. He suggests serving this slow-cooked dish with steamed rice and a cold beer.

Recipe: Bacon and Kale Adobo

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Grilled Kale Caesar Salad

Kale takes the place of lettuce in this twist on traditional Caesar, and wilting the greens on the grill adds a subtle smoky flavor.

Recipe: Grilled Kale Caesar Salad

Photo by Yunhee Kim

Warm Walnut Spinach Salad

We love spinach salads. This one is dressed with honey, mustard, mirin, and walnut oil to create something unique. If you don’t have walnut oil, you can substitute another nut oil such, as almond or hazelnut, and switch the chopped nuts to match.

Recipe: Warm Walnut Spinach Salad