Horta (Greek Braised Greens with Lemon and Garlic)
This easy Greek horta recipe makes tender braised greens with garlic, olive oil, and lemon—perfect as a healthy side dish for any Greek meal.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound mixed cooking greens (kale, Swiss chard, beet greens), thoroughly washed
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 medium garlic cloves, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups water
- Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1-2 fresh lemons, plus lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Prep the greens. Remove any tough stems from the greens.If the stems are tender, chop them into small pieces and then roughly chop the leaves.
- Sauté the garlic and greens. Place a large, deep skillet or a medium pot over medium-high heat and when it is hot, add the olive oil. Stir in the sliced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add half of the mixed greens and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. When the greens start to wilt, stir in the remaining greens to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes more, just until all greens are somewhat wilted and evenly coated in olive oil.
- Braise the greens. Stir in the salt and pepper, then add 1 to 1 1/2 cups water; use more for heartier greens. If you like some heat, add a pinch (or more) of red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Partially cover with a lid, to allow some steam to escape as the greens cook. Simmer the greens for about 10 minutes or so, until just tender. The cooking time will depend on the variety of greens, you want there to be some liquid in the skillet but it shouldn't be soupy. If it is, soupy cook without the lid just until the liquid reduces, but the greens stay bright.
- Season and serve. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and lemon wedges on the side.
- Season the cooking liquid: Do not waste any leftover cooking liquid! Once it cools down, add a squeeze of lemon and drink it.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil used in this recipe.
- Choosing Greens: Use any mix of cooking greens you like for this recipe. You can make this recipe using only one type of greens, however, I recommend using a variety as it adds interesting textures and flavors to the dish.
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- Swiss Chard: Slice the stems thinly and then roughly chop the leaves.
- Beet greens: Save the beets to roast and treat the greens exactly as you would Swiss chard.
- Kale: Remove the tough stems and chop the leaves or cut them into ribbons.
- Spinach: Larger leaves of mature spinach are often sold in bunches and have more flavor than bagged baby spinach meant for salads. I don’t recommend baby spinach for this recipe as it’s too tender.
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Nutrition
Calories: 165.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.6g | Protein: 3.5g | Fat: 15.2g | Saturated Fat: 2.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 356.1mg | Potassium: 416.2mg | Fiber: 4.8g | Sugar: 1.1g | Vitamin A: 11329.9IU | Vitamin C: 109.8mg | Calcium: 297.4mg | Iron: 2mg
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