A rich and savory side dish for both brunch and dinner
These Dijon Creamed Greens are a seriously rich and tasty way to include leafy greens on your brunch or dinner menu. Lacinato kale and rainbow Swiss chard are cooked down in a garlic-infused creamy Dijon mustard sauce with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, a pinch of nutmeg, and a generous measure of parmesan. The end result is creamy, tangy, and includes just the right kick of spice to balance the rich flavors.
What kind of greens are best to use?
I generally prefer to make this Dijon Creamed Greens recipe with a mixture of Lacinato kale (also called Italian or Dinosaur kale) and rainbow Swiss chard, however, you can definitely add or substitute other greens in as desired. Some great options are curly or Russian red kale, mustard greens, beet greens, collard greens, and spinach. Note that swapping in these or other greens may affect the cooking time and end volume of the recipe.
For example, I find that collard greens are best cooked down much longer than kale and swiss chard so I adjust the recipe for additional time. Spinach is so heavily water-packed that it shrinks considerably when cooked so you may want to increase the amount of spinach used.
Prepping your greens
I prefer to de-vein my kale because it yields a more tender end-result, however, you can leave them intact if you prefer. I also find that greens cook down best with a tiny bit of water to help steam and tenderize them. You don't want to go overboard though, as greens naturally hold a fair bit of water which will release when cooking, but I do recommend giving your greens a quick rinse and good drain or quick towel dry directly before cooking (even if they've been pre-washed) so they're just a little bit damp.
How to serve Dijon Creamed Greens
I love serving these Dijon Creamed Greens for both brunch and dinner. Here are some of my favorite ways to include them in both:
Brunch
- Served over a big piece of sourdough toast with a fried or poached egg on top
- Served with eggs cooked directly into the greens, similarly to how you would cook Shakshuka
- Served on the side of eggs, bacon or sausage, and hashbrowns
- As a tasty addition layered under eggs benedict
- As a side for a Kitchen Sink Frittata
Dinner
- As a side for main courses such as roasted chicken, fish, steak, or pork chops
- As a side for these Pressure Cooker Boneless Beef Ribs
- They are particularly good paired with these creamy Swedish Meatballs + a side of mashed potato or mashed cauliflower
- Served on a pulled pork sandwich or an open-faced hot turkey sandwich
What tools do I need to make this recipe?
- A cutting board
- A chef's knife
- A kitchen scale
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- A skillet
- A wooden spatula or spoon
Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.
A note for special diets
This Dijon Creamed Greens recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, and friendly for vegetarian and low-carb diets.
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Dijon Creamed Greens
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast & Brunch, Sides
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These Dijon Creamed Greens are cooked down in a garlic-infused creamy Dijon mustard sauce with red pepper flakes, nutmeg, and parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil - OR - 2 tablespoon olive oil + 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 bundle green onions, chopped (about 54 g / 1 cup) – OR – ½ yellow onion, finely diced (about 52 g / 1 cup)
- ½ lb Lacinato kale (also called Italian or Dinosaur kale), ribs removed, chopped, and quickly rinsed (even if already clean)
- ½ lb Swiss chard, chopped and quickly rinsed (even if already clean)
- 4 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tbsp coarse ground Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp traditional Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- pinch nutmeg
- 27 g (about ⅓ cup) parmesan cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Heat garlic-infused olive oil (or olive oil + minced garlic) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onions. If using green onions, sautee for about a minute or two before progressing to the next step. If using traditional yellow onion, sautee until they turn translucent and then slightly golden, about 8-10 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium (or medium-low if using cast-iron) and add the slightly damp kale and chard in 3-4 batches, adding more to the pan as each batch begins to wilt and allow more space in the pan. Stir the kale regularly as it cooks down.
- Once all of the greens are included in the pan and they have begun to wilt, add the heavy cream, both varieties of Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, and cracked black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Once the greens have wilted to your desired tenderness, add the parmesan cheese, stirring to combine until melted into the greens. I find that the combination of parmesan with the Dijon makes this dish salty enough on its own without adding extra salt, however, I recommend tasting for salt and adjusting as desired. Serve warm. *See post above for serving ideas*
Notes
Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 128
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 286 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 286 mg
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