Nitrate & Nitrite Free Sautéed Greens with Pine Nuts & Olive Oil
Vibrant, garlicky, and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon, this skillet of wilted kale and Swiss chard is the kind of side dish that makes you feel genuinely good about dinner. The combination of two hearty greens gives you layers of texture — tender chard leaves, slightly toothy kale, and those toasted pine nuts adding a warm, buttery crunch on top. Everything here is whole and unprocessed, which means you can skip the label-reading anxiety that comes with packaged or cured ingredients that often sneak in unwanted additives. Garlic and red pepper flakes do the heavy lifting on flavor, bloomed in good olive oil until fragrant and just golden at the edges. A final drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a hit of lemon juice brighten the whole pan right before serving, keeping the dish feeling fresh rather than heavy. It comes together in one skillet with minimal cleanup, making it an easy weeknight win whether you're serving it alongside grilled fish, roasted chicken, or a simple bowl of grains.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch kale (about 8 oz), stems removed, leaves roughly torn
- 1 bunch swiss chard (about 8 oz), stems thinly sliced, leaves roughly torn
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and toast, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- 2
Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil to the same skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden at the edges, about 2 minutes. Watch closely, as the garlic can brown quickly.
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