Braised Escarole – lovely green escarole braised with olive oil, garlic, red pepper, and lemon juice. A great way to enjoy greens in the winter months.
In the south, we really enjoy our greens. Particularly the winter greens.
When I was growing up, practically everyone I knew planted at least a small patch of turnips, mustards, or collards to enjoy throughout the cold months. They were easy to grow and survived through the winter becoming even tastier once they passed through a frost.
Winter greens are leafy green vegetables, most closely related to cabbage and include chard, rapini, and kale. They’re typically high in folic acid and rich in vitamins A and K.
They’re all delicious (though I will admit that I’m not crazy about kale) and can be used in many different ways – slow cooked and seasoned with pork in the old-fashioned southern way, or in salads and soups. One of the least used and one of my favorites is escarole.
Escarole is actually a variety of endive but has loose, broad, pale green leaves and is less bitter than other endive varieties. My favorite way to cook escarole is by braising.
My Braised Escarole is cooked quickly in olive oil with garlic and red pepper flakes then allowed to steam until wilted and totally delicious. I finish it with a little squeeze of lemon juice.
Braised Escarole is a fantastic side dish for chicken or fish or even served as a warm salad before your meal. I hope you’ll grab a head of escarole next time you’re at the grocery store and give this delicious and healthy recipe a try soon.
How to Make Braised Escarole
Prepare the escarole.
Remove the core and separate the leaves. Place the leaves in a sink of cold water. Swish the leaves vigorously to loosen any sand. Let the leaves sit for a few minutes until the sand settles to the bottom of the sink.
Remove the leaves and dry in a salad spinner or drain on a kitchen towel.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, red and black pepper and sauté for about a minute being careful not to let the garlic burn.
Add the drained escarole leaves and toss until the leaves are coated with oil and beginning to wilt. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and braise for 4-5 minutes, stirring several times.
Remove from heat and add the salt and lemon. Stir or toss to incorporate the salt and lemon juice. Serve immediately.
Makes two servings.
🧾 More Recipes You’ll Like
- Turnip Greens and Corn Pone
- Beans and Greens Soup
- Peas and Greens Soup
- Turnip Green Dip
- Sausage and Kale Soup
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Braised Escarole
Ingredients
- 1 large head escarole
- 2 tblsp. olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- Pinch of salt
- Juice of 1/4 of a lemon
Instructions
- Prepare the escarole – remove the core and separate the leaves. Place the leaves in a sink of cold water. Swish the leaves vigorously to loosen any sand. Let the leaves sit for a few minutes until the sand settles to the bottom of the sink. Remove the leaves and dry in a salad spinner or drain on a kitchen towel.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, red and black pepper and sauté for about a minute being careful not to let the garlic burn.
- Add the drained escarole leaves and toss until the leaves are coated with oil and beginning to wilt.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and braise for 4-5 minutes, stirring several times.
- Remove from heat and add the salt and lemon. Stir or toss to incorporate the salt and lemon juice.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
More Winter Greens Recipes …
- Collard Greens with Ham and Smoked Hock from Steamy Kitchen
- Southern Slow Cooked Collard Greens from Big Bear’s Wife
- Cooking Mustard Greens from Harvest to Table
- Beet Greens from Simply Recipes
- Southern Style Turnip Greens from The Cooking Bride
- Braised Chard from NYT Cooking
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
I think I’ve only had escarole once…but now you’ve made me want it again. This sounds so good.
If you like greens, Heather, you’ll probably enjoy this recipe. It’s so simple, but delicious.
This is one of my favorite greens and I love the way you prepared it.
Thank you! It’s a favorite of mine, too.