Garlicky Potatoes with Mustard Greens and Olives

Lots of garlic and briny olives add spark to the harmonious pairing of potatoes and mustard greens. It’s a hearty side dish recipe you’ll enjoy in the fall and winter.

Meal idea: Serve garlicky potatoes with mustard greens and olives with an easily prepared plant protein dish like Lemon Pepper Tofu Steaks or Sweet and Savory Tempeh Strips. Round the meal out with a simple tossed salad.

Greens swap-ins: While you’re encouraged to make this recipe with mustard greens, it’s also delicious to make with kale, collard greens, or escarole.

Ingredients for Garlicky Potatoes with Mustard Greens

• Golden (Yukon Gold) potatoes (6 to 7 medium)
• Mustard greens (1 head)
• Garlic (6 cloves)
• Brine-cured pitted black olives, such as Kalamata (you’ll need 1/2 cup)
• Lemon (1 medium; or use bottled juice)

From the pantry

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Mustard Greens 101

Mustard greens are leafy members of the brassica family, the group of vegetables that includes broccoli, kale, cabbage, and cauliflower.

Mustard greens have been described as tasting pungent or peppery; their flavor is also characterized it as sharp, like horseradish. Like many greens that have a bite, they mellow out quite a bit with light cooking.

Mustard greens don’t need to be stemmed, which makes them easy to work with. The stem is just a bit crunchier (in a good way) than the leaves, comparable to romaine lettuce. After trimming away the stem, the remaining leaf and stem can be chopped together.

Mustard greens a superfood vegetable when it comes to nutrients. They’re a great source of Vitamins C and K, and the mineral copper. They also provide a modest yet noteworthy amount of the B vitamins and several other minerals. Here’s a complete nutritional profile.

Learn lots more in our Guide to Mustard Greens.

Recipe is from Wild About Greens by Nava Atlas. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.

Explore more …

• Indian-Inspired Mustard Greens with Spinach
• Roasted Eggplant Curry with Mustard Greens or Spinach
• Citrus-Braised Mustard Greens with Apples & Nuts
• Braised Mustard Greens with Mushrooms

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Yield: 4 to 6

Garlicky Potatoes with Mustard Greens and Olives

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Lots of garlic and briny olives add spark to the harmonious pairing of potatoes and mustard greens. It's a hearty side dish recipe you’ll enjoy in the fall and winter.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 to 7 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 head of mustard greens, coarsely chopped and well rinsed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup pitted brine-cured black olives, such as Kalamata
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more, to taste
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Microwave the potatoes until just barely tender, starting with 1 minute per potato, and adding a small amount of additional time as needed. Or if you think to do so ahead of time, pre-bake the potatoes, especially if you’ve got the oven on for another purpose. Plunge into cold water. When cool enough, cut into thick slices and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a wide skillet. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat for a minute or so, just until it loses its raw quality.
3. Add the potatoes and turn the heat up to medium high. Cook stirring frequently, until the potatoes are touched with light brown here and there, about 8 minutes.
4. Add the greens and olives and continue to cook until the greens are tender and still bright, about 4 to 5 minutes. It’s fine if the potatoes break apart. 
5. Remove from the heat. Add lemon juice, salt (you won't need much), and pepper. Serve at once.

Here are lots more plant-forward salads & sides.