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    Home » Recipes » Vegetables

    Sautéed Greens and Bacon

    Published: Sep 8, 2016 · Modified: Dec 8, 2024 by Karin and Ken · This post may contain affiliate links. 2 Comments

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    Sautéed Greens and Bacon is so easy to prepare. Whether you use spinach, swiss chard or kale or bacon, ham or pancetta, this dish never disappoints.

    This Sautéed Greens and Bacon recipe is the perfect side dish to get your picky eaters, I am talking about kids and adults alike here, to get some greens into them! 

    I rotate between whichever green I find at the grocery store because I enjoy them all equally and my husband and son will eat whichever is in front of them!  I look at it like it is a win win for me!

    The bacon, ham or pancetta (Italian ham) add such a wonderful flavor that this side dish disappears in no time at all.  My husband just insists that the statement is true that bacon does make everything better!

    Ingredients in Sautéed Greens and Bacon

    • kale, spinach or swiss chard
    • pancetta, bacon or ham
    • onion
    • crushed red pepper flakes
    • oil
    • salt
    • pepper

    How to make Sautéed Greens and Bacon

    In a skillet, over medium to medium high heat, place a few tablespoons of oil.

    When the oil shimmers or a drop of water flicked in it dances add onions or shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until brown and soft, about 10 minutes.

    Place on to a plate and wipe your skillet.

    Cook bacon until crisp or heat more oil and when hot add pancetta or ham.

    Cook, stirring frequently, until crispy, about 8 minutes.

    Transfer bacon, ham or pancetta on to paper towel and leave fat in skillet.

    If using and making bacon I make a ball of scrunched up paper towel, I slightly tip the skillet to the side and dip the paper towel in to soak up some of the fat. Be careful when doing this because the grease will be hot and you don't want to burn yourself!

    Add kale or swiss chard and crushed red pepper flakes to the skillet.

    Cook, stirring frequently, until kale is wilted about 3-5 minutes.

    Your timing will depend on type of kale, spinach, or swiss chard.

    Baby spinach can take less then a minute to wilt and swiss chard, a lot longer. We usually go by eye.

    Remove pan from heat and add vinegar, onions or shallots, and bacon, ham or pancetta.

    Serve immediately. Enjoy!

    Other Delicious Vegetable Side Dishes to Try

    Easy Cabbage and Vegetables

    Carrots Lyonnaise

    Baked Garlic Butter Carrots

    Sweet Ranch Glazed Carrots

    Easy Curried Carrots

    The Best Baked Honey Maple Carrots

    Sweet Balsamic Roasted Carrots and Onions

    Oven Roasted Carrots and Potatoes

    Easy Sauteed Spinach and Carrots

    Glazed Green Beans and Carrots

    Sautéed Kale and Pancetta.

    Sautéed Greens and Bacon

    Karin and Ken
    Sautéed Greens and Bacon is so easy to prepare. Whether you use spinach, swiss chard or kale or bacon, ham or pancetta, this dish never disappoints.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American

    Equipment

    • large skillet

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ pounds kale, spinach or swiss chard if needed remove rib and chop to desired size
    • 1 cup pancetta, bacon or ham, cut into ¼-1/2 inch chunks
    • 1 small onion, chopped or 4 shallots chopped
    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar -
    • dried crushed red pepper flakes - more or less to taste
    • olive oil or another vegetable oil -
    • salt - to taste
    • pepper - to taste
    Get Recipe Ingredients

    Instructions
     

    • In a skillet, over medium to medium high heat, place a few tablespoons of oil.
    • When the oil shimmers or a drop of water flicked in it dances, add onions or shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until brown and soft, about 10 minutes.
    • Place on to a plate and wipe your skillet.
    • Cook bacon until crisp or heat more oil and when hot add pancetta or ham.
    • Cook, stirring frequently, until crispy, about 8 minutes.
    • Transfer bacon, ham or pancetta on to paper towel and leave fat in skillet. If using and making bacon I make a ball of scrunched up paper towel, I slightly tip the skillet to the side and dip the paper towel in to soak up some of the fat. Be careful when doing this because the grease will be hot and you don't want to burn yourself!
    • Add kale or swiss chard and crushed red pepper flakes to the skillet. These two take much longer to cook than spinach.
    • Cook, stirring frequently, until kale is wilted about 3-5 minutes.
    • Your timing will depend on type of kale, spinach, or swiss chard. Baby spinach can take less then a minute to wilt and swiss chard, a lot longer. We usually go by eye or a little taste.
    • Remove pan from heat and add vinegar, onions or shallots, and bacon, ham or pancetta. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
    Keyword bacon, easy recipe, easy side dish, ham, kale, pancetta, side dish, spiach, swiss chard
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Comments

    1. Jen says

      January 29, 2019 at 10:14 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! This was finally my ode to kale! I finally made a dish with kale that succeeds! Awesome.

      Reply
      • Karin and Ken says

        January 30, 2019 at 1:32 pm

        So happy to hear you enjoyed it as much as we do! Definitely a fabulous and easy way to serve it! Can’t thank you enough for taking the time to let me know! All the best to you! Karin

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    Welcome!

    We are the kitchen divas: Karin and my partner in life, Ken.

    We have been attached at the heart and hip since the first day we met, and we love to create new dishes to keep things interesting. Variety is definitely the spice of life!

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