Greek Dandelion Greens Recipe
Dandelion greens (horta) are a popular Greek side dish, and they're so easy to make. Dandelion greens are delicious with extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice!
Servings: 4
Calories: 111kcal
Ingredients
- 3 bunches of dandelion greens
- 10 cups of water
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more to taste
- Juice of one lemon
Instructions
- Boil the water. Boil water in a large pot so that the water can boil while you clean the dandelion greens. Add salt to the pot of water once the water is warm.
- Clean and cut the dandelion greens. Cut the stems about 2 inches off of the bottom. Place the dandelion greens in a large bowl of cold water and rinse the dandelion greens well with cold water to remove any dirt or sand. You may have to repeat the rinsing process two to three times. Strain the dandelion greens in a strainer or colander over the sink. Then transfer the dandelion greens to the pot of boiling salted water.
- Boil the dandelion greens. Once the pot of water has reached a rolling boil, use a large slotted spoon to gently submerge the dandelion greens under the hot water and stir. Allow them to boil in a large pot of salted water uncovered for about 10-15 minutes. If you're able to pierce the stem of a dandelion green with a fork, then they're ready.
- Drain and serve. Dandelion greens are ready when they're soft and easy to chew. Use a slotted spoon or pair of kitchen tongs to transfer the dandelion greens to a serving bowl. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. You can add more olive oil or salt to taste. These greens are best enjoyed right away. Enjoy!
Notes
- You may want to cut the dandelion greens in half if the leaves are long.
- Raw dandelion greens can be bitter, so boiling them will help reduce some of the bitter taste. The more water you boil the dandelion greens in, the less bitter they will be.
- Dandelion greens are done when you can pierce the thicker part of the stem with a fork. Be careful not to overboil them, as they will become mushy.
- This may be an unpopular opinion, but I always drizzle a little balsamic reduction on my dandelion greens. Nonna Pia's balsamic reduction is so good if you haven't tried it yet!
- Only add lemon juice to the horta that you're going to eat right away. If they sit with lemon juice, the greens will get slightly discoloured.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 584mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g