These Mustard Greens with Bacon make the best quick, healthy side dish! Learn how to cook mustard greens perfectly with this low-carb recipe and step-by-step guide.
Mustard Greens Recipe
Healthy, sweet and savory mustard greens are the perfect side dish with so many meals! The bold, spicy greens are balanced with sweetener for a delicious, full-bodied flavor. Crispy bacon adds the salty boost that everyone will love! It’s a well-balanced side that works with pork, chicken, fish, or tons of other veggies.
Why you’ll love this side dish:
- Quick – Mustard greens are fairly delicate, so they cook fast in a pot with a secure lid! You don’t need to bring out the slow cooker or pressure cooker to get perfectly tender mustard greens. This recipe is ready in under 20 minutes.
- Healthy – This side dish has under 200 calories and about 3 net carbs. It’s not high in cholesterol, sodium, or fat, either! If you’d like to make this even healthier, use turkey bacon instead.
- Versatile – This dish goes with so many different proteins and flavor profiles. You could pair this with nearly any entree, and you can even freeze individual portions to pair with meal prepped meats later.
Ingredients for the BEST Mustard Greens
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need for this recipe. Exact measurements are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Mustard greens – Remove the tough stems and chop into roughly 2-inch square pieces. The more similar in size and shape, the more even the cook!
- Bacon – Chopped into small pieces. Feel free to use turkey bacon if you prefer. You can use thick or thin slices; thicker will result in meatier pieces while thinner will result in crispier pieces.
- White onion and Garlic – Feel free to use a yellow onion instead of white, but you’ll have a milder, slightly sweeter flavor. Jarred minced garlic will save you time.
- Chicken broth and Apple cider vinegar – Store-bought broth is fine, but homemade stock has more flavor. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar would be the best substitute.
- Brown sugar sweetener – If you’re low-carb or keto, use brown sugar monk fruit instead. This has under 3 net carbs per serving with that substitute!
- Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Garlic powder – These general seasonings help bring out the best in everything, balancing the bitter and sweet flavors.
What are mustard greens?
Mustard greens are a leafy vegetable in the same family as kale, collard greens, broccoli, and cauliflower (the Brassica family). They can be a bit bitter and taste quite peppery. Mustard greens are spicier than collard greens but aren’t as tough. They have a very bold flavor that many people describe as “zesty.” You don’t need to cook them to death which is why these are great on the stovetop versus the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
How to cook mustard greens
You’ll need a Dutch oven or large pot with a lid and a stovetop or hot plate for this quick side dish! This mustard green recipe is ready in less than 20 minutes with this step-by-step guide!
Cook bacon and onions
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven to medium-low heat. Add the chopped bacon and onion, and cook until the bacon has begun to crisp and the onions are soft and translucent about 6-10 minutes. When the bacon is crisp add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
Cook the greens
Add the broth, vinegar, brown sugar, and spices, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.Add in the chopped greens. You may need to add half the greens and stir so they begin to wilt before you can fit the remaining greens in the pan. Cover and cook the greens for 5 minutes.
Remove the lid and stir well. The greens should have wilted significantly. At this point, you can enjoy them immediately, or you can continue to cook them uncovered if you prefer your greens more tender. Simply stir often and serve when they have reached your desired consistency.
How to Serve Mustard Greens
You want mustard greens hot and tender, right out of the pot. They pair perfectly with Instant Pot Pork Chops with a side of Roasted Acorn Squash! For the perfect southern keto comfort food, serve these up with Keto Oven Fried Chicken, some Keto Bacon Cheddar Biscuits, and a scoop of Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole.
More sides that pair well with mustard greens:
Store
Allow your cooked greens to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days. You can even freeze these for longer storage! Simply store in a freezer bag (we prefer individual portions for less waste), press out as much air as possible, and then freeze. They will last for about a year, but the texture is best the sooner you eat them. Thaw overnight in the fridge for the best texture and flavor.
Reheat
Reheat these in a skillet or pot on medium low heat with 1-2 tablespoons of chicken broth per serving. Stir frequently until heated all the way through. These aren’t as tough as other greens, so be careful to not overcook them while reheating. Avoid the microwave–It turns the greens to mush and doesn’t smell great, either.
If you like this side dish, you’ll love these healthy recipes!
- How to Cook Swiss Chard – Another green with bacon! (but what isn’t better with bacon, right?) This low-carb, gluten-free side dish is milder than mustard greens.
- The BEST Instant Pot Collard Greens – If you worry about tough greens, the pressure cooker will help solve that issue! These are amazingly tender and go so well with any entree.
- Crock Pot Collard Greens & Black Eyed Peas – A great southern recipe that takes little effort on your part! Spicy jalapenos and salty ham make it a full meal that satisfies.
- Bacon Wrapped Cabbage – This easy side dish is perfect for beginners or cooks who don’t have time to stir a side dish frequently. You can easily prep these ahead of time, too.
- Southern Fried Cabbage with Bacon – Another downhome classic you’ll love! The cabbage cooking in the bacon grease is the key to an extremely flavorful dish.
Mustard Greens with Bacon
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 1/2 cup white onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons golden monk fruit or brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 pounds mustard greens tough stems removed, chopped into roughly 2 inch pieces
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven to medium-low heat. Add the chopped bacon and onion, and cook until the bacon has begun to crisp and the onions are soft and translucent about 6-10 minutes. When the bacon is crisp add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
- Add the broth, vinegar, brown sugar, and spices, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add in the chopped greens. You may need to add half the greens and stir so they begin to wilt before you can fit the remaining greens in the pan. Cover and cook the greens for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir well. The greens should have wilted significantly. At this point, you can enjoy them immediately, or you can continue to cook them uncovered if you prefer your greens more tender. Simply stir often and serve when they have reached your desired consistency.