Horta (greens) dishes are a quick and fool-proof way to add fiber, vitamins, minerals, calcium, potassium, and magnesium to a meal. All of that from just one plate of greens–how could you go wrong? That’s one of the reasons why we love Horta (Greens) with Potatoes so much!
This simple Horta and potatoes recipe is a great addition to any meal, but pairs amazingly well with fish, chicken, or lamb. We love pairing Horta with grilled fish, especially this time of year! Horta with potatoes is a very popular dish in Greece, thanks to the wild, tender greens that seem to grow everywhere in the springtime. Most Greek homes and restaurants will serve this dish year-round, but there’s just something about those fresh greens that makes it even tastier in the spring. This is one of those dishes we look forward to indulging in time and again during our upcoming trip to Greece!
Flavor Galore!
The flavor of the greens, mixed with potatoes and lemon gives a light, crisp flavor to the dish, which makes it a perfect side–it’s not too filling and doesn’t overpower the flavors of the main. To really boost the flavor of the greens, however, good, high-quality olive oil is a MUST. In addition to amplifying the flavor of the dish, we know that olive oil is an integral part of the Mediterranean diet, as it’s one of the American Heart Association’s good fats. Between the good fats in the olive oil and the high fiber content of the greens, Horta with potatoes goes a long way in helping to lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar.
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With minimal prep time and short cooking time, you’ll have a healthy and delicious dish to share with friends and family! We hope you will try Horta (Greens) with Potatoes soon! If you do leave us a comment below and let us know what you think! And if you post a picture be sure to tag #Hearthealthygreek! And never miss a recipe by getting them delivered right to your mailbox by subscribing to our mailing list!
Horta (Greens) With Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 bunches swiss chard
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 package baby spinach
- 8 cloves garlic sliced
- 8 baby potatoes peeled and halved
- pepper to taste
- 1 lemon juiced
Instructions
- In the kitchen sink faucet running with cool water, rinse swiss chard leaves until all dirt and grit are removed. Be careful water pressure is not set too high as you do not want to damage the leaves.
- Once the leaves are cleaned, remove stems and chop leaves into bite size pieces. To remove stem, lay swiss chard leaf on cutting surface, using a knife to cut along each side of the stem, leaving only the green leaf.
- In a medium sized pot, add olive oil and water and heat over medium heat.
- Continue adding swiss chard, spinach and garlic.
- Lay potatoes on top of greens.
- Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Continue to simmer for 45 minutes, stirring often. Potatoes should be fork tender.
- If needed, add more water, but the water will evaporate leaving the olive oil.
- Remove from heat and add the juice from the lemon.
- Add pepper to taste.
- Serve warm or at room temperature
Notes
- Any type of greens can be used in the recipe such as dandelion, kale, mustard greens.
- Also, add some chopped leeks for a more onion flavor.
- We omitted using salt in our recipe, but add a pinch if you prefer.
Loved it! Thank you – making it all the time now 😉 When cutting the chard and removing the stem. instead of discarding it, I cut the stem into approx.1 inch pieces and cook them together with the rest of the greens.
Wow, now that’s resourceful. No waste, we love it! So glad you are enjoying this recipe!
-Christina & Alexa