• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

VegKitchen logo

  • Vegan Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Baking and Sweets
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes
    • Pasta and Noodles
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches and Wraps
    • Sauces, Dressings, and Condiments
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups, Stews, and Chilis
    • Snacks and Dips
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Canning and Preserving
    • Cheese-y Delights
    • Global Recipes
    • Raw Vegan
    • Slow-Cooker
  • Vegan Living
    • Vegan Substitutions Guide
    • Green Kitchen
    • Healthy Eating Tips
    • Food and Produce Guides
    • Vegan Food Hacks
    • Kid Friendly
    • Vegan Product Reviews
    • More Vegan Living
  • About
  • Shop Cookbooks
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Vegan Living
  • Cookbooks
  • About Us
  • Freebie!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegan Living
    • Cookbooks
    • About Us
    • Freebie!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Healthy Kitchen » Food and Produce Guides

    Get to Know Leafy Spring Greens

    Published: May 29, 2012 · Updated: Aug 18, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    The distinct flavors of leafy spring greens such as arugula, sorrel, watercress, and others can be an invigorating treat for the winter-weary palate. Most spring greens are tender enough to use uncooked or very lightly steamed—all the better to showcase their clean, fresh flavors. Explore Asian greens as well, which are becoming more widely available in farm markets.

    Depending on the variety you may find high levels of vitamin C (as in watercress) calcium (as in fall’s dark greens kale, collards, and mustard greens). They also contain substantial amounts of potassium, vitamin A, beta carotene. Many studies have linked the nutrients found in greens to anti-cancer effects. And they add much-need fiber to the diet.

    Leek potato and watercress soup

    Preparation Tips

    Buying: The more delicate the greens, the more perishable they are, so its best to buy them the same day you plan to use them, or at most, the day before. Choose greens with firm, uniform-colored leaves, with no wilted or discolored ones.

    Rinsing: Green leafy vegetables grow close to sandy soil, which tends to cling to the leaves. Nothing ruins a good dish like a mouthful of sand, so do wash leaves very carefully. Immersing them in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes before rinsing helps to loosen hidden grit.

    Stemming and chopping: Leave the stems on the small greens such as watercress and arugula. Stem spinach and Swiss chard; they have a stringy texture. On heartier greens like Kale and collards, it’s best that you remove the stems, but you can slice them thinly and team them along with the greens for a more aesthetic result. Small-leafed greens need not be chopped at all; spinach and chard can be roughly torn into bite-sized pieces or chopped after they are steamed; large-leafed greens are nice sliced into wide shreds.

    The Goods on the Greens

    Arugula leaves in bowl

    Arugula: Once considered a “gourmet” green, arugula seems much more democratic these days. It makes an early spring appearance (though it also grows—and is sold—into late fall). Arugula’s flavor is bold but not bitter and the uncooked leaves add zest to mixed salads, bean salads, and cold pastas. Baby arugula is a bit milder than larger leaves. Wilted down, it adds interest to warm pastas and grain dishes.

    Baby bok choy

    Bok Choy and other “Choys”: All are easy to use in stir-fries and soups; those with small, tender leaves can be used uncooked. Many of the varieties include the word “choy” in their name—such as choy sum (baby bok choy), dai gai choy (Chinese mustard cabbage) and tung choy (water spinach).

    Dandelion: The leaves of this garden “weed” also come in a cultivated variety. Their flavor is akin to chicory or curly endive—slightly bitter or tart. Small young leaves have the best flavor and texture; combine them with other greens in salad.

    Sorrel: This tart, lemony green can be used uncooked in small quantities in green salads, combined with milder greens, or more generously in soups. a traditional spring soup using sorrel is schav.

    Fresh spinach in a bowl

    Spinach: A nearly all-weather green, available year round, spinach arrives early in the spring garden. Though it can be used uncooked in salads, it is most versatile lightly cooked. Spinach is welcome in pastas, soups, stews, curries, wraps, and savory pies.

    Watercress

    Watercress: “Peppery” best describes this small, round-leafed green. Use uncooked in salads (best combined with milder lettuces), and in sandwiches in place of lettuce. Watercress is wonderful in soups and briefly wilted in stir-fries.

    Mizuna: This cool weather green makes it a natural for early spring harvesting. Its mildly sweet and spicy leaves add flavor and crunch to mixed salads; it can also be briefly steamed or stir-fried, or used in soups.

    Tatsoi: These small, dark, spoon-shaped leaves have a mild flavor that’s perfect for using raw in salads or quickly wilted down in stir-fries, where it somewhat resembles spinach.

    Here are a few of our recipes featuring leafy spring greens:

    • Leek and Potato Soup with Watercress
    • Spring Greens Salad with Endives and Oranges
    • Pasta with Asparagus and Arugula
    • Stir-Fried Tofu with Spring Greens
    • Mediterranean Spinach with Pine Nuts and Raisins
    • Spinach, Orange, and Red Cabbage Salad
    • Greek-Flavored Spinach and Orzo Soup
    • Pink Beans with Spring Greens
    • Mixed Mushroom Soup with Bok Choy
    • Stir-Fried Bok Choy with Shiitake Mushrooms

    Watercress in glass

    • Get more by visiting VegKitchen’s Seasonal Produce Guides.
    • For lots more features on healthy lifestyle, please explore VegKitchen’s Healthy Vegan Kitchen page.

    More Food and Produce Guides

    • tofu being tossed in marinade
      Guide to Tofu for Beginners
    • how to eat dragon fruit
      How to Eat Dragon Fruit? There Are More Ways Than You Might Imagine
    • Quinoa Pilaf with Cauliflower and nuts
      Beyond Brown Rice: Whole Grains for Everyday Meals
    • Vegan "Egg" foo yong
      Tasty and Easy Chickpea Flour Recipes and Tips

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    nicole malik from vegkithen.com

    Hi, I'm Nicole! I'm the creator behind VegKitchen, and the author of the popular cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. Learn more about me here.

    More about me →

    vegan substitution chart

    Featured Recipes

    • recipes for a vegan Christmas dinner menu
      Best Vegan Christmas Recipes
    • vegan christmas cookies
      Vegan Christmas Cookies
    • vegan irish stew
      Old-Fashioned Vegan Stew
    • vegan breakfast casseroles
      10 Make-Ahead Vegan Breakfast Casseroles
    • Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
    • vegan jalapeno poppers
      Vegan Jalapeno Poppers

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    • Shop Cookbooks
    • Free Vegan Cheat Sheet
    • About Us
    • Work with Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

    Still hungry? Check out our delicious family of blogs.


    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Hook & Porter Media