Discover the ultimate guide to leafy green vegetables! Learn about different types of leafy greens, their health benefits, how to cook them, and easy, delicious recipes to try at home.
Leafy green vegetables are some of the most nutrient-dense and versatile ingredients you can add to your meals. From kale and spinach to Swiss chard and collard greens, this comprehensive leafy greens guide covers the most popular varieties, their unique health benefits, and simple tips for cooking them perfectly. Whether you’re looking to boost your daily nutrients, explore new flavors, or try easy leafy green recipes, this guide will help you make the most of these vibrant vegetables.
I’m a huge fan of green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and mustard greens. In fact, I include them in my diet daily as they have so many key nutrients for my health. These verdant plant foods are some of nature’s most powerful, and they are packed with an amazing diversity and amount of essential nutrients, such as fiber; vitamins A, C and K; calcium, folate, magnesium, iron, and much more. f you’re on a plant-based diet, it’s even more important to include these veggies in your diet, as they can provide you with plant-based sources of calcium and iron. That’s why I recommend having at least one serving per day of leafy greens in your health-protective diet. Learn more about getting calcium and iron on a plant-based diet in my helpful blogs.
If you have a backyard, try growing some greens—they are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, and they just keep on giving. You can start with chard, kale, arugula, or lettuce and just trim off what you need daily, and more will keep popping up. The photo above shows greens I just collected from my garden. Don’t forget to eat greens that aren’t as common in your diet for greater diversity, too. Leafy veggies like beet greens, radish greens, carrot greens, and the leaves of cauliflower or broccoli are all edible, delicious, and packed with nutrient.
Check out this handy guide for greens nutrition and cooking tips below and go green in your diet today!
Leafy Greens Guide |
||
| Green, Leafy Vegetable
(1/2 cup cooked) |
Nutritional Highlights* | Culinary Uses |
| Collard greens | Vitamins A, C, and K, folate, fiber | Sauté as a side dish, or add to stir-fries, grain dishes, soups, pasta dishes, and side dishes. Chop tender leaves into salads. |
| Dandelion greens | Vitamins A, C, and K | Sauté as a side dish, add to soups, pasta dishes, and stir-fries. |
| Green cabbage | Vitamins C and K | Used fresh in slaws or salads, cook as a side dish, add to soups, sauté in stir-fries, use leaves to encase stuffings. |
| Kale | Vitamins A, C, and K, manganese | Sauté as a side dish, add to soups, pasta dishes, and stir-fries, or use fresh in salads. |
| Spinach | Vitamins A, B6, C, E, and K; riboflavin, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese | Sauté as a side dish, add to soups, pastas, omelets, and stir-fries, or use fresh in salads. |
| Swiss chard | Vitamins A, C, and K; iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese | Sauté as a side dish, add to soups and stir-fries, mix into quiche or casseroles. Use tender leaves in salads. |
| Turnip greens | Vitamins A, C, and K, folate, manganese, fiber, calcium | Sauté as a side dish, serve with rice and beans, stir into soups. |
| *Contains at least 10% DV per serving | ||
Top 10 Leafy Greens Recipes
Try these delicious, healthy plant-based recipes featuring leafy greens:
Swiss Chard Orange Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette
Quinoa Kale Risotto with Pistachios
Savory Steel Cut Oats with Spinach, Mushrooms and Tofu
Greek Mizuna Salad with Sumac Spice Vinaigrette
Little Gem Pea Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Healthy Edamame Chard Brown Rice Salad
Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas and Greens
