Mustard Green Salad Recipe

Looking to branch out in the greens department? Mustard greens are a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the brassica family, which also includes other cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli, and cauliflower. They are often sautéed and served like spinach or added to soups and stews, but they're the most delicious when eaten raw in a fresh salad. 

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for mustard greens salad and says, "When I go to the store each week, I vary the greens I buy because they each offer a different set of benefits and I love mixing up the textures and flavors. Mustard greens have a bitter kick that is fabulous in a salad especially if you counterbalance the bitterness with a little sweetness. You will always see mustard greens at the farmers market in the fall and spring when they are in season and year-round at health food grocery stores."

To make this recipe, we'll of course need a fresh bunch of mustard greens along with a green apple, fresh dill, and a lemon from the produce department. "You can easily swap out the green apple for another apple type that you may have on hand. I often use Honeycrisp," Hahn shares. Then you'll need some dressing basics like salt, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and pepper. "I like using pure maple syrup here with no added sugar to keep things the healthiest," she remarks.

For this salad we aren't going to be using the mustard green stems, so start out by stripping the leaves from the stems, washing the leaves and placing them in a colander. "If you like to make vegetable juices, just save the stems to add to your next juice. They are full of nutrition and go through the juicer perfectly," Hahn shares. Then we'll want to chop the greens. The pieces don't have to be too small, just think easy-to-eat. 

Lay a paper towel or tea towel into a large bowl and place the greens on top. Dry them thoroughly and then squeeze half the lemon over the greens and add ¼ teaspoon salt. Massage the greens with your hands for a minute or two. "I use this method on kale also. It helps make the mustard greens softer and more pleasing to eat," she explains.

Now that the greens are ready, go ahead and chop the apple and fresh dill. "No need to peel the apple, the antioxidants are in the skin and we want those. I do recommend buying organic apples especially because we are not peeling the apples," Hahn shares. To make the dressing, we'll need a small bowl and a whisk. Add in the juice of the other lemon half, the remaining salt, olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, and pepper. Stir to blend well.

Now, just add the apples, dill, and dressing to the bowl and toss. The salad is ready to serve. It pairs well with so many things. We love it with tortilla soup or a crockpot vegetable lasagna recipe. "Leftovers will be fine the next day since it is such a hearty green but won't save well beyond that," Hahn tells us. The next time you're at the store, pick up some mustard greens for this flavorful salad!