19 Leafy Green-Packed Recipes That Aren't Salad

19 Leafy Green-Packed Recipes That Aren't Salad

Garlic-ginger mushroom lettuce wraps on a wooden cutting board — PHOTO:
PHOTOGRAPHER: JEN CAUSEY, FOOD STYLIST: MELISSA GRAY, PROP STYLIST: SHELL ROYSTER

Salads are great and can be even better with the right components, but they’re not the only way to get your greens. Whether it’s soup made from collard greens or pasta sauce made with spinach, these dishes show leafy greens like kale, mustard greens and chard in a new light. Pack in the veg with recipes like our Garlic-Ginger Mushroom Lettuce Wraps. Or, let your greens pop in our Whole-Grain Spaghetti with Italian Turkey Sausage, Arugula & Balsamic Tomato Sauce.

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Spaghetti with Creamy Lemon-Spinach Sauce

a recipe photo of the Easy Spaghetti with Spinach Sauce — PHOTOGRAPHER: JEN CAUSEY, FOOD STYLIST: JULIAN HENSARLING, PROP STYLIST: JOSH HOGGLE

Give your veggie servings a boost with this easy spaghetti with spinach sauce recipe. Loosely inspired by the flavors of classic pesto, this vibrant pasta packs in plenty of spinach and basil with a garnish of nutty walnuts and savory Parmesan cheese. Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil and a green salad on the side.

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Mainland Lu'au

a photo of the Mainland Luau — RACHEL MAREK, FOOD STYLIST: ANNIE PROBST

The Hawaiian word lu'au can mean three things: a gathering or celebration, the young leaves of the kalo (aka taro) plant, or a dish made with those leaves, coconut milk and sometimes chicken or squid. This recipe is a version of the latter from chef Kiki Aranita, made with collard greens, which are easier to find on the mainland. This lu'au recipe makes a generous amount, but you won't regret it since it holds beautifully—you can even freeze it so you have a nutritious side dish at your fingertips.

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Garlic-Ginger Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

Garlic-ginger mushroom lettuce wraps on a wooden cutting board — PHOTOGRAPHER: JEN CAUSEY, FOOD STYLIST: MELISSA GRAY, PROP STYLIST: SHELL ROYSTER

These super-savory lettuce wraps feature a mix of mushrooms and plenty of peanuts for crunch. Refrigerated garlic and ginger pastes help keep prep to a minimum. If you want a boost of vegetarian protein, stir in a scrambled egg or crumbled tofu after the mushrooms are done cooking and before you add the sauce.

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Whole-Grain Spaghetti with Italian Turkey Sausage, Arugula & Balsamic Tomato Sauce

Whole-Grain Spaghetti with Italian Turkey Sausage, Arugula & Balsamic Tomato Sauce

Total happiness in a bowl: pasta, sausage, tomatoes and herbs. The tomatoes get sweet and tender and turn into sauce with the stock and the pasta. Without ever adding any butter, the spaghetti sauce is rich and silky. Adding the herbs at the end gives the dish a fresh pop of color and flavor. This is one healthy pasta recipe we can definitely get behind!

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Spanakopita Stuffed Peppers

Spanakopita Stuffed Peppers

These stuffed bell peppers have a filling inspired by the Greek spinach pie, spanakopita, but you don't have to worry about working with phyllo, so they're great for an easy vegetarian dinner.

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Green Veggie Bowl with Chicken & Lemon-Tahini Dressing

a blue bowl full of chicken and vegetables and a smaller bowl with dressing

For this healthy 30-minute dinner, treat your veggies like pasta and cook until al dente, or just done. If you have a little extra time, double or triple the lemon-tahini dressing and use it to quickly dress a salad or as a sauce for steak or shrimp.

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Spinach, Feta & Sausage Galette

a recipe photo of the Spinach, Feta & Sausage Galette — PHOTOGRAPHER: FRED HARDY, FOOD STYLIST: JENNIFER WENDORF, PROP STYLIST: LYDIA PURCELL

This impressive galette is packed with spinach, feta and sausage for the ultimate savory breakfast. To prevent the eggs from slipping, make sure to create wells in the bed of cooked veggies. We love set whites and a slightly runny egg yolk. Cook the galette a minute or two longer if you want your egg yolks set.

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Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens

Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens

Dipping tofu in buttermilk makes the coating stick for a crispy pan-fried tofu, reminiscent of fried chicken. Spicing up the collards with paprika coats them with smoky flavor while keeping this dish vegetarian. And this quick, easy and healthy dinner comes together in just 25 minutes, so it's great for busy weeknights.

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Spinach & Feta-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

These stuffed portobello mushrooms have a filling inspired by the Greek spinach pie, spanakopita. To keep them quick, we ditched the phyllo, so they're great for an easy weeknight vegetarian dinner.

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Herby Fish with Wilted Greens & Mushrooms

Herby Mediterranean Fish with Wilted Greens & Mushrooms

This healthy fish recipe makes a tasty and easy weeknight meal. Serve with wild rice or roasted potatoes.

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4-Ingredient Adas bis-Silq (Lentil & Chard Soup)

a recipe photo of the Lentil & Chard Soup — COURTESY PHOTO

Even though this lentil soup is made with just a handful of ingredients, it’s incredibly flavorful. If you have a special bottle of olive oil, drizzle some on top of each bowl before serving. If you can’t find or don’t like chard, kale or collards would be equally delicious. Excerpted with permission from Lebanese Cuisine by Madelain Farah and Leila Habib-Kirske, published by Hatherleigh Press.

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Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps

Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps

Stuff crisp lettuce leaves with a savory filling inspired by PF Chang's famous lettuce wraps. These low-carb wraps made with tofu, mushrooms and daikon radish are an easy vegetarian dinner. Add julienned carrots to the wraps for a bonus crunch.

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Collards & Portobello Grilled Cheese

Collards & Portobello Grilled Cheese

Meaty portobello mushrooms and sautéed collards turn this easy grilled cheese recipe into a healthy meal. If you don't have Dijonnaise on hand, make your own by stirring 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard into 3 tablespoons mayonnaise.

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Gat Kimchi Bokkeum Bap (Mustard-Green Kimchi Fried Rice)

Gat Kimchi Bokkeum Bap (Mustard-Green Kimchi Fried Rice)

Cooling cooked rice is key here—it dries out the rice and firms it up so it doesn't stick together when it's fried, yielding fluffier results.

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Chicken, Spinach & Feta Wraps

a recipe photo of the Chicken, Spinach & Feta Wrap — PHOTOGRAPHER: GRANT WEBSTER, FOOD STYLIST: ADDELYN EVANS, PROP STYLIST: GABE GRECO

This chicken, spinach and feta wrap recipe is elevated by the convenience of rotisserie chicken and the scrumptious flavor of sun-dried tomatoes. Whisk together the easy dressing, toss with the chicken, add spinach and wrap it all together for a delicious lunch or dinner. Using rotisserie chicken speeds up the process, but you can also reach for this recipe if you have leftover cooked chicken on hand.

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Roasted Root Veggies & Greens over Spiced Lentils

Roasted Root Veggies and Greens over Spiced Lentils

This earthy bowl of lentils is topped with leftover roasted root veggies from a large batch for an easy weeknight dinner. Keep it vegan or add a drizzle of plain yogurt for extra richness.

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Chicken & Cucumber Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Chicken & Cucumber Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

We love the crunch from sliced cucumber and jicama in these savory chicken lettuce wraps. Serve with the simple peanut sauce for an easy dinner recipe that will impress kids and adults alike.

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Braised Lentils & Kale with Fried Eggs

braised lentils kale and egg in a bowl with a fork — PHOTOGRAPHER: JEN CAUSEY, FOOD STYLIST: MELISSA GRAY, PROP STYLIST: SHELL ROYSTER

These braised lentils are cooked with tender kale and bathed in a fire-roasted tomato broth with an egg on top to pack in the protein. Microwaveable lentils need just a short time in the pan to finish cooking. If you have cooked or canned lentils on hand, you can use them in their place, but you may have to shave a few minutes off the cooking time so they don't get too soft. We like how the soft, runny yolk coats the dish. If you want a harder yolk, cover the pan and add 2 or 3 minutes to the cooking time.

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White Bean-Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi

White Bean-Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi

Turn lower-carb cauliflower gnocchi into a complete and satisfying meal with this riff on classic brown butter and sage gnocchi. We added beans to amp up the fiber and protein for a fast and healthy dinner.