Mom’s Sauteed Escarole
Mom’s Sauteed Escarole is flavored with only 5 ingredients (not counting salt and pepper) and makes a yummy vegetable side dish in 15 minutes to compliment any meat or seafood entree. Sauteed in one skillet with garlic, olive oil, kalamata olives, and capers, mom’s sauteed escarole becomes a delicious and seasonal dish that goes with practically anything!
What is Escarole?
Escarole is a chicory family member, and it’s usually sold in bunches that look like a head of lettuce, but with wide, wavy-edged leaves. The outer leaves tend to be darker in color and more bitter, while the inner leaves are more tender and sweeter in flavor.
Escarole, as we know it is widely used in soups and salads but when you simply saute it with a few extra ingredients as our mom prepared it, this vegetable becomes very flavorful and most delicious!
This healthy green vegetable is not only rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, but it’s relatively cheap and easy to prepare.
Like Swiss chard, escarole cook’s up quickly and in a matter of minutes until it wilts and becomes tender.
Not only does it cooks quickly, but it also reheats well too.
How To Clean Escarole?
- Escarole is a vegetable that needs rinsing. It is usually very sandy and gritty and needs to be rinsed a few times before it’s ready to use.
- Then let it drain in a colander.
Here’s a great tip!
When I submerge chopped escarole in a bowl of water, I sprinkle some salt over it, which helps pull down all the gritty sand to the bottom of the bowl and helps speed up the washing process.
How to Prepare Escarole?
The only prep work for escarole is to clean it thoroughly and then coarsely chop it.
Cooking Tips for Mom’s Sauteed Escarole…
- Keep in mind, escarole usually wilts to practically nothing, so don’t be afraid to add mounds of it into the pan while cooking.
- All it takes is a quick saute with olive oil and some garlic.
- While it’s cooking, toss in some kalamata olives and capers into the pan and continue to cook for a few minutes more until the escarole is tender.
- Then taste and season with salt and pepper and it’s done!
- Also, with mom’s sauteed escarole, it’s a matter of preference, you can add as much or as little olives and capers to her recipe.
This recipe for mom’s sauteed escarole is straightforward and fast.
Delicious and tasty, our Mom’s Sauteed Escarole makes enough for a family of 4 or larger.
One head of escarole is enough for 2 people.
When looking for escarole at the supermarket, it’s a large leafy green vegetable, usually the size of big romaine lettuce. If you don’t see it in the produce section, ask someone.
Sauteed Escarole goes great with fried foods as a side dish, and it even pairs well with some of these main dishes:
- Veal Piccata with Lemon & Capers
- Chicken Rollatini with Ham, Cheese & Spinach
- Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms and Parsley
- Parmesan Crusted Turkey Cutlets
- Perfect Veal Cutlet Milanese
- Chicken Cutlets with Garlicky Asparagus
You can be adventurous and try serving it on flatbread, or serve it as an appetizer on crusty Italian bread like a bruschetta.
If you haven’t had sauteed escarole, you’ll have to try it!
ENJOY!!
…Thanks for Pinning!
Finally, More Tasty VEGETABLE SIDE Dishes!!
- Sauteed Spinach with Tomatoes
- Easy Sauteed Broccolini
- Sauteed Green Beans with Onions
- Sauteed Spinach with Garlic-Ginger & Peppers
- Broccoli Rabe Steamed and Sauteed
- Sauteed Spinach with Garlic and Olive Oil
Yield: 5 to 7 servings
Mom's Best Sauteed Escarole
Mom's Best Sauteed Escarole is deliciously tender and flavored with garlic, olive oil, kalamata olives, and capers. It is a perfect side dish to compliment any meat or fish entree.
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Total Time
20 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 heads of escarole, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil, and extra
- 4 to 6 large garlic cloves
- salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- 1 to 2 Tbsp. kalamata olives (pitted)
- 1 Tbsp. capers
Instructions
- Rinse and wash escarole a few times until the water comes out clean. Drain in a colander. Place it nearby the stove where you will be sauteing it.
- In a large deep skillet, heat olive oil and add in the garlic. Allow the garlic to only fragrant the olive, about 30 seconds, no need to brown the garlic.
- Add in escarole (work with adding in few batches at a time), using kitchen tongs or two spoons to turn it as it sautes in the pan.
- Each time the escarole wilts toss in a few olives and capers, salt, and fresh cracked pepper on top. If you need to add additional olive oil, drizzle a small amount over the escarole.
- Allow the escarole to saute for another 2 to 4 minutes, until its tender. Transfer to a serving platter nearby. Cover the platter with foil wrap to keep escarole warm, until all the escarole has been sauteed and transferred to the platter.
- Serve warm.
Think I’ll have this with pasta, maybe add a little white wine or chicken broth if it’s too dry, and voila!, no longer a side dish
Ooo that sounds SO good! I’m with you, pasta always tastes good with all veggies sauteed with wine or broth! Thanks for the idea Jim!
I forget about escarole! What a healthy side dish for almost anything!
Thanks so much Sue!
So happy to hear that Sandra! And we agree with you that sometimes it’s a little tough in its raw state. Please let us know when you finally try our recipe! Have a great day!
I love all vegetable recipes and this one is new to me. I think it’s considered a salad over here and I never buy it because it’s a little tough in its raw state. I will definitely be trying this cooked version!