Sauteed mixed greens with bacon and balsamic vinegar bring a burst of flavor to your table! With crispy bacon, tender greens, and a hint of red pepper, this quick side dish transforms kale, collards, and chard into something seriously tasty.

My favorite produce market has a bulk-bin of mixed braising greens that I used to make this side dish. The mix includes purple and green kale, mustard, collard, Swiss Chard and spinach. The mix is already washed and cut which really adds to the simplicity of putting this dish together.

The crisp smokey bacon pairs perfectly with these greens and I love the flavor and crunchy texture it adds to the dish. The red pepper flakes put a little zing in there while the sweetness of the balsamic vinegar balances off any bitterness.

This is a quick and easy side dish for an everyday dinner as well as a special event.

Other side dishes you may like: Herbed Zucchini Squash, Artichoke-Ricotta Gratin, Roasted Asparagus

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Wilted Greens with Bacon

This is a gluten-free and low carb side dish that everyone will love. A mixture of fresh greens with bacon, garlic and a hint of balsamic vinegar.

4.84 from 12 votes

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

Servings: servings

Calories: 55kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

4 strips of lean bacon cut into small pieces
1 clove garlic minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
10 ounces of mixed greens rinsed and well drained
⅓ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Add the bacon to a large skillet set over medium-high heat and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from from the skillet and drain on a paper-towel lined plate.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon bits for a garnishment. Pour off all the bacon dripping except for 2 tablespoons. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook 1 minute while stirring.
Add the greens and toss to coat with the bacon drippings. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the greens have just wilted down slightly but remain bright colored. Add the cooked bacon bits, drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the top of the greens and toss to combine.
Transfer the greens to a serving dish and sprinkle the reserved bacon bits on the top