10 Types of Greens and Their Uses

Spinach, kale and beyond.
This image may contain Plant Kale Food Cabbage and Vegetable

In addition to the usual suspects like kale and spinach, there are many types of greens that are packed with vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, fiber, and folic acid. From delicately flavored salad greens to hardier greens, these vegetables boast high nutritional value and flavors ranging from bitter to spicy.

And yet, in spite of all their differences in texture and taste, greens are often interchangeable. Most recipes call for some cooking to reduce bitterness, as well as to soften the leaves and stems to make them edible and more palatable. Wilted, blanched, sautéed, braised, or even puréed, greens add great balance and depth to any dish and pair especially well with garlic, lemon, and olive oil. Here, we'll explore ten types of greens and how to cook with them.

1. Kohlrabi Greens

Photo by Charles Masters, food styling by Suzanne Lenzer

Alternate name: Cabbage turnip

Characteristics: German for "cabbage turnip," kohlrabi—reminiscent in shape of a hot-air balloon— is usually found in the marketplace with the stem and leaves still attached to the bulb. The bulb can be eaten raw or cooked, but the leaves do need to be cooked before serving. The easiest method to prepare the leaves is to separate and discard the ribs and then sauté the leaves in olive oil with garlic. The bulb has been incorporated into cuisines around the world, from India to Germany, but it is primarily in the southern part of the United States that the leaves are consumed, usually prepared in a manner similar to collard greens.

2. Bok Choy

Photo and food styling by Rhoda Boone

Alternate names: Chinese white cabbage, pak choy, pak choi, white mustard cabbage

Characteristics: Chinese cuisine has made this cabbage-like vegetable popular. Bok choy has a tender and mild flavor, especially the immature baby bok choy, shown on the left. Part of baby bok choy's appeal is that you can cook the small vegetable whole, without breaking its leaves apart, thus adding a beautiful visual element to a dish. When cooking larger, more mature bok choy, cut the leaves from the stem and cook the stems first, since they will require a slightly longer cooking time.

3. Spinach

Photo by Christina Holmes

Characteristics: Though originally from Persia, this is one of the most common greens around. It can be eaten both raw and cooked. Baby spinach, in particular, is ideal in salads because it is so delicate and has a milder, less bitter taste than other greens. If you plan to cook spinach, purchase more than you think you'll need, since cooking reduces its volume drastically. Unlike the other cooking greens in this guide, spinach is good for mixing with other foods—its flavor isn't overpowering, and its delicate nature requires little preparation and a shorter cooking time, making it ideal for use in phyllo pastries like spanakopita and omelets.

4. Broccoli Raab

Spicy Broccoli Rabe with Parmesan and Pine NutsDavid Cicconifood styling by Rhoda Boone

Alternate names: Broccoli rabe, rapini, cima di rabe, turnip broccoli, Italian turnip, brocoletti di rape, choy sum

Characteristics: Don't let the name mislead you: This veggie is not a member of the broccoli family, but is in fact related to the turnip. Often used in Italian and Chinese cooking, this leafy green vegetable with small florets is increasingly popular in the U.S. Use broccoli raab in a dish when you want to add a dash of natural bitterness.

5. Chard

Photo by Peden & Munk

Alternate names: Swiss chard, Silverbeet, Mangold spinach beet, leaf beet, sea kale, white beet, rainbow chard, white chard, red chard

Characteristics: This vegetable makes a bold statement with its large, thick, dark leaves and colored veins and stalks. The leaves taste somewhat like a more intense spinach, although the texture of chard leaves is nowhere near as smooth—or as soft. Don't discard the stalks: they have a mellow flavor. The stems and the greens are best prepared separately to prevent the leaves from getting overcooked.

6. Collards

Collard greens (left) play nicely with butternut squash (right).

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell

Alternate names: Collard greens, borekale, tree cabbage, or nonheading cabbage

Characteristics: A member of the cabbage family and closely related to kale, collard greens are often associated with Southern cooking in the United States. Typically they are cooked along with ham, pork, and various vegetables, as well as with other greens, such as kale. Collards have Mediterranean origins and pop up in plenty of cuisines, as in this caldo verde.

7. American Mustard Green

Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

Alternate names: Curled mustard, American mustard

Characteristics: The frilled, curly edges of this chartreuse green help make it stand out in a crowd. The seeds are used to make the condiment mustard. In the United States, mustard greens are an integral part of Southern cuisine, usually cooked or mixed with other cooking greens, like kale and collards. There are a number of Asian varieties, such as dai gai choy, bamboo mustard, and green-leafed mustard, all of which look nothing like the American version but still contribute a peppery bite to any dish.

8. Beet Greens

Photo by Shutterstock

Characteristics: If you happen to purchase beets with the stems and leaves still intact, don't discard the leafy tops. The leaves' minerally taste will complement the root's sweetness. If they are young, as shown above, beet greens can be eaten raw; otherwise, cook them as you would any other dark leafy green.

9. Kale

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson

Alternate names: Borecole, cow cabbage, kail, curly kale, Tuscan kale, black kale, dinosaur, lacinato, cavolo nero

Characteristics: Kale, another form of cabbage, has leaves that look like they're a mix between collard and mustard greens. As with many other dark leafy greens, kale tastes slightly bitter when eaten raw, but unlike some of its relatives, cooked kale won't lose its general shape or texture, nor will its volume reduce dramatically. For whatever reason, many cuisines pair kale with potatoes, as in this colcannon recipe from Ireland.

10. Sorrel

Photo by Shutterstock

Alternate names: Common sorrel, garden sorrel, broad-leaved sorrel, spinach dock, roselle, sour grass, sour dock

Characteristics: Sorrel's delicate leaves impart a tart, acidic taste when eaten raw. The pleasingly sour flavor cuts the richness of creams and fats, and complements meats and fish, as in this pecan-crusted salmon with sorrel sauce. Sorrel is one of the more difficult greens to find in a grocery store in the United States, but it does pop up in farmers' markets and specialty shops during the early summer months. It can be easy to confuse sorrel with more mature spinach or even arugula; look for a sword-like elongated and tapered shape.