Utica Greens Recipe

Overhead view of a skillet filled with Utica greens with a scoop being taken out.

5 from 33 votes

If you've ever been to Upstate New York, you know Utica greens. If you haven't, well...you're missing out!

This spicy, hearty dish is a staple of the upstate diet—and it's one of my favorite things to cook (and eat) during the colder months. They make for a great side dish but you can also enjoy them on their own as a light meal.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword sauteed escarole, Utica greens

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 234kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

½ cup plain breadcrumbs
¼ cup Pecorino-Romano cheese freshly grated or Parmesan
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 head escarole
3 cloves garlic minced
1 small onion chopped
¼ cup hot pickled cherry peppers chopped
2 ounces prosciutto or pancetta diced

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix in 1 tablespoon of olive oil; the mixture should resemble wet sand. Set aside.
Wash the escarole well; rinse thoroughly.
Add the whole head of escarole to the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until bright green and tender. Remove and rinse under cool water.
Chop the escarole.
In a medium, broiler-safe pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto, peppers, onion and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the prosciutto is crisp and the onions are softened.
Stir in the chopped greens and half of the bread crumb mixture. Scatter the remaining bread crumbs in an even layer over the top.
Broil the Utica greens under high heat for 3-4 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.

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