Extra healthy roast chicken with brown rice and boiled vegetables Recipe

This authentic Horta recipe brings the heart of Greek cuisine straight to your table in just 1 hour.

A nutritious medley of wild leafy greens, gently boiled to tender perfection, captures the essence of Mediterranean simplicity.

As a beloved vegetarian dish that’s been gracing Greek tables for generations, these boiled greens offer a clean, wholesome taste that pairs beautifully with a drizzle of olive oil.

Whether served as a light main course or a healthy side dish, this traditional Greek salad delivers pure, uncomplicated flavors.

Ingredients for Greek Horta

• Wild Greens (1.5kg): Choose from dandelion, amaranth, swiss chard, or sorrel greens – wash thoroughly
• Aromatics: Red onion (finely chopped), leek (striped), fresh dill (finely chopped)
• Seasonings: Sea salt, extra virgin olive oil

For the Creamy Feta Sauce

• Dairy: Feta cheese (300g), milk (80ml), milk cream (80ml)
• Seasonings: Thyme, sweet paprika, salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Prep the Greens: Give the leafy greens a thorough wash and drain well to remove any grit
2. Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan, cook onions and leeks until softened (3-4 minutes)
3. Cook the Greens: Add greens, stir until wilted. Add water, cover, and simmer for 35 minutes
4. Prepare Sauce Base: Crumble feta cheese into your blender
5. Heat Dairy: Warm milk and cream together until just before boiling, let rest for 1 minute
6. Blend Sauce: Combine warm dairy mixture with feta and seasonings, blend until smooth
7. Serve: Plate horta at room temperature, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, top with feta sauce

Cooking Techniques

This traditional Greek dish is all about gentle cooking to bring out the best flavors of wild greens.

The key is patient, slow simmering – this lets the greens become tender while keeping their natural goodness. Start by giving your greens a really good wash (they can be quite sandy!).

When you’re cooking the onions and leeks, keep the heat medium-low – you want them soft and sweet, not browned.

The feta sauce needs a gentle touch too – warming the milk slowly helps it blend smoothly with the cheese.

Variations & Substitutions

Can’t find wild greens? No problem! This recipe works beautifully with common grocery store alternatives.

Mix and match any of these: kale, spinach, collard greens, or mustard greens. Each brings its own character to the dish.

For the feta sauce, you can use Greek yogurt instead of milk cream for a tangier twist. If you’re watching salt, use a mix of mild feta and ricotta. The herbs are flexible too – try fresh oregano or mint in place of dill.

Serving Suggestions

Horta shines as part of a Greek mezze spread! Serve it alongside warm pita bread for scooping up that creamy feta sauce.

It’s perfect next to grilled fish or as a light main dish with crusty bread. Add a sprinkle of lemon zest and fresh black pepper just before serving.

While it’s traditionally served at room temperature, you can enjoy it slightly warm too. A glass of crisp white wine makes this simple dish feel extra special!

Storage Tips

Keep your cooked horta and feta sauce separate in airtight containers in the fridge. The greens will stay fresh for up to 3 days, while the sauce keeps for about 2 days.

When you’re ready to eat, let both come to room temperature for the best flavor. If the feta sauce thickens up in the fridge, just stir in a tiny splash of warm milk.

Give everything a fresh drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.

Horta (Boiled Greek Wild Leafy Greens)

Bushra

A traditional Greek dish of boiled wild greens served with a creamy feta sauce

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Salad

Cuisine Greek

Servings 4 portions

Equipment

• Large saucepan
• Blender

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the wild Greens

• 1.5 kg wild greens dandelion greens, amaranth greens, swiss chard, sorrel greens or any other long stemmed robust leaf
• 1 whole red onion finely chopped
• 1 whole leek cut into stripes
• 1/2 bunch fresh dill finely chopped
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the feta sauce

• 80 ml milk
• 80 ml milk cream
• 300 g feta cheese
• 1/2 tbsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika

Instructions

 

• Wash the wild leafy greens thoroughly and drain.
• Into a large saucepan pour the olive oil, add the onions and leeks and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until wilted.
• Add the wild greens and mix with a wooden spoon. As soon as they become wilted, lower the heat and add 1/2 cup of water.
• With the lid on, simmer for 35 minutes, until the wild greens are boiled.
• In the meantime, prepare the feta sauce. Into a blender add the feta cheese (crushed).
• In a small pot, warm the milk and the milk cream at low heat. Right before it comes to the boil, remove from the stove and let it cool for 1 minute.
• Pour the milk in the blender, along with the herbs and spices and blend, until the sauce becomes smooth.
• Serve the horta at room temperature and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Top with the feta sauce and some grated tomato, if you wish.

Keyword boiled wild greens, Greek greens, healthy vegetable side dish, Mediterranean vegetables, traditional Greek horta

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