Spiced Cranberry Cavolo Nero
This one is a bit of a secret weapon for us around the festive season. Cavolo nero is already one of our favourite greens, but when you pair it with warm spices and sharp cranberry, something really special happens. It's got this brilliant balance of earthy, sweet, and a little bit tangy that makes it feel way more exciting than your average side dish. We've served this alongside Christmas dinners, Sunday roasts, and big cosy feasts and it always gets people asking what's in it. Honestly, give this one a go tonight, it takes 15 minutes and it will absolutely upgrade whatever you're cooking.
Before You Start
- Large pan for boiling
- Tongs
- Frying pan
- Kitchen roll
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp cranberry sauce
- 1 large bunch of Cavolo Nero
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tsp salt
Method
First, prepare the cavolo nero
- Put a large pan, filled with water on the stove, add 2 tsp salt and bring it to the boil
- As the water is coming to the boil, wash the cavolo nero under the cold tap and then remove the stems (you could do this with a knife or rip the stems out of the leaves)
Then, cook the cavolo nero
- Put the cavolo nero in the boiling water and cook it for 2-3 minutes (the leaves should be tender but still have some bite)
- Remove the leaves from the water with tongs and lay them out on kitchen roll
- Lightly pat the leaves to absorb any excess water
Next, make the sauce
- Whilst the cavolo nero are drying, finely slice the garlic.
- Put a frying pan on the stove, add the olive oil and let it warm up
- Add the sliced garlic and the chilli flakes to the pan and cook until the garlic is beginning to turn translucent
- Add the Cranberry Sauce to the pan and stir it into the oil so it breaks down
Combine and serve!
- Turn the heat of the pan down, add the cavolo nero and gently fold it into the warm, flavoured oil making sure it's well covered in flavour and warm enough to serve.
Tips & Variations
- Get ahead of yourself: You can blanch the cavolo nero a few hours in advance and keep it in the fridge, then just do the final pan step when you're ready to serve. Huge help when you've got a big roast on the go.
- Swap the greens: If you can't find cavolo nero, kale works really well here. Just keep an eye on the cooking time as it can go a little softer a bit quicker.
- Turn up the heat: If you like a bit of a kick, add a pinch of dried chilli flakes when you're frying the spices. It adds a really nice warmth that works brilliantly with the cranberry.
Why This Works
The trick here is blanching the cavolo nero first so it stays tender but still has a bit of bite, then finishing it in the pan with the spices so it picks up all that warmth and flavour rather than just being boiled and bland. The cranberry cuts through the richness beautifully and gives it this gorgeous jewelled look that feels really special. Trust us, it's those two steps together that make this sing.