Are you looking for a tasty way to incorporate more healthy greens into your diet? Then this flavorful callaloo recipe is just what the doctor ordered. Plus, you don’t need fancy ingredients to make your healthy greens taste amazing. If you’ve never heard of callaloo (also called calaloo or kallaloo), you don’t know what you’re missing. This green leafy vegetable is popular in the Caribbean (especially Jamaica) and other regions. In the U.S., you can usually find these hearty greens at Caribbean and Asian markets.
Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Callaloo
Callaloo
Prep Callaloo – Cut leaves and soft stems from the callaloo branches, then soak in a bowl of cold water for 5-10 minutes or until you finish the prep work. (Photos 1-2)Prep Seasonings – Next, slice the onions, mince the garlic, and dice the tomatoes. Set them aside.Chop Callaloo – Remove the callaloo from the water and cut it into chunks. (Photo 3)Fry Bacon and Seasonings – Place bacon in a saucepan and cook until crispy. Then add the onions, garlic, and fresh thyme, and stir for about a minute. (Photos 4-6)Add Spice – Add the tomatoes, scotch bonnet pepper, and smoked paprika. Sauté for 2-3 more minutes. (Photos 7-8)Steam Callaloo – Finally, add the vegetables and salt, mix well, and steam for 6-8 minutes or until the leaves are tender. Add a tiny bit of water as needed. Adjust seasonings and turn off the heat. (Photo 9)
Plantains
Peel – Peel the plantains with a sharp knife.Slice them lengthwise into medium-sized slices and set them aside.Coat a large frying pan with cooking oil spray. Spray the tops of the plantains with a generous layer of oil spray and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.Fry – Let the plantains fry on medium heat, shaking the pan to redistribute them every few minutes. (Photo 10)Brown – As the plantains brown, continue to add more cooking oil spray, salt, and pepper (if needed) until they have reached the desired color and texture.Serve – Remove and serve with callaloo.
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can make callaloo the day before you plan to eat it with no problem at all. As for the sides, fried plantains taste much better fresh, so try to do those just before serving. Follow the recipe instructions for the greens, and then store the callaloo in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat it stovetop on medium heat until warmed through, and serve!
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve this deliciousness piping hot off the stove along with the fried or baked plantains for optimal yumminess. Then store leftover callaloo in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container. I prefer reheating callaloo on the stove on medium heat until it’s warmed through, but you can also use the microwave. If you need to reheat the plantains, I recommend popping them in your convection or regular oven for a few minutes at 350℉/177℃. That helps keep them crispy and delicious! 👌
What to Serve with Callaloo
Traditionally, you serve callaloo with boiled dumplings and fried plantains, but I find it goes with many dishes. I like it with a Cajun whole roast chicken and a bowl of steaming white rice. Jamaican rice and peas are a perfect main dish if you want to go almost meatless. You can also serve it with anything that goes well with collard greens, such as skillet cornbread and fried chicken. And don’t forget the sweet iced tea. 😉
More Tasty Jamaican Recipes to Try
Fried DumplingsOxtail StewCurry ShrimpGungo Peas and RiceJamaican Jerk Chicken
Conclusion
So go for it and get your greens on because healthy never tasted so good! Have you ever visited Jamaica and tried callaloo at the source? I’m always happy to hear from you! 🫶
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”7UPOR1bC” upload-date=”2019-11-08T03:52:07.000Z” name=”Callaloo (Jamaican-style)” description=”Callaloo Jamaican Style – A vibrant, healthy and fresh way of cooking leafy vegetables. Quick, easy and delicious!”] This blog post was originally published in August 2014 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
