Callaloo – A vibrant, healthy, and fresh way of cooking leafy green vegetables that bring the taste of the islands straight to your dining room table. Smokey bacon and spicy peppers make it a family-favorite side. It’s quick, easy, and delicious!
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.
What Makes Callaloo Different from Other Greens?
Technically, callaloo is either amaranth or taro leaves. However, there are other green leafy plants called callaloo, depending on where you are in the Caribbean. So that’s one difference, and they definitely have that classic “greens” taste you find in kale, spinach, or collard greens. But what makes callaloo stand out is the preparation. Think delicious Southern greens prepared in a way that gives them a rich Caribbean flavor. Mmm!
Recipe Ingredients
- Callaloo – Look for it at your local Caribbean or Indian market or substitute kale, collard greens, or even spinach. If you can’t find it fresh, you can use canned, though the texture may be different.
- Bacon – Because greens always are happiest with some fatty meat for flavor and richness. Of course, you could substitute the bacon with another protein like salted cod, ham hocks, or smoked turkey.
- Spices – Smoked paprika, along with fresh garlic and thyme, set the stage for deliciousness.
- Vegetables – Onion, a scotch bonnet pepper, and tomatoes add a fresh flavor and spiciness.
- Plantains – A must-have high-carb side for callaloo.
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
- This recipe can effortlessly become vegan. Simply omit the bacon, though sauteed mushrooms are a great addition. Easy peasy! 😉
- If spicy foods aren’t your friend, leave out the scotch bonnet pepper. You can replace it with a sweet bell or banana pepper.
- You can prepare the plantains however you like. You can deep fry them for extra deliciousness or bake them if you want to go healthy.
- Salt cod is excellent with this recipe. Soak it a couple of times, then break it up and add it to the chopped callaloo.
Tips and Tricks
- Crisp, fresh greens taste the best. Avoid wilted leaves, brown or yellow edges, blemishes, and slime. They should smell sweet, not sour.
- Callaloo can be hard to find, but it is super easy to grow. Even if you just have a patio or room with lots of sunlight, all you need is a pot, dirt, sunlight, and seeds.
- Here’s how to make peeling the plantains easy: Start by cutting both ends off the plantain. Next, slit a shallow line down the plantain’s long seam and peel by gently pulling the skin back.
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! 👌
FAQs
Yes! Callaloo is called the Caribbean superfood and, according to studies, it has all the health benefits you can expect from a leafy green vegetable: plenty of vitamins A and C, iron, and loads of other nutrients. 💪
No way! I’m not a doctor, but you can read registered dietitian Marsha Woolery’s comments on this incredible edible veggie. She recommends limiting salt and bacon, but not callaloo.
You can, and it’s an excellent addition to green smoothies. The young leaves go great in salad, too. That said, it’s like eating raw spinach – most people prefer it cooked.
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
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
This blog post was originally published in August 2014 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Callaloo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1.5-pound bunch (680g) callaloo (or kale or collards)
- 2 thick strips bacon, cut in pieces
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 fresh tomato
- 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3-4 ripe plantains
- cooking spray (or very little cooking oil)
Instructions
- Cut leaves and soft stems from the callaloo branches, then soak in a bowl of cold water for about 5-10 minutes or until finished with prep.
- Proceed to slice the onions, mince the garlic, and dice the tomatoes. Set aside.
- Remove callaloo from the water and cut it into chunks.
- Place bacon in a saucepan and cook until crispy. Then add onions, garlic, and thyme, and stir for a minute or more.
- Add tomatoes, scotch bonnet pepper, and smoked paprika. Sauté for 2-3 more minutes.
- Finally, add the greens and salt, mix well, and steam for about 6-8 minutes or until leaves are tender. Add a bit of water as needed, adjust seasonings, and turn off the heat.
- Using a sharp knife, cut both ends off the plantains. That will make it easier to grab the skin of the plantains. Then slit a shallow line down the long seam of the plantain, but peel only as deep as the peel. Remove plantain peel by pulling it back.
- Slice the plantain into medium size lengthwise slices and set aside.
- Coat a large frying pan with cooking oil spray or drizzle a bit of cooking oil. Spray the tops of the plantains with a generous layer of oil spray and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Let the plantains fry on medium heat, shaking the frying pan to redistribute them every few minutes.
- 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.
- Remove and serve with callaloo.
Tips & Notes:
- Crisp, fresh greens taste the best. Avoid wilted leaves, brown or yellow edges, blemishes, and slime. They should smell sweet, not sour.
- Callaloo can be hard to find, but it is super easy to grow. Even if you just have a patio or room with lots of sunlight, all you need is a pot, dirt, sunlight, and seeds.
- Here’s how to make peeling the plantains easy: Start by cutting both ends off the plantain. Next, slit a shallow line down the plantain’s long seam and peel by gently pulling the skin back.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
t says
Good yummy greens, can do it with escarole too, delicious.
Imma says
Amazing!!!!! That looks absolutely delicious!! Glad you loved it. Looking forward to you trying more of my recipes.
Toya pryce says
Not bacon not everyone can do bacon but you can try it with the smoked Turkey. I make this as a side dish for Thanksgiving
ImmaculateBites says
Yes, you could leave out the bacon and use any protein of your choice.
Tamarque says
Callaloo grows ‘wild’ around here in NYS. I forage it early in the growing season and make a dish very much like your recipe but without the bacon or plantain. it is delicious and nutritious. I have even shown people how to pick/use it at the CSA where I am a member.
Love vegetarian and low carb foods and this one is terrific..
Imma says
Thank you so much. I love fresh veggies too and have more vegetable recipes in my daily routine. Stay tuned to have more amazing recipes:)
Barbara says
Thanks for the recipe! I am Cuban and worked in Jamaica as a teacher. I never saw this plant here until yesterday! I just picked it and ran into internet for the recipe as I had almost forgotten how to cook it. Thanks, I found this site. Appreciated!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Glad it was of help.
Monica Colvin says
I found some at our co-op and hear that you can find it at Asian stores. It’s also amaranth.
Caroline says
This was delicious! I used some frozen kale and habanero hot sauce in place of the scotch bonnet. I will definitely make this again.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thanks!
Rossann Baker says
Stuart where do you find your canned Callaloo.
What does one look for when they purchase fresh callaloo.
I love it and can never find it.
Imma Adamu says
Hi Rossann, just wanted to help out a little. Especially with the quarantine, Amazon has become my new best friend, they have canned and fresh callaloo. It might be worth a shot to try them out. Let me know what happens
MallyBoo says
I have made this with canned callaloo and it was AMAZING! I’ve never had fresh callaloo before, so if you have maybe Imma is right about textures but MY GOD it tasted so good I’m making it for the hundredth time tonight!
Mel says
I found your site recently and have greatly enjoyed your recipes. They are clearly written and have given me a starting point for making these dishes when I’m craving Caribbean food and can’t make it home lol. My family is from Trinidad and Tobago. Callaloo is a fragrant soup often made with crab and served with rice.
ImmaculateBites says
So happy I could be of help. Thanks for taking time out to share your thoughts.
Cordelia says
Your recipe is quick and easy. I use it and increase the amounts as I prepare it for a large party of 50+people. I’ve been using it for about 3 years and its always a hit. Thank you for having this trusted site.
imma africanbites says
Woow! Amazing! Thank you for letting me know and for the continued support. =)
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Stuart ,The texture would be off . It’s best to use fresh for this recipe.
Linda Wilson says
Well I’m on my way to the market to try this delicious looking recipe! I can’t wait i”ll let you know how it came out and by the way your plantains looks delicious. Thank you for sharing!
Patricia says
Delicious!! My husband, who’s Jamaican, loved it too! Callaloo is not available in our small town in Ontario but we recently went to a big city where they had nice, fresh bunches. Yay! Thanks for this excellent recipe.
imma africanbites says
Wohooo! Glad it turned out great for you, Patricia.
Lala says
Thanks so much for the recipe- I made this last week. I used cod fish after I soaked it a few times and spinach instead of the bacon and Callaloo. My family loved it. So good, I wish I made more. I’m making it again tonight and tripling the ingredients and will use kale instead of spinach. This might be the 4th recipe I’ve used from you. Love them!
imma africanbites says
Thank you for all the kind words, Lala! I love your own touch to this recipe. Keep it up!