A meatless take on a Southern favorite dish. This Meatless Southern Collard Greens recipe is full of flavor and tender and it's the perfect side dish for your holiday dinners.
Collard greens are a Southern staple and have always been a staple in my family for Sunday dinners, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and pretty much anytime we want them. We always cook the collard greens the night before to give the collard green potlikker (or pot liquor) the savory depth it requires. I was taught that low and slow is the best way to develop the flavors in the greens.
Many collard green recipes call for ham hocks or turkey necks for flavoring purposes however I follow a mostly vegetarian/ pescatarian diet and do not eat meat. But don't worry, these collard greens are so good, you won't even miss the meat element of the recipe! This dish is made from scratch and is typically served with cornbread for Sunday dinners, Thanksgiving, and the holiday season. For New Years we like to pair them with black-eyed peas as an old tradition for luck and wealth in the New Year. It's an easy soul food recipe and everyone will love them.
Health Benefits of Collard Greens
Much like mustard greens, turnip greens, kale and spinach, collard greens are just as good for you! This dark leafy green vegetable is full of chlorophyll which contains vitamins and minerals. Collard greens are also an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium. They are rich in vitamin K, and have a good source of iron, vitamin B-6, and magnesium.
Ingredients You'll Need
The ingredients needed for making this southern collard green recipe is easy to find in most grocery stores. Below are the ingredients you'll need
- Collard greens - Fresh collard greens were used. Most times, we purchase the pre-cut collard greens from our local farmers market. You can buy these if you wish. It will cut down on your washing process and save a lot of time. Or you can choose to buy greens that are sold in bundles.
- Olive oil - used to sauté the onion and garlic. You can use your preferred cooking oil.
- Onion and garlic - you'll need one large onion and 3 - 4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced for extra flavoring.
- Vegetable Broth - this recipe uses vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian / vegan friendly however you can also use chicken stock if you prefer.
- Seasonings - this recipe uses salt, ground black pepper, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes for seasoning.
- Cholula chipotle hot sauce - this is optional but I love it in my greens.
How to Clean Collard Greens:
- Clean and prep your kitchen sink before washing your greens.
- Fill up the kitchen sink with cool water.
- Add the collard greens to the water with about 1 - 2 tablespoons vinegar.
- Swish them around so that the sand and dirt can settle to the bottom of the sink.
- Rinse with water and move the washed collards into a big bowl and drain the water from the sink.
- Repeat steps 1-5 about 3 more times or until the water is clear and free from dirt and sand.
How to Make the Meatless Southern Collard Greens
- Add in the onions to the large pot with a little cooking oil and let them sauté until golden brown. Then add in the garlic and stir until fragrant.
- Add the vegetable stock to the large pot and bring to a boil.
- Toss in the cut collard greens to the vegetable broth, cover, and lower the temperature to medium heat and let simmer until nice and tender, anywhere from 1 to 2 hours (or more). If you notice the pot needing more liquid you can add in more vegetable broth (or water) as they cook. Add enough just to cover the tops of the collards.
- Add in the salt, black pepper, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes once the greens are tender. Adjust the seasonings as needed, to taste.
- Serve with Cholula Chipotle Hot Sauce.
What to Serve with Southern Style Collard Greens
During the holidays, we serve them with cornbread dressing, baked mac and cheese and cornbread. They also pair well with potato salad, sweet potato casserole and mashed cauliflower as a mashed potato alternative.
Storage and Reheating
- Storage: allow the greens to cool before storing. You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 - 4 days.
- Reheating: you can move them to the fridge the night before you want to eat them, and let them start defrosting. They are best warmed up slowly in a pot on the stove until they are warmed thoroughly and tender.
- Freezing: you can freeze greens in a freezer friendly air tight container for up to 6 months.
Collard Greens Tips and Tricks:
- You can find collard greens at your local farmers market. If you do not have one easily accessible to you, you can get bunches of collard greens at your local grocery store in the produce section.
- If you are short on time, when buying your collard greens look for greens already chopped up and bagged to save time.
- Collard greens cook down a tremendous amount, so if you're looking to feed a large group, buy at least 2 large bunches for this recipe, which depending on the size of the bunches, will feed 6-8 people, or more.
- As you're washing, get rid of any brown or yellow collard green leaves.
- Because collard greens are a hardy leafed vegetable, cooking a day in advanced is recommended for seasoning purposes.
- Do not add salt to your greens until near the end once they are considered done.
Recipe FAQ
They are leafy vegetables with thick tough stems. They are cruciferous vegetables and are in the same family as turnips, kale and mustard greens.
When collards are raw, they are bitter like kale, but when they are cooked and seasoned the heat makes them tender and brings out their earthy flavor.
Typically, when making the greens for the holidays they can be made a day in advance. You can let the greens stay in the pot in the potlikker overnight with a lid on the pot and reheat them the next day before serving.
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Meatless Southern Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of collard greens (or 1 bag) stems removed, washed, and cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or preferred cooking oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced, or more to taste
- 5 cups vegetable broth or more as needed
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika or to taste
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Cholula chipotle hot sauce for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Add in the onions to the large pot with a little cooking oil and let them sauté until golden brown. Then add in the garlic and stir until fragrant.
- Add the vegetable stock to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Toss in the cut collard greens to the vegetable broth, cover, and lower the temperature to medium heat and let simmer until nice and tender, anywhere from 1 to 2 hours (or more). If you notice the pot needing more liquid you can add in more vegetable broth (or water) as they cook. Add enough just to cover the tops of the collards.
- Add in the salt, black pepper, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes once the greens are tender. Adjust the seasonings as needed, to taste.
- Serve with Cholula Chipotle Hot Sauce.
- The greens will last in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 - 4 days.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Although HalfPastHungry.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on which products you use, the brand that was purchased, or in other unforeseeable ways. HalfPastHungry.com will not be held liable for any reliance on given nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your physician first.
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Hilary Means says
Hello,
Can this be made using an Instapot?
Briana says
Hi Hilary,
I've always cooked my collard greens on the stovetop however using an instapot may work as well.
Demetra says
Love your recipe. How do I leave them overnight?
Briana says
Hi Demetra. If you're storing them overnight for next day use you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge, and then heat them up the next day before serving. Make sure to use a container big enough to store all the juices from the greens as well, that's where all of your seasonings and flavors are.
Patricia Samuels says
I love this recipe!!! No longer will I be putting smoked meat for flavor! However, the only thing I added was the yellow, orange, and red bell peppers which kicks it up a notch!!!
Briana says
Thank you so much! The peppers sound like a great addition to the greens. I'll have to give them a try!