I might be from California, but I love Southern food and this Southern Collard Greens recipe is so tasty! Made with just 10 simple ingredients and built for long-term freezer storage, these easy Southern collards with bacon are the perfect side dish for any meal!
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of ordering a Southern meat-n’-three, chances are, sautéed collard greens made it to the plate. While there are tons of delectable side dishes that hail from the American South, such as my cornbread dressing recipe, easy hashbrown casserole, and my sweet potato casserole recipe, these bacon collard greens are undoubtedly one of my favorites.
Hearty collard greens are stewed down to a fork-tender consistency amidst a supporting cast of aromatic alliums, spicy chili flakes, and salty pork, then finished with a drizzle of vinegar for tang. If salads aren’t your jam, these bold and zippy collard greens and bacon should definitely be on your vegetable radar. Serve them up on New Year’s Day as a symbol of good luck, alongside black-eyed peas and cornbread.
This collards recipe also yields a delicious broth known as pot likker (a.k.a. pot liquor), a flavorful, nutrient-dense byproduct of braising greens that’s perfect for sopping up with your cornbread or transforming into a delicious soup or stew. This is the genius of southern cooking I love!
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Fresh Collard Greens — these giant leafy greens are part of the same family as kale and cabbage. Like other greens that boast a thick, tough stem, you’ll want to remove the leaves for the best results. If you want to stick to a no-waste kitchen plan, be sure to chop the stems finely before adding them to the pot.
Olive Oil — no need to grab your fancy finishing oil. Just your normal cooking oil is perfect here.
Bacon — salty, fatty, and deliciously flavorful, bacon is a staple ingredient in any Southern-style collard greens recipe. Feel free to swap in similar alternatives (e.g. pancetta) if needed. You could also use ham hocks or smoked turkey wings. If you prefer making a vegan collard greens recipe, omit the bacon or add vegan bacon bits at the end for added smoky flavor.
Onion — red, white, or yellow onions will all work here. You can also swap in mild shallots in a pinch.
Garlic — the thing to remember about garlic is the finer you chop it, the more garlic flavor will permeate your dish. To get maximum deliciousness, mince or press your cloves. In a pinch, jarred minced garlic or frozen garlic paste will also work.
Sugar — adding a touch of sugar helps to balance out all the other flavors. Feel free to use brown sugar, less refined sugars (e.g. coconut or maple sugar), agave nectar, or the sweetener of your choosing. Just note that different types of sweeteners have varying levels of intensity, so you may need to adjust how much you add depending on which variety you choose.
Salt & Black Pepper — simple seasoning is all you need when you have so much flavor to work with. I suggest using fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper for the best flavor.
Red Pepper Flakes — for a touch of heat. Feel free to dial the flavor thermometer up or down by adding more or less to taste.
Apple Cider Vinegar — this is the key ingredient for creating that agrodolce (sweet-n-sour) contrast that I find so enticing! In a pinch, you can use white wine vinegar or rice vinegar instead.
How To Make Collard Greens
1. To strip the collard leaves from the stem, start by holding the stem at the base of the leaves with one hand, and pull the stem away with the other hand ripping the leaves from the stem. Or, you can fold the leaves in half so that the stem is on one side, and cut it off with a knife.
2. To cut the destemmed leaves, stack a few leaves on top of each other. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces.
3. Submerge the greens in a large bowl of cool water for 5 minutes.
4. Drain in a colander and rinse again under running water.
5. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy, about 7 minutes. Add the onion to the pot, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for an additional minute.
6. In batches, add the collard greens to the pot, stirring and cooking until each batch starts to wilt before adding more. (It might seem like they won’t all fit, but you’ll see how much they cook down!)
7. Add 4 cups of water, the sugar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the greens are desired tenderness, about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Stir in the vinegar before serving. These can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- The longer the greens simmer, the softer they will get. If you like more bite to your greens, lean on the shorter end of the cooking time.
- These freeze wonderfully! Definitely make enough to store. Thaw in the microwave, stove-top, or by placing in the fridge for 24 hours.
- To make this a vegan or vegetarian collard greens recipe, leave out the bacon and substitute the water for vegetable broth for added flavor. You may need less than 1 teaspoon of salt, so keep that in mind when seasoning the greens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mustard greens, collard greens, and turnip greens are all leafy, green veggies, but they do have some distinct differences. Mustard greens have a peppery and slightly bitter taste (like mustard!), giving your dishes a zesty kick. Collard greens, on the other hand, have a milder flavor and hold up to heat well. They’re great for sautéing or braising, as we do in this recipe for Southern collard greens. Turnip greens come from the same plant as turnip roots, sort of like beet greens or carrot tops. They have an earthy flavor that is closer to collards than mustard greens and get soft quickly.
Collard greens have a yummy, mild flavor that’s kind of like a cross between cabbage and kale. When prepared in this easy collard greens recipe, they take on the flavor well- like the smoky, salty flavor of bacon, the heat of red pepper flakes, and the acidity of apple cider vinegar, so they’re downright crave-worthy.
Definitely! Raw collard greens have a sturdy texture, similar to kale, so they work well in salads or as a crunchy addition to wraps. If you find their flavor a bit too strong when raw, you can also try massaging them with a little olive oil or lemon juice to soften and mellow the taste.
Cooking collard greens is all about your personal preference. If you like your braised veggies to have a bit of a bite, I suggest stopping the braise around 30 minutes. If you prefer a softer stewed vegetable consistency, let them go for the full hour.
The best collard greens recipe is one that relies on the flavor trifecta of smoky meat (e.g. bacon or ham hocks), heat (from red pepper flakes), and tanginess (from vinegar). Although, a splash of hot sauce to finish them off is a good call too!
Once cooked, these bacon-studded collard greens are perfect for freezing. Let them cool to room temp, then transfer to a clean, dated, airtight container or zip-top bag and remove as much air as possible. They should keep well for 3-6 months. To use, defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in a sauté pan or in the microwave. Enjoy!
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Collard Greens
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 bunches fresh collard greens (2 1/2 pounds/1125g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- To strip the collard leaves from the stem, start by holding the stem at the base of the leaves with one hand, and pull the stem away with the other hand ripping the leaves from the stem. Or, you can fold the leaves in half so that the stem is on one side, and cut it off with a knife. To cut the destemmed leaves, stack a few leaves on top of each other. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Submerge the greens in a large bowl of water for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse again under running water.
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon, and cook stirring occasionally until crispy, about 7 minutes. Add the onion to the pot, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook an additional minute.
- In batches, add the collard greens to the pot, stirring and cooking until each batch starts to wilt before adding more. (It might seem like they won’t all fit, but you’ll see how much they cook down!) Add 4 cups of water, the sugar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the greens are desired tenderness, about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Stir in the vinegar before serving. Collard greens can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
Notes
- The longer the greens simmer, the softer they will get. If you like more bite to your greens, lean on the shorter end of the cooking time.
- Collard greens freeze wonderfully! Definitely make enough to store. Thaw in the microwave, stove-top, or by placing in the fridge for 24 hours.
- To make this a vegan or vegetarian collard greens recipe, leave out the bacon and substitute the water for vegetable broth for added flavor. You may need less than 1 teaspoon of salt, so keep that in mind when seasoning the greens.
Leave a Reply