Southern Collard Greens Recipe

We're cooking up a big batch of collard greens in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen tonight, my friends. Are you a fan of collard greens? You will be.

Southern style collard greens are something special - classic soul food that will blow you away with every bite. With Southern Collard Greens, the greens are treated more like a tough cut of meat, simmered low and slow until they are meltingly tender and loaded with flavor.

I was just a kid when I first tried collard greens, and I still remember that first bite - pure revelation. The collards were so tender, with rich, savory juices coating every bite. Now that I live in the South, I’ve been cooking them at home for years, testing different techniques, seasonings, and cooking times until I landed on a method I absolutely love. These are the collard greens I make again and again.

I’ve been developing and sharing spicy Southern-inspired recipes for years, and collard greens are one of the dishes I get the most requests for.

What are Collard Greens?

Collard greens are hearty, dark green leafy vegetables with a mild, slightly bitter flavor. They’re part of the brassica family, right alongside cabbage and kale.

In the American South, collards are a staple, simmered low and slow until they’re silky-tender in a smoky, savory broth. They’re packed with vitamins and minerals, and while you can enjoy them raw, they really shine when cooked - braised, sautéed, or simmered with garlic, onions, bacon, or a good smoked ham hock.

Let's talk about how to make collard greens, shall we?

Ingredients to Make Collard Greens

• Collard Greens. Yes, you need fresh collard greens to make collard greens! You can usually find them in the grocery store produce section. We like to grow them in our garden.
• Bacon. I love smoked bacon for my collard greens.
• Smoked Ham. Extra flavor and meatiness. Ham hocks are wonderful here, too. I love collard greens with ham hocks, or any kind of smoked ham, really.
• Vegetables. Onion, jalapeno peppers (or use bell peppers for milder), garlic. Peppers are not traditional when making southern collards, but I just love them, as you may have already discovered.
• Chicken Stock. Chicken broth is great, or use vegetable stock. You can also use chicken bouillon for convenience.
• Liquids. Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey for a touch of sweet, hot sauce. 
• Seasonings. Red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. You can use others to your preference.

How to Cook Collard Greens

This is how I've been making collard greens for years, and it's so easy. You're going to fall in love with them.

How to Clean and Trim Collard Greens

Collard greens can be quite gritty, so take your time with this step.

1. Rinse the leaves well. Fill a large bowl or clean sink with cool water. Submerge the collard leaves, swish them around to loosen any dirt or sand, then let them sit for a minute so the grit can fall to the bottom. Lift the leaves out (don’t pour the water over them), drain, and repeat with fresh water until there’s no grit left in the bowl.
2. Remove the tough stems. Lay each leaf flat, fold it in half along the stem, and slice the thick stem out with a knife, or simply tear the leafy part away from the stem with your hands. Discard the stems or save them for stock if you like.
3. Slice into ribbons. Stack a few leaves, roll them up into a tight bundle, and slice crosswise into thin ribbons. Add the sliced collards to a large bowl and give them one last quick rinse if needed.

Any grit that makes it into the pot will be noticeable (and not pleasant), so take your time and clean thoroughly.

Cook the Bacon

Heat a large pot to medium heat and add the bacon. Cook for 10 minutes, or until they begin to crisp up.

Cook the Onions, Peppers, Ham and Garlic

Add the onion and peppers to the pan (along with a drizzle of olive oil if needed - you should have plenty of bacon grease to work with).

Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent and the peppers soften and smell sweet.

Stir in the garlic and ham. Cook for about 1 minute more, just until the garlic is fragrant and the ham starts to sizzle and lightly brown around the edges.

Add the Remaining Ingredients

Stir in the chicken stock or chicken broth, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, chili flakes, salt and pepper, hot sauce.

Add the greens to the pot a handful at a time, pressing them down into the liquid with a wooden spoon. Make sure you have a large enough pot.

Simmer the Collard Greens

Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and let the collard greens cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The broth should be quietly bubbling, not boiling hard.

Lift the lid and give them a taste. The greens should be tender but still hold their shape.

If you prefer them softer and “fall-apart” silky, keep simmering. Some people go 2 to 3 hours for ultra–tender, deeply flavored collard greens.

Boom! Done! You collard greens are ready to serve. They look so good, don't they? Sprinkle on the red pepper flakes, maybe a couple splashes of hot sauce.

So good! Such a great side dish.

Serving Collard Greens

People ask me often - what goes with collard greens? Collard greens are a natural fit for just about any Southern-style meal. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve them:

With classic mains. Serve collards with fried chicken, smothered pork chops, barbecue ribs, brisket, pulled pork, classic southern meatloaf, or roasted turkey. They’re perfect for soaking up all those juices on the plate.

With cornbread (mandatory, if you ask me). A slice of warm cornbread is made for collard greens. Use it to mop up that smoky pot likker at the bottom of the bowl. Try my skillet cornbread recipe or my favorite jalapeno cornbread recipe.

Over rice or grits. Spoon the greens and some of the cooking liquid over white rice, dirty rice, or creamy grits for a hearty, bowl-style meal. Say yes to shrimp and grits!

With other Southern sides. Pair them with homemade mac and cheese, black-eyed peas, butter beans, southern potato salad, or candied yams for a full comfort food spread.

Don’t forget the hot sauce. A few dashes of your favorite hot sauce over the top really wakes up the flavors - highly recommended.

Storage and Leftovers

Store leftover collard greens (with some of the pot likker) in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll keep well for 4-5 days.

Freezer. Collard greens freeze surprisingly well. Let them cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags with some of the cooking liquid. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating. Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if needed to loosen the pot likker. You can also microwave them in short bursts, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.

Collard greens often taste even better the next day, after the flavors have had more time to meld. Use them to enhance soups, sandwiches, wraps and more.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my southern collard greens recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

• Butter Bean Succotash
• Cowboy Caviar
• Cowboy Beans
• Charro Beans
• Cajun Red Beans and Rice
• Hoppin' John
• Black Eye Peas
• Southern Vinegar Coleslaw
• Calabacitas
• Tomato Gravy
• Callaloo