Flavorful vegan collard greens are easy to make in your Instant Pot or on the stovetop. All you need is 10 minutes of active time and a handful of pantry staples for a big, delicious pot of Southern-style greens!
Collard greens, more often called just "collards", are a Southern staple. They're traditionally made with salt pork or ham hock, but you can still make them delicious with no meat!
Recipe features
- Instant pot or stove top recipe: These vegetarian collard greens be made on the stove top or in the Instant Pot.
- Flavor: Perfect balance of savory, umami and sweet flavors.
- Easy: Made with pantry staples and fresh collard greens.
- Quick: Cooking collard greens only requires 8-10 minutes of active time.
One of the dishes I find myself missing most often at restaurants is Southern-style collard greens. They're so good, but so not vegetarian or vegan!
I figured it was time to make my own version of Southern-style collards with a vegan twist, giving the leafy green its chance to shine without meat.
Ingredients
The flavor in vegan collard greens comes from a few simple ingredients that when combined with fresh collards create a slightly sweet, perfectly savory broth.
- Collard greens: I recommend buying a bunch and slicing them yourself, but pre-sliced greens will work. This is because sometimes pre-cut greens are more bitter.
- Apple cider vinegar adds a necessary punch of acid. Regular vinegar works in a pinch.
- Soy sauce: This can be replaced with tamari to make the recipe gluten-free. Coconut aminos would also go well here, but they are a bit sweeter.
- Vegetable broth: Choose a flavorful broth if using store bought. You can choose reduced sodium for more control over saltiness of the dish.
- Brown sugar adds a hint of sweetness. This can be adjusted to taste.
- Smoke flavor: You can add ¼ teaspoon of liquid smoke for a smokier flavor. I leave it out because I'm not a big fan of liquid smoke but it definitely does the trick. Smoked paprika is also a good addition.
How to cook collard geens
Instant Pot instructions
All of my Instant Pot recipes are made in a 6 qt DUO60 Instant Pot.
Making collards in an electric pressure cooker cuts the cooking time by half and you end up with the same soft, wilted texture as stove top collards.
First, you'll want to set your Instant Pot to "sauté" and "normal" heat.
Sauté diced onion in oil for 3-4 minutes, until translucent (image 1). Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for another minute (image 2).
Add in the liquids and collard greens (image 3). You can roughly cut the greens into 2-3 inch pieces or tear them. Remove the hard stems.
Set to high pressure for 25 minutes. Once the time is up do a quick pressure release. Careful! There will be a bit of liquid spray from the valve.
If you find the collards aren't as tender as you wish (image 4), just place the lid back on and set the timer for 5 more minutes.
Stovetop instructions
Collards on the stovetop are a "fix it and forget it" kind of recipe.
- Start by heating oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Next, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté 1 more minute.
- Add the collard greens and sauté until slightly wilted, about 1 minute. It will look like a lot of greens but they will shrink down as they cook.
- Stir together the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour this liquid on the collards. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
- Cover with a lid and simmer until tender. Add additional vegetable broth as needed. It will take 50 minutes to an hour for the collards to become tender. Serve collards with their broth and enjoy!
About collard greens
Collard greens are a member of the cabbage family, but they're also closely related to kale. Collard greens are rich in vitamin A and vitamin K and are also a source of plant-based iron, folate, and calcium.
Because these vitamins and minerals can seep out of the greens during their long cooking process, you'll want to enjoy your collards with the liquid they're cooked in, also known as potlikker.
Potlikker (also called pot liquor) is the broth or liquid, that results from the cooked-down greens. It's vitamin-rich and wonderfully delicious, taking on the flavor of every ingredient in the pot.
There's a wealth of history behind collard greens in the American south. I urge you to dig into it if you're interested in food and Southern history. This article highlights a more recent event in history, but entire books have been written on the subject of collard greens as well.
Why are my greens bitter?
Collard greens usually turn out bitter when they aren't cooked long enough. They should be so tender that they almost melt in your mouth.
One way to decrease bitterness in collard greens is to add extra salt and acid. Salt mellows greens bitter flavor, which is why I add salt in addition to the soy sauce. Acidity comes from apple cider vinegar, but you can also add a squeeze of lemon juice.
Sometimes pre-cut greens are more bitter which is why I usually slice a bunch of collards instead.
Recipe FAQ
Greens go great with any "meat and three" style meal. My favorite way is with chicken fried tofu, vegan mac and cheese, and a vegan buttermilk biscuit.
For best quality, keep refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days. Reheat with a splash of vegetable broth over medium-low heat until warmed through or reheat in the microwave in 1-2 minutes.
Stack the greens on top of each other and run a knife just outside the stem to remove the leaves. Stack the leaves on top of each other and slice into thin strips or larger 2-3 inch pieces (depends on preference but I like the bigger pieces). You can also roughly tear the greens. You can chop the stem and include it for extra texture.
Yes! You can cook turnip greens and mustard greens using the same method as these vegan collard greens. Another option is to try mixing half a bunch of mustard or turnip greens with half a bunch of collard greens for a different flavor. You can also use this method with kale.
Looking for more vegan Southern-style recipes?
Did you try this recipe? You can leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ in the recipe card or a review down in the comments section. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow along on my YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest or sign up for my newsletter!
Savory Vegan Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 1 pound collard greens
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ large yellow onion, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 and ½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari sauce
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (more if you like spicier food)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Pressure Cooker Instructions
- Remove the hard stems the collard greens. Cut the leaves into 2-3 inch wide strips, about the size of lettuce leaves in a salad. Rinse the collards in water until clean.
- Press the "sauté" function on your Instant Pot and set the heat to "normal" using the adjust key. Once hot, add the oil. Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 more minute.
- Add the collards to the Instant Pot, sautéing until wilted, about 1 minute.
- In a medium bowl, combine the apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, vegetable broth, brown sugar and salt. Pour into the Instant Pot. Lock the lid in place and set the valve to "sealing". Press the "pressure cook" key and adjust to "high pressure". Set the timer to 25 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure.
- When the 25 minutes are up, manually release the steam valve. Careful, it will be hot and some water may sputter out. Once the steam is released and the valve floats down you can open your Instant Pot.
- Give the collards a stir (see note #3). Taste for salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Serve with their broth and enjoy!
Stove Top Instructions
- Remove the hard stems the collard greens. Cut the leaves into 2-3 inch wide strips, about the size of lettuce leaves in a salad. Rinse the collards in water until clean.
- Heat a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté 1 more minute, until aromatic.
- Add the collard greens and sauté until slightly wilted, about 1 minute.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients. Pour this liquid on the collards and bring to a simmer over medium/medium-low heat. Cover with a lid.
- Simmer until tender. Add additional vegetable broth as needed. It will take 50 minutes to an hour for the collards to become tender. Serve collards with their broth and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Smoke flavor: You can add ¼ teaspoon of liquid smoke for a smokier flavor. I leave it out because I'm not a big fan of liquid smoke but it definitely does the trick. Smoked paprika is also a good addition.
- Storage and reheating: For best quality, keep refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days. Reheat with a splash of vegetable broth over medium-low heat until warmed through or reheat in the microwave in 1-2 minutes.
- For the Instant Pot method: If the greens don't reach your desired tenderness replace and seal the lid and cook for 5 more minutes on high pressure. Add more time as needed.
Lauren
Very good, thank you! I used honey in place of brown sugar and some cayenne for the red pepper flakes, and added ~1 cup of sliced cabbage and carrots (I increased the soy sauce, honey, and caynne a bit to compensate). I've made another version of jammy collard greens that used red wine vinegar that I didn't really care for, so I just used the called for 2 t of ACV. I didn't have broth on hand and it still came out okay flavorful, though probably would have been better if I'd been able to include it. Will make this again!
Cassidy Reeser
Thanks for the review! 🙂
Charlotte
I make this almost weekly now. Such a great recipe!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Awesome! Thanks for the review 🙂
Sarah
Do you think this could be doubled in a 6 qt IP?
Cassidy Reeser
Yes, I think it should work. The collards might fit a little tightly at first but they should wilt down quickly.
Jett
I've made this recipe a bunch of times now and it's been delicious each time. Thanks for the great recipe. I can vouch that collard greens haters will likely enjoy this dish! Instant pot method is amazing for summertime stove avoidance.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Thanks so much for the review! I agree, the Instant Pot method is definitely the way to go in the summer.
Rachel
I think this may have been my first time making collard greens. I was really worried that they were going to turn out awful, but they were great! I didn't weigh my collards and just used two bunches. It seemed like a ton, but after cooking it didn't look like very much! I left out the onions because my husband doesn't like them. Thanks for the recipe! I will make it again sometime!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
That’s great to hear! They really do shrink down a lot after cooking, it’s always a surprise. Thanks for making the recipe!
Polly Workinger
that's the problem with greens, and why most people don't make them all the time. You can get a ton of greens and wind up with a bowl. Seriously!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Isn't that the truth! 🙂
A tiny instant pot user
Just as an FYI, I was worried about fitting a pound of collard greens into my mini duo instant pot, but I tried and after sauteing they fit perfectly! Anyone with a mini instant pot, this recipe works! No need to half it. Thank you!! 🙂
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
I haven't tried it in a mini instant pot so I'm glad to hear that it works! Thanks for letting us know.
Sharon B
Soul Food Sunday Night, dinner: I added this recipe to my menu. It was incredible! (I used 1 date, instead of brown sugar.) My 3 year old loved it, too. When I was putting the leftovers away, I didn’t have room for all of the broth, so I drank it. I wanted to savor every last drop!
Tip: From experience with cooking tough greens in the Instapot, I only needed to pressure cook the collard greens for 10 min. (I usually only need to do 4 min, for when I’m cooking Kale.)
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Sounds like it was a great Sunday night dinner. Sometimes drinking the broth is the best part! Thanks for the tips.
Kaycee
Wasn't a fan :(. Had strange sourness
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
I'm sorry to hear it was sour, maybe that that was from the apple cider vinegar? Thanks for trying the recipe!
Christina
Delicious! I replaced the brown sugar with one Large finally chopped date.
And of course added a few shakes of hot sauce on top.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
That date sounds like a great substitution! Thanks for making.
Emily
This was my first time making collard greens; they were incredible!! I didn’t change a thing.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed and thanks for commenting.
Jill Bond
Absolutely loved this recipe! Plan to make it often, not just New Year's Day!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Thanks, Jill! It’s definitely great year round.
Valerie
I forgot to rate them. Definitely 5 stars!
Valerie
Just made these for New Years Day. Ridiculously yummy. I had no idea that collards could be so good. Much better than any I had eaten before I became vegan. Can’t wait to make them again!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
So glad to hear. Happy New Year!
Ben
I actually made this with chard, including stalks, since collard greens aren't available in my location but I wanted to try them. Otherwise recipe was followed to the letter and was very good. I didn't really realize how much I was enjoying it until it was all gone, and that's not an experience I usually have eating green leafy vegetables.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
That's great to hear! I'll have to try this out with chard.
Kerry Robertson
My entire family loved these. I used the Instant Pot and when initially cooked I opened and added 2 Cups of frozen cut Okra and Pressure Cooked on high for 5 more minutes. My dad put his over rice, I had mine with vegetarian beans and smokey mushrooms. So good!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Thanks for sharing! That sounds like a great meal. I’ll have to try adding okra next time I make this.
Elliott Rose
Just made these and it was amazing! Thank you so much, this will now be added to my “keep” pile of vegan instant pot recipes.
Cassidy Reeser
So glad you enjoyed them!