Recipes for Collard Greens

Collard greens are valued for their cholesterol-lowering qualities and are packed with fiber, protein, and antioxidants. Unfortunately, these leafy greens often get lumped into that all-too-familiar category—childhood foods you were forced to eat. The truth is, when overcooked, collards are unappealing in taste, texture, and smell. However, when cooked to a perfect crunchy-tender, they’re absolutely delicious. We’ll show you how to master this cruciferous veggie with 10 tasty recipes, including Balsamic Collard Greens. We love how the bacon, tangy vinegar, and honey offset the subtle bitterness of these collards.

Thinly sliced collards cook quickly, while bacon adds depth and heartiness. For a punch of heat, add a few drops of hot sauce to the cooked greens.

Cooked greens look like folded money (sensing a theme here?) and are eaten around the world to symbolize good fortune. Collards can braise for hours, but this recipe is ready in less than 25 minutes. If you don’t like collard greens or can’t find them, substitute stemmed curly kale or turnip greens. A splash of vinegar after cooking perks up the whole dish. You could also sprinkle with crushed red pepper or a splash of hot sauce.

Here’s a match made in heaven—succulent pork shoulder, creamy grits, and slow-simmered collards. (You won’t believe this recipe is only 450 calories!) Start the greens while the pork cooks, or make them ahead of time and reheat when you’re ready to eat.

Fresh collards may have a superior texture and taste, but the frozen variety can’t be beat in terms of convenience. Combined with creamy Alfredo sauce and shredded turkey breast, collards work wonders on this speedy weeknight pizza. Make sure to drain any excess liquid from the thawed collards before piling them on top of the crust.

Take note of the simple and helpful technique demonstrated in this recipe. Cut down on prep time by tightly rolling de-stemmed collard green leaves and slicing as thinly as possible.

Egg noodles, smoked ham, chopped veggies, and collard greens combine with chicken broth for a hearty meal. Make sure to simmer the greens until crunchy-tender and no more than that, especially if you plan to reheat the soup for another meal.

Leeks are milder and less pungent than onions, and they pair beautifully with collard greens in this dish. This recipe is also a great lesson in building layers of flavors—you’ll use the cooking liquid from the beans to simmer the collard greens later on.

This simple one-pot meal of dried lima beans, smoked turkey breast, and chopped collards can easily be made ahead in advance. In fact, it’s probably better the next day, as the flavors intensify over time.

The sweet sherry and soy glaze on the salmon is a perfect contrast to the slight bitterness of the collard greens. In the recipe, we call for a bag of fresh, pre-chopped greens—a huge timesaver in the kitchen.