How Long to Cook Collard Greens

How to Cook Collard Greens with smoked turkey necks

This is a popular way people love this. If you wanted to do both I would recommend that that you boil turkey necks first to tender, and then add them in at the beginning of this cooking process so those flavors can permeate the leaves together.

Another way to add a ton of flavor is to slow cook with smoked ham hocks, this is best made in a Crockpot together. You don’t have to add protein into the mix at all though if you don’t want. If seasoned well it is a nice substitute to spinach with more vitamins and minerals. A superfood of sorts.

Below we are going to show you how to use a Dutch Oven or cast iron skillet to make this easy collard greens recipe. A regular non stick pan would work as well but you want one large enough as the leaves start out quite large and shrink as they wilt over time. For this method you would;

How to Cook Collard Greens on the Stove

• Put a cast iron or large skillet over medium heat and add your butter until it melts.
• Rinse greens, pat dry with paper towels and cut into large bite size pieces.
• Add into pan and saute on medium for 2 minutes.
• Add in milk and garlic powder and saute for another 3-5 minutes or until it becomes as softened as you would like.

If you wanted to add bacon, dice up and add into skillet first over medium heat. Cook until cooked but not super crispy. Leave grease in for added flavor, then proceed to first step listed here and proceed to the rest. This is how long to cook black eyed peas if you want to combine them and serve together.

Ingredients

You are going to use 1 bunch for this, with tough stems removed and leaves folded in half. discard the stems so all you have are the leafy greens left. It is very similar to baked kale chips really, except you don’t want these to be crunchy.

• Collard greens
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tbsp minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: red pepper flakes or other seasonings of your choice

Instructions step by step are here. Season with salt and pepper or others you prefer. Chopped up pieces of cooked bacon could be added on to the sheet pan if desired.

How to Cook Collard Greens in Oven

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Clean collard greens by rinsing the leaves thoroughly under cold water to remove any dirt or debris.
3. Pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
4. Remove the stems by folding the leaf in half and cutting along the stem. Discard the stems or save them for another use.
5. Stack the fresh collard green leaves on top of each other, then roll them tightly into a few paper towels. Slice the rolled leaves into thin ribbons, about 1/2-inch wide.
6. Add the greens into a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings you prefer. Toss everything together until they are well coated with the oil and seasonings.
7. Spread leaves evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Avoid overcrowding the sheet to ensure proper roasting.
8. Bake the collard greens in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are crispy and slightly browned around the edges. Stir the greens halfway through the baking time to ensure even cooking.
9. Once done, remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the greens cooked allow to cool for a few minutes. Serve them as a side dish or a healthy snack.

Baking collard greens in the oven gives them a crispy texture while retaining their natural flavors. Feel free to adjust the seasonings and cooking time according to your taste preferences.

Do you have to blanch collard greens?

It is not a must but if you do want to know how to blanch vegetables we have directions here for you. This is recommended if you really want to tame the flavor and/or don’t want to saute in butter (which will have the same affect).

How to Cook Collard Greens without Meat

If I have leftover ham after the holidays I will throw that in at the beginning. Other than that I’ll add a handful of bacon bits works well with a bit of texture and flavoring the overall dish. If I do add proteins there isn’t much need for salt at all.

How to Cook Collard Greens in Pressure Cooker

We have made our Instant Pot collard greens with or without meat. You can use any sort of brand you have to make it under high pressure. I have them all, a Mealthy, Crockpot Express and Ninja Foodi as well. Plus to this is the cook time. You could really just use the saute function and not even wait until it comes to pressure at all, either way works.

Add onions and garlic minced if you like, use chicken broth instead of water for more flavor and a bit of sodium. There are many ways you can tweak it to your liking.