Fresh collard greens are a bitter green similar to turnip greens and mustard greens, although not quite as bitter. Collard greens require long cooking times to tenderize. My Instant Pot Collard Greens Recipe allows greens to cook in just 16 minutes in an electric pressure cooker or an Instant Pot. You can tame the bitterness of the pressure cooker collard greens by adding brown sugar to the pot. I hope you try and enjoy this easy way to cook one of my favorite southern greens.
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I learned to love collards from my family ties to the southern states of Texas and Oklahoma. Cooked fresh collard greens or "fresh collards" as my grandmother called them are thought to bring good luck if eaten on New Year's Day. We often ate black-eyed peas on new year's eve and collard greens on new year's day to ensure ourselves a prosperous and happy new year.
Variations and Substitutions
The classic southern recipe for cooked collard greens involves a long cooking time in a large pot on the stove. One of the following is almost always added to the pot for flavor, salt, and fat:
- Ham hock (my Dad's favorite)
- Smoked turkey leg
- Country ham
- Salt pork (my Grandmother's favorite)
- Turkey wings
- Turkey neck (my Mother's favorite)
I have made collards with most of these, but some were too salty and some too smoky. I like to add bacon to my collard greens in the form of bacon grease in the cooking liquid. I render the fat from bacon and add the cooked bacon back as a garnish after the greens have cooked in the grease. The bacon grease imparts just enough fat and flavor while not overwhelming the greens. If you like heat, add your favorite hot sauce or red pepper flakes to the pot.
Health Benefits of Collard Greens
Collard greens pack a nutritional punch. They are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium. They are rich in vitamin K, and are a good source of iron, vitamin B, and magnesium.
Why You Should Use Collards
- Collard greens and the ingredients to make them extra special are readily available in your regular grocery store. They are easy to grow in your home garden or pick up at your local farmer's market.
- Collard greens are a southern food staple, pairing well with chicken, fish, and red meat. Cook them on the side burner over medium heat alongside your barbecue.
- Last but not least, collard greens are inexpensive. Splurge on the protein. Collard greens have the side dish covered. Oh, but little cornbread with honey butter can't hurt.
Ingredients
For the full recipe with quantities, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
Ingredient Notes
- Collard Greens - buy fresh and chop them yourself. Pre-washed and chopped, ready-to-eat, fresh collard greens are also available in the market.
- Bacon - Use whatever you have on hand. You can cook it in the pot with the greens, but I find it becomes a bit chewy that way.
- Vinegar - Apple cider vinegar works well, but any vinegar including plain white vinegar works too. We like to sprinkle a little on at the table and I think the apple cider vinegar is best for this.
- Onion - whatever you have on hand
- Salt - Kosher is my go-to salt
- Pepper - I prefer freshly ground
- Paprika - Sweet Hungarian paprika is my all-time favorite
- Brown Sugar (optional) The bitterness of the greens is an issue for some folks. My remedy is to add 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the cooking pot. It tames the bitter flavor just a bit without tasting sweet.
- Hot Sauce or Red Pepper Flakes (optional) I love the heat but hubby does not, so I add hot sauce at the table.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Lay collard greens facedown with spines aligned.
Use a sharp knife to cut through the stack on both sides of the spine.
Discard the spines or save for another use like vegetable broth or soup.
Chop the collard greens into bite-sized pieces.
Rinse the collard greens well under cold water in a colander or sieve.
Set Instant Pot to Sauté Setting and cook bacon until bacon is brown.
Remove cooked bacon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
Add sliced onion to pot and sauté until barely translucent.
Add collard greens to Instant Pot. You might have to push them down.
Add salt, pepper, and paprika to the pot. If adding brown sugar, do it now.
Pour vinegar and chicken stock into pot. Stir to mix ingredients.
Set to Pressure Cook for 16 minutes. Allow pressure to release completely.
Equipment
Sharp Knife - In the step-by-step instructions I demonstrate an easy way to remove the spines from the middle of the greens. This is much easier than doing each leaf separately.
Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot - This recipe is tailored to cooking collard greens under pressure. You can also use a pot with a lid on the stove over medium heat. The lid is important to trap the steam and allow the greens to release their delicious liquid and mix with the fat and spices to make the "pot liquor". My recommendation for this method of cooking is to taste frequently and stop cooking when done to your liking.
Wooden spoon - For incorporating the ingredients in the pot.
What is Pot Liquor?
"Pot liquor, sometimes spelled potlikker or pot likker is the liquid that is left behind after boiling greens, (collard greens, mustard greens, and turnip greens). It is sometimes seasoned with salt and pepper, smoked pork or smoked turkey. Pot liquor contains high amounts of essential vitamins and minerals including iron, vitamin A and vitamin C. Especially important is that it contains high amounts of vitamin K, which aids in blood clotting. Another term is collard liquor." Wikipedia
Storing Collard Greens
Cooked collard greens keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a day or two, but do not hold up well to freezing.
Store fresh, unwashed greens in moist paper towels inside sealed plastic bags in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. They will keep about three to four days.
TOP TIP Safety First!
My top tip is to read and learn how to operate your pressure cooker SAFELY. I have witnessed an incident in which the lid to a pressure cooker blew off, spewing boiling soup all over my mother-in-law's kitchen and damaging the ceiling. Fortunately, no one was injured, but it could have been devastating. Pressure cookers and instant pots cook under extremely high pressure and can pose a danger if not used properly. I cringe every time I watch a television cooking show and they appear to open the pot as soon as the cooking is complete. Editing makes it look like they ran a little cold water over the lid and then removed it. Not so. Even TV chefs have to use either natural release or quick release to safely open the lid.
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 12 ounces collard greens
- 3 strips bacon
- ½ small onion sliced
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar optional
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 2 dashes hot sauce optional
Instructions
- Lay the collard greens face down with the hard middle spines aligned. Use a sharp knife to cut through the stack, cutting out the spines. Discard the spines or save for another use.
- Chop the collard greens into bite-sized pieces and wash in cold running water in a sieve or colander. Set aside to drain.
- Chop the bacon into ½ inch pieces. Place in the bottom of the instant pot. Using the sauté setting cook the bacon until lightly golden brown. Add a teaspoon of olive oil if the bacon sticks to the bottom of the pot.
- Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside in a small bowl.
- Add the onion slices to the pot and cook in the bacon fat until just barely softened. Pause the instant pot.
- Place the collard greens into the pot, pushing them down if needed.
- Add the salt, pepper, and paprika to the pot. If using brown sugar, add it now. If using red pepper flakes or hot sauce add them now.
- Pour in the chicken stock and vinegar. Using a big wooden spoon, lift the ingredients from the bottom to the top a few times to distribute the spices and wet the greens.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid and set the pressure cooker to 16 minutes.
- When the pressure cooker finishes cooking, allow the steam to escape completely before removing the lid! Safely Removing the Lid: Never attempt to remove the Instant Pot lid while the pot is pressurized. Wait until the float valve (pin) on the lid drops down to let you know that all of the pressure has been released. Read the manual and know how to safely use your cooker!
- Whether you allow the pressure to release naturally or you use the quick release method, only remove the lid when the pin is fully down. Remove the collard greens from the pot to a serving bowl and pour the pot liquor over the top.
- Garnish with the cooked bacon bits.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ's
Raw collard greens are a bitter green similar to kale but less bitter. Cooking mellows the flavor out slightly but adding a little brown sugar to the pot helps. Collard greens are available year-round but are best in the summer months.
Both kale and collard greens are part of the cabbage family and as a result, both greens are very nutritious and rich in vitamins A, B, E and K. Collard greens have fewer calories and are high in fiber. Collards provide 1.2 grams of protein per cup while kale provides 2.9 grams of protein per cup. Kale contains more iron than collard greens making it a better source of iron for those following a vegetarian diet.
Collard greens are high in fiber and water content and help to prevent constipation, promote bowel regularity, and maintain a healthy digestive tract.
Sara McGuire says
This has been my go-to greens recipe for years now. I figured it was time to thank you for such a fabulous recipe!
Mary says
Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoy my recipe. It is much appreciated!
The Sudden Cook says
Gosh so healthy - thank you!! We've all been down sick and def will try this recipe.
Amy Liu Dong says
Such an easy, healthy, and delicious dish to make for everyone.
I love it! Thank you!