What Are Collard greens and How Can I Use Them?

Here's everything worth knowing about collard greens and how to pick them, what they are, how to store them, and what to use instead, plus 23 recipes to cook tonight.

Recipes using collard greens

There are 23 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Collard Green Goodness

The first time I tried this version of the recipe, I ate it for all three meals. LOVED it! If you have leftovers, toss in a can of tomatoes, a can of white beans, and whatever veggies you have in the fridge, and make yourself a tasty soup.

Country-Style Greens

These tasty boiled greens with bacon can be used as a side dish or as a light lunch when on the go.

Southern Living Quick Braised Collards with Garlic

Perfect southern style collards made quick and easy. Simply kicked up with garlic and some pepper flakes.

Southern Living Quick Collards with Prosciutto

Bitter winter greens made incredibly tasty. The collards are quickly braised to tame any bitterness then mixed with crispy prosciutto, garlic and cayenne pepper for a bit of kick and lemon for a bit of brightness. Healthy winter greens for a solid deep south down-home flair.

Southern Living Braised Collards with Bacon & Black-Eyed Peas

Winter greens can be bitter but not when cooked this way. Perfectly complimentary flavors and belly filling warmness. If you've never tried collard greens before this recipe is more than worth the effort.

Whole Wheat Penne with Collard Greens, Beans, Tomato, & Garlic Chips

Whole Wheat Penne with Kale, Beans, Tomato, and Garlic Chips recipe

Beans 'N Greens

Pressure cooker collard greens with butter beans, white wine, bay leaves, and fresh hot peppers. Southern comfort without the ham hock, ready in 30 minutes.

Pot Likker Chili with Beans

Southern pot likker chili built on collard-green broth with smoked chuck, ground beef, pintos, chipotle, habanero, and a splash of beer. Long-simmered, deeply smoky, bowl-licking good.

Stir-Fried Greens with Oyster Sauce

Collard greens go Thai-style in this quick wok stir-fry with garlic, soy sauce, bean paste, and vegetarian oyster sauce. Swap in bok choy, mustard greens, or broccoli for easy variations.

Collards for a Feijoada

Brazilian-style sauteed collard greens (couve) for feijoada. Finely shredded collards cooked quick with onion in shortening, a traditional side for Brazil's national black bean stew.

Collards (Linda)

Southern-style collard greens simmered low and slow with vinegar until tender and flavorful. This simple two-ingredient side dish lets the natural earthy flavor of the greens shine through.

Loaded Vegetable & Potato Pie

Vegan vegetable shepherd's pie tops broccoli, peas, carrots, peppers, collards, and tomatoes with creamy mashed potatoes. High-fiber, gluten-free, dairy-free comfort.

Gumbo Des Herbes

Gumbo des herbes is a traditional Cajun green gumbo with seven greens, brisket, smoked ham, chaurice sausage, and file powder. A hearty Louisiana Lenten stew served over rice.

Caldo Gallego

Caldo Gallego: hearty Galician white bean stew with salt pork, ham bone, chorizo, potatoes, and collard greens. A slow-simmered Spanish comfort stew that warms you to the bone.

Collards & Tomatoes

Three-ingredient collards and tomatoes wilts fresh collard greens with canned tomatoes and Italian seasoning. A vegan, gluten-free, low-carb side dish or soup, ready in 20 minutes.

Hoppin John Soup

Southern Hoppin' John soup with black-eyed peas, ham, rice, collard greens, and a kick of crushed red pepper. A hearty, soul food classic simmered low and slow for deep, smoky flavor.

Hopping John in a Pressure Cooker

Pressure cooker Hoppin' John with brown basmati rice, wild rice, black-eyed peas, collard and mustard greens, and stewed tomatoes. A hearty Southern one-pot classic.

Kenyan-Style Collard Greens with Lemon

Add some variety to your meals with these delicious salad made of collard greens and italian plum tomatoes.

Gumbo Z'Herbes (Green Gumbo)

Gumbo z'herbes, the New Orleans green gumbo: spinach, mustard, turnip, and collard greens simmered with smoked pork, ham, and oysters, spiced Creole-style and served over rice with file powder.

Chicken & Shrimp Gumbo

Chicken and shrimp gumbo with okra, mustard greens, collard greens, and a custom Cajun seasoning blend thickened with browned flour. A lighter take on gumbo with no oil-based roux and loads of greens.

BBQ Baked Beans & Sausage

Smoky BBQ baked beans with chicken sausage, collard greens, molasses, and navy beans in a tangy barbecue sauce. A hearty, high-fiber one-pot meal that's on the table in under 30 minutes.

Chicken Brassica

Spice-rubbed chicken thighs browned and simmered with collard greens, mushrooms, bell peppers, and tomatoes in a rich, gravy-like broth. Serve over rice for a soul-warming one-pot dinner.

Jamaican-Style Greens

Jamaican-style sauteed greens with collards (or kale), jalapeno, allspice, onion, and a squeeze of lime. A Caribbean spin on cooked greens with warm spice and bright citrus.

All 23 recipes