I’m having a moment with cooked greens. I know, this is thrilling news, right? I’ve put cooked kale in my mashed potatoes, and now I’m sautéing collard greens for every dinner.
These collards are a little garlicky, a little lemony, and seriously irresistible. They’re the perfect quick and healthy side dish, and they’re exactly what I’m craving as we get a taste of spring weather.
You might associate collard greens with West African cuisine (I put collards in my peanut soup). Maybe you have tried Southern collard greens, which are slow-cooked with bacon or the like. Southern-style collard greens were inherited from Africa, and so were Brazilian collard greens, called “couve à mineira.”
I cooked these collards greens in the Brazilian style—quickly in hot oil, with some garlic and chili flakes. In Brazil, these collards frequently accompany the national dish, called “feijoada,” which is a rich black bean stew cooked with pork, and rice on the side. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, take note that these collard greens would go great with black beans and rice.
Now that our brief history lesson is complete, want to learn how to make this delicious side dish?
How to Cook Brazilian Collard Greens
My friend Matt introduced me to this cooking style years ago. I think it makes the best collard greens! Here’s how to do it:
- Cut the thick central ribs out of the collard greens, and stack the leaves on top of one another. Starting at one end, roll them up into a cigar-liked shape, then slice across the roll to make skinny rolls of collard strips. Use a sharp chef’s knife for this, and make your slices as thin as possible—ideally about 1/8-inch wide. Give the collards a few extra chops to break them apart.
- Warm a large, heavy-bottom skillet (cast iron is great) over medium-high heat. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil (the oil will later help your body absorb the nutrients in the greens). Then add the greens and some salt. Give the greens a good stir so they’re all lightly shimmering from the oil and turning darker green.
- Let the greens cook against the pan in 30-second intervals, stirring in between. Thanks to the hot oil in the hot pan, some of the collards will eventually develop crisp, browned edges—these taste so good!
- Once you see a little browning action, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. I suggest adding the garlic at this point, rather than before, because otherwise it’ll burn by the time your collards are done.
- Transfer the collards to plates so they stop cooking. Serve with a wedge of lemon, and you’re done.
Watch How to Make Quick Collard Greens
How to Serve Brazilian Collard Greens
Honestly, the flavors in these collard greens would go well with almost any hearty main dish. Here are some ideas:
- Thanks to the lemon and garlic, these greens taste Mediterranean. Serve them with pasta, lasagna, or other Italian/Greek entrées. Here’s a simple spaghetti dish with these collards.
- As I mentioned, these collard greens go great with cooked black beans and rice.
- Take inspiration from West African cuisine and add chopped peanuts.
Change It Up
Kale is a great substitute for the collard greens, if you can’t find collards or have an extra bunch of kale.
These quick-cooked collard greens are also surprisingly fantastic with Asian flavors. If you’ve ever made my kale fried rice, you might appreciate this idea because kale and collards are similar greens.
For an Asian spin, you can simply reduce the salt (we’re adding salty sauce later) and substitute 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger for the garlic. Once the collards are done cooking, add a drizzle of store-bought teriyaki sauce to the pan, or add 1 teaspoon tamari or other soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. (Skip the lemon.) So good.
Looking for more simple, healthy side dishes? Here are a few of my favorites:
- Greek Broccoli Salad
- Celery Salad with Dates, Almonds and Parmesan
- Gaby’s Cucumber Salad
- Parmesan Roasted Broccoli with Balsamic Drizzle
Please let me know how these collards turn out for you in the comments! Cooked greens can be surprisingly addictive.
PrintQuick Collard Greens
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Brazilian
These collard greens are quickly cooked in olive oil and finished with a squeeze of lemon juice. You’re going to love these healthy, vegetarian collards! Recipe yields 2 side servings. To make multiples, simply repeat the ingredients and instructions below (cook each batch separately for best results).
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch (about 10 ounces) collard greens
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, scale back or omit if sensitive to spice)
- A couple lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- To prepare the collards: Cut out the thick center rib out of each collard green. Stack the rib-less greens and roll them up into a cigar-like shape. Slice over the “cigar” as thinly as possible (⅛″ to ¼″) to make long strands. Shake up the greens and give them a few chops so the strands aren’t so long.
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, then add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add all of the collard greens and the salt.
- Stir until all of the greens are lightly coated in oil, then let them cook for about 30 seconds before stirring again. Continue stirring in 30-second intervals until the greens are wilted, dark green, and some are starting to turn brown on the edges (this is delicious). This will take between 3 to 6 minutes.
- Once the collards are just about done, add the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir to break up the garlic and cook until it’s fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Immediately divide the cooked collards onto plates, and serve with a lemon wedge each.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my lemony collard greens pasta.
Bridget
This looks delightful! I’m newly converted to frozen green veg: our large grocery store here has frozen collards, turnip greens, kale, and spinach, which can be a great way to reliably and easily have tons of greens, I eat way more than I would otherwise. Thanks for sharing!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Bridget!
ANTOINE D CLINTON
I love collards but don’t have the time to cook, so this was great. I recently found a brand online called Rosey Bloom’s collard greens and they’re phenomenal! I literally ordered a few jars and ate two without even hitting them up. Absolutely delicious, fully seasoned, and quick. They even have vegetarian option!
gary furst
All I can say is Wow. I flash cook freeze my produce and into plastic bags. Frozen vegetables sound like a nice twist to prepare quick all the way around.
I haven’t prepared with Cookie Kate though I’m ready to get down and dirty and prepare her Quick collards. Her whole food cooking sounds filling and paired with a protein meat, fish or poultry sounds like the perfect sit-down meal!
Here we go. Thanks for the tip
Rose
Hey Kate! I’ve been making my collards like this for years and had no idea they were “a thing”. They are SO delicious – not the soggy, over cooked “southern” variety. I do add a smidge of honey when I make mine and a little bit of Vegeta in place of the salt, since it’s pretty high in sodium. I would urge all your many fans to try cooking their collards this way. Super easy and by far my all-time favourite veggie!!
Kate
It’s a thing and I’m all about it! Thank you for your review, Rose.
Debbi Herman
Easy and yummy – just purchased your cookbook
Kate
Thank you for your support, Debbi!
Heide Linde Horeth
Thanks, thought I would share that I grew Portuguese kale last year and it is very similar to collards. Super easy to grow and pest free. I have never tried the Asian flavor but I will! Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome!
Lynda Garibaldi
Is your cookbook / recipes all plant based?
Thanks,
Lynda
Kate
Hi Lynda! All of my recipes (in my book/blog) are vegetarian, since I’m a vegetarian. Many are vegan as well. Whenever possible, in both the book and blog, I try to offer vegan substitutions in the recipe notes. Hope this answers your question!
Susan Pollard
First time ever trying collard greens. This was delicious!! I followed the recipe except left off the red pepper flakes. It was good with and without a splash of lemon. Yum!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Susan!
Rogenia
Hey Kate,
I just made this yesterday for dinner, have collar just about once a week and sometimes add kale which is so delicious. Always trying your recipes. Keep up the good work
Veganroro
Kate
Thank you, Rogenia! Thanks for trying it right away.
Shannon M
Just made this recipe today because I got collard greens in my weekly produce delivery. They were delicious (and my boyfriend agreed)! Your method of cutting the strips really thin is what takes this recipe to the next level. I’ve made collard greens before just by tearing the leaves into pieces and they were too chewy.
Kate
I’m glad you liked this version!
susan billing
I bought prewashed and precut collards at our local grocery store. I think I would have liked the recipe better if I’d cut the greens in small strips as stated in the recipe. I had to cut out some of the tough spines and tore the leaves a bit smaller and the greens were still a bit tough. We did like the flavor though and will try cutting smaller next time.
Kate
Thanks for sharing your experience, Susan!
Kat
First time I have ever made collard greens..they turned out awesome,the recipe was easy and everyone loved them. I can also see how I can add my own spin,this basic recipe is simple and tastes great!
Kate
Happy to hear that, Kat! Thanks for sharing.
Gaby Dalkin
Give me ALL the garlicky greens!
Kate
:) :)
Aarav Verma
Looks so healthy Collard Greens.
Kate
Thank you!
Barbara
Tried these today without the red pepper flakes and drizzled red wine reduction over the top. Will definitely make this again!
Kate
Great to hear, Barbara!
Smart Mirror
Great didh and recipe. Interesting content. Hope you share more with us.
Kate
Thanks for your review!
Katie
Holy Hannah! I like collard greens! I’ve tried a few times before but I just couldn’t get onboard. I saw your recipe and it looked so yummy I figured it was worth a shot. And it’s absolutely delicious. Anytime I find a new veggie I can add to the dinner rotation it’s a huge victory. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad this one was perfect for you.
Mary H Barber
The Quick Collard Greens recipe was perfect! So tasty and delicious. This is a recipe I will make again and again. Thank you so much, Kate!
Kate
You’re welcome, Mary! Thanks for your review.
Rina Fulcher
I made this tonight with jambalaya and it was a HUGE hit and so easy! My 10 year old devoured hers before my husband got to the table and asked if she could have his. She eyed them until he finally sat down and ate them himself. Both my kids, my husband and I all finished our greens before touching our other food. This will be a new staple in our house … except that I’ll make a triple batch! Thanks for helping us diversify our vegetable repertoire!
Kate
You’re welcome, Rina!
Stephanie
My veggie delivery sends me SO many collard greens (and chard too) so I’m always looking for things to do with them. This is my new favorite way to cook them. Garlicky and delicious. I squeezed the lemon into the pan so every bite was lemony too. Thanks for a great recipe!
Kate
You’re welcome, Stephanie!
Jon
I made it as shown in the recipe, and it was tender and delicious. A far cry from the cooked to death bitterness of the traditional Southern style. The oil saute method you show is much better. We use the same technique for other bitter cruciferous greens such as rapini.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Jon!
Fay
Made this.
Easy.
Delicious.
Healthy.
Thanks…
Kate
You’re welcome, Fay!
Scott
Just made collard greens for thr 1st time. Thanks for the recipe. Served it with some left over basmati rice. Just learning to cook and eat this way.
Kate
You’re welcome, Scott!
Carol
Excellent. I’d never cooked collards and associated them with southern, boil-until-they-are-dead cooking. I was so wrong. This recipe was easy and delicious. Who could ask for more? Oh. Yes. I did ask for more.
Kate
Good! I’m really glad you liked this recipe, Carol.
Jemima
This turned out terrific. Collard greens are very hard to find in the store–maybe if people knew how good they are, there would be more of a demand for them, and more stores would stock them.
Mine needed to cook longer–in the time the recipe said, they were tasty but tough. I added some water, covered the pot, and let them steam another 15 minutes on low heat, and they were perfect.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Jemima!
Judy Urso
This is also how I do my spinach. I planted collards for the first time this year and I cannot get enough of them either. I’ve been doing them just the way that you said and I love them .
Kate
Great idea! Thanks for sharing, Judy.
Maria
One of the things I learned many years ago about the stems of greens is to remove the tough rib but then cut them an saute them with onions and garlic before adding the rest of the leaves. This way you get more out of the veggie, including all those nutrients that are absorbed as the plant grows. And they’re delicious!
kate
I left out the red pepper flakes, and I added the garlic earlier. It was delicious!
Cindy
Are 10 oz of greens the weight before you cut off the stems or what you are actually preparing to cook? Thank you.
Lindsay
We have been eating this almost every week for months now. I never could have imagined myself enjoying collards, but this recipe opened my eyes. Fantastic!
Kate
Thank you for your review, Lindsay!
Jaclyn
Delicious recipe! Not soggy and mushy like some. I also like to add some crumbled, cooked bacon to it and skip the salt.
Jeung
Yes. Thanks for the recipe..
Daniel Pinney
I love greens of all kinds with…….. So, I started with your recipe but then went a little crazy with some stuff I had: turnip (chunked), radish (4 thin sliced), ham (about 1/4# slice home-cooked), Soul Food seasoning (1/2 teaspoon), butter (1 tablespoon), 1/2 large sweet onion sliced / sliced again; I chopped up the stalks (1/8″ and 1/4″ chunks); sauteed the ham, onion, stalk chunks, radish, turnip till just starting to brown, then added the garlic and leaves (sliced per your instructions, but a bit wider), turned down to very low and just allowed to steam for about 10 minutes. To me (and probably me only) it was very tasty, delightfully colorful and crunchy; and the best part is that it’s nutritious, and noting was wasted. :)
Kate
Thank you for sharing your approach, Daneil!
Julie
Love this recipe! Make it at least once every three weeks.
BIRCH CAPPETTA
I’m so excited to make this for the All-American Eating Holiday (as an addition to Thanksgiving turkey and mashed potatoes).
Kate
I hope they are a hit, Birch!
Dee dee
Hi Kate! The firs time I tried such collared green in the Dominican buffet. I liked it a lot. Now I’m living too far from that place. I was lucky to found this recipe in internet.
Thank you! It’s easy and I like the result. I will do it again
Kate
You’re welcome, Dee dee! I am happy you love my take on them.
Lindsay
I’ve only had collard greens once before this and didn’t like them at all. I’m part of a winter CSA and dreaded getting the last week. Well, I finally made them tonight and they were so delicious! Only thing I did differently was I sauted up half a yellow onion before adding the greens and following the rest of the recipe as is.
Kate
I’m glad these ones were enjoyed, Lindsay! I appreciate your review.
Alexis
This is so good! I was so shocked at how yummy it was, I’m about to make a second batch because I couldn’t stop eating it.
Wendy Faulkner
Delicious! I did the collard green with garlic and red pepper and lemon. my next batch (and I have plenty) I’ll try the ginger and then the other. Thank you Wendy
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Wendy!
Dawn
Loved it! I usually use sauteed spinach or kale with my eggs in the morning and with salmon in the evenings. This was better, just sauteed a bit longer than kale. Bonus, collards are quarter the price!! My new staple, thanks!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Dawn!
P Whetsell
Purchased the best looking collards at Walmart yesterday. Found this recipe and made last evening. Delicious!!!! Will also use this recipe for other types of greens.
Kate
Thanks for sharing!
Robert Bracci
Wow, what a great tip on cutting up the collards. I didn’t do the entire recipe but used collards for soup. Rolling and cutting per you tip was such a rime saver and collards came out more consistent size wise.
Shannon Solomon
Made this for our New Year lunch! VERY good and very easy. Thank you!
Stephanie
I’ve been meaning to thank you for sharing this method of preparing collard greens; it is so tasty and quick to prepare, especially if you take out the ribs and slice them in advance and store them tightly sealed in the fridge. It’s also nice to see a recipe without bacon, which just makes everything taste like bacon, not good if you are a vegetarian or even if you’re not, and you like the taste of greens.
Bonnie Braunius
Wow! I’m not usually a big fan of collards, but I force myself to eat them, since they’re so good for you. Your recipe made them sooo much better! I actually enjoyed them, and my husband did, too.
Lily
I love collard greens and this is a PERFECT recipe that comes together quickly while being savory and delicious. Thank you for sharing
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m happy you enjoyed them, Lily.
Ala
Delicious and so easy to make. I have never thought that I will buy sliced greens ever again but thanks to this recipe it become one of my favourite side dishes.
Karla
Super yummy and easy. Enjoyed it with black beans!
Kate
Sounds like a great combination!
T.R.
This is my second time making it. I’ve never tasted any greens this good. Bonus! The hubby loves it too.
Kate
That is a bonus! Thanks for your review, T.R.
George Wall
It took maybe 7 min to wash and de-vein the leaves, then roll & thinly slice. Then it took about as long to sauté in grape seed oil w a pinch salt. Midway through, i added garlic pepper and chili flakes. Cooked till they started to brown. Oh, delicious! My wife thought she was going to miss some vinegar or lemon, but didn’t have to add either of those. We ate the greens w black-eyed peas and pork chops. Thank you for this great recipe, Kate.
Christy
All three of my kids liked this,which is rare, but they like it extra brown and crispy. I was asked to make seconds.
Sommer K
Thank you for this recipe! These were the best greens my husband and I have ever tasted. I will be making these regularly!
Teri
These were scrumptious! So fresh and tasty; loved the flavors just as written. I’ve never cared much for the Southern style of collards. I got my first box of imperfect produce and it contained collards so I went looking for a recipe to try. Definitely a keeper!
Jordan
Sounds super easy! Excited to try.
Robert Bruce
First time ever eating collard greens. this recipe was so easy and very good!
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m glad you tried this one.
Karen Lippman
This is the BEST BY FAR collard greens recipe I have ever eaten. My husband does not like collards and he like them! They were delicious!! Thank you.
Judy Sciole
Loved it! I am trying to go a little more vegan but cheated this. I also added smoked bacon and onions with the garlic. Served on a bed of basil flavored quinoa and black beans. The greens were the star of the plate!
Jenny Maurer
Great change up from the greasy ham or bacon version. Was very good and so simple. will make again.
Sara
Receipe was great! This was my first time making collard greens. Thank you!
annie
super quick, easy and TASTY! i generally cringe at the thought of collards: overcooked, heavy and time consuming..this was opposite and delightful, thank you!
Kate
Wonderful to hear this one was perfect for you, Annie! I appreciate your review.
Scott
I made this as you recommended in a cast iron skillet but I used avocado oil instead of olive oil. I think this let me cook it at a bit of a higher temp and it got nicely browned with a bit of crunch to it which I really liked. It is much better than the typical soggy collards. I will definitely make it again, and I will try it with kale too. Thanks!
Kate
I’m happy you liked it! It works well with kale. I appreciate you taking the time to review.
Elaine
It was delicious! I tasted it before adding the lemon and decided I didn’t even need it. Very good recipe!
Denton Foreman
I’ve never cooked collard greens before this and was surprised how delicious it was with just a little bit of oil and salt. Thank you for providing the recipe.
Sebastian
I added a very thinly sliced onion with the collards and they were absolutely delicious! My husband likes greens cooked Southern style, but is otherwise very picky about them. I didn’t know if he’d even eat these, but when he finished the bowl and said, “you can make this again!” I knew I had a hit. Thank you for the great idea.
Diana
Easy, quick,and very tasty! Thank you
Kathy
Hi Cookie or Kate
I made your dish with a few minor variations. Awesome!!
My first time ever cooking this delicious and nutritious green because I guess I was scared .
Thank you so much!!
Your easy intro and recipe has initiated me into a whole new world of green.
Thank you!!
Ginny
Brazilian collards was wonderful! I have never been overly fond of southern cooked collards with vinegar and fastback. My son’s garden had a huge collard just ready to eat. So I picked it, stripped out the vein, washed it. Then tried your recipe. It was yummy. I’m converted to a collard lover!!! Thank you.
Kate
You’re welcome, Ginny! I’m happy to hear it. I appreciate your review.
LindaSD
Love this recipe, easy, your instructions and photos made this simple and easy to make. Thanks. I was tired of Kale. Bought fresh greens at grocery store (a little shocked at the expense). Thought Collards would be too strong/bitter and didn’t like typical boil to death recipes. But this method was perfect. The little bit of browning and the red pepper flakes make this wonderful. I did find after fry pan cooking they were little too chewy, tough. My fry pan was getting too burnt so put the greens into glass bowl, plastic wrap sealed and into microwave just a few seconds to get steam up, let sit a few minutes and they were perfect. It did however make them less brilliant green but still not over cooked. I put them on plain chopped up spaghetti, nothing else, heated in microwave for breakfast the next day! Yummy. Look forward to trying more recipes on your site.
Kate
Thank you for sharing your experience, Linda! I’m happy you liked this method.
Barbara Solomon
Very good taste was amazing
Heather
I made these today. Holy crap, are they incredible!
Heidi M Culver
We had a bunch of collard greens in our last grocery order and I have never cooked them! Your recipe was great. I ended up adding some beet greens,left over diced potatoes, and cabbage to a quick stir fry and changed it up with some lemon pepper instead of lemon. Superb! Thank you!
Cheryl
I never thought I would seek out collard greens. Received some in an organic vegetable delivery and had no idea what to do with them… then I found this recipe. They were awesome and honestly I could eat them like they were popcorn or tortilla chips but sooooo much healthier. Very quick and easy a so so delicious.
Patty
This is the first year I’ve grown Collard, and I had no idea what to do with it. Your recipe is AMAZING! I wanted to eat all of it myself. I didn’t have lemon, so I served it without. And instead of olive oil, I used grease from frying my bacon-sausage. Absolutely will make again…and again… and again. Thank you for sharing.
Kate
Fresh from the garden, it doesn’t get better! Thank you for sharing, Patty.
kiss
Only one word: Chiffonade. When you look it up you’ll know what I mean.
Heather Russell
First time ever cooking collard greens.Clean eating, easy recipe, yummy!!
Lisa
Hi, I am from the South & used to collards prepared in the pressure cooker. I’ve never made them myself & don’t like the pressure cooker so this recipe definitely appealed to me. Let me tell you, these are delicious & I could have them everyday! Thank you for this recipe & all the details involved!
Stella
I wasn’t sure I’d like collard greens, and as I was cutting them they smelled just like grass… needless to say, I didn’t have high hopes. But wowie! These are soooo good. I hope my husband likes them, too, because they’re going to show up on our dinner table again!
Jenessa
This has been our family’s favorite meal. I add Marcona Almonds (from Costco) to the greens before the garlic goes in. Then I make cauliflower rice with black beans and cumin as a side. The greens absolutely are the star of this dish.I have made it with Kale too and it was just as fantastic. Thank you!!!
Jackie
These came out absolutely delicious. Also seems healthier than cooking greens for hours. I used just a bit of Tony’s original creole seasoning in place of the salt and red pepper. I’m holding on to this recipe, it’s a real winner!
Margie Taylor
Love it!!! So tasty!
Lynn Sinnott
Contrary to some other greens, these cooked up quickly and were delicious. I have the Love Real Food cookbook, and have found it filled with equally wonderful recipes. Thanks, Kate!
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m excited you loved it.
Ilana
Turned out great as a side for a lasagna!
Casey W.
I’ve never cooked collards before but had a bunch to use up- this was the perfect introduction to them! I can’t stand soggy cooked greens so was pleasantly surprised at how nicely these crisp. I did substitute garlic powder instead of fresh garlic.
T Bare
Just used this method with savoy cabbage. Superb! Also added some summer savory flowers, great flavour pairing. The herb flower is a rich purple colour this time of year, looks wonderful alongside the vibrant green which is preserved in this cooking method.
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I appreciate your review.
Jessica McLaws
Loved these!! So fast and delicious! They would be really good with some toasted walnuts.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Jessica! I appreciate you sharing. Toasted nuts would be delicious.
Marion Thomas
It was absolutely delicious!!!!
I think I may try it with kale, what do you think?
Kate
That’s a great option! Thank you for your review.
Chuck Matthews
Kate, Although I eat a lot of kale, I haven’t had collards since I was a kid. Recently, when looking for collard green recipes, all I could find were ones that required a lot of time. Your recipe fixes that. Thank you for that.
Jim Manda
Never ate a collard green in my life until about 2 days ago when my wife pointed out this gigundo green plant in our garden. I asked what I could do with those enormous leaves, and she told me to NOT put them in a salad raw…”They need to be cooked.” After a very short search on my iPad, I hit your website and this recipe. Great stuff! Made it as a side the other night and with pasta last night. Tonight it will probably be a side again…there’s a lot of collard green out there.
Kate
I’m happy you liked this versions, Jim! Thank you for your review.
Edita
I just made the collards this way. It was soooo good! It is a very quick and easy way to prepare these nutritious greens! Kate, I love your recipes and thank you so much for sharing your great cooking ideas with us!
Cassandra
Amazing and so eas!! it only took a few minutes. The lemon on top really makes this pop. Thanks for the recipe, this is the first time I’ve cooked collards
Kate
You’re welcome, Cassandra! Thank you for your review.
cat
is it necessary to soak the collard greens before cooking?
Kate
Hi cat, this one doesn’t require a soak. Are you referring to something else?
Jenny Lewis
The best collards I have ever had. I have made this twice and was amazing each time. Something about the cut of them this way makes them so fantastic. Never grey in color. Always still vibrant on the plate. Super yum thank you!
Donna Mote
I used collards straight from my garden and these were the best collards I’ve ever had!
Kate
Best ever? Wonderful! Thank you for your review, Donna.
Dena Ennis
These were delicious! I bought collards on my last trip to the grocery and kept putting off cooking them – until I found this recipe. I doubt that I will ever cook them any other way. That little splash of lemon is perfection. The hubs even gave them a thumbs up :)
Kate
Thank you, Dena! I’m glad you loved it.
Shantha Akkineni
This article is so good. We have collards at home grown on their own every year with fallen seeds. We do not know what do with them. This article is so helpful in making a simple, delicious and healthy recipe. Thank you Kate for enriching our greens cooking knowledge.
Kate
Homegrown, sounds even better! Thank you for your review.
Sharon
It was great!
Robin Lewis
I’m so excited to try this recipe! Making these on New Year’s Day 2021 for my husband, mom, and sister! Happy New Year!
Jess
You’re recipes are amazing, and the greens were no exception. I’ve made greens so many times I can’t count, often with the same ingredients, but I’ve never enjoyed greens as much as these. Your process is what sets the recipes apart. It’s forgiving but spot on. These were fab!
Kate
Thank you, Jess! I’m glad you loved them.
Eva
Had to leave a comment about this recipe….we traditionally do a post Christmas honey ham a few days after Christmas and I was looking for a green side that hadn’t been cooked recently, and came upon this recipe. I made it exactly as described, and squeezed half a lemon over entire dish prior to serving. ALL of the adults raved about this recipe…my mom said “of course everything is good, the mac and cheese, the scalloped potatoes, but I EXPECT those to be good…these collards are SHOCKINGLY good!” Thanks for another winner!
Aloysius
Many thanks. First time for me to eat c greens. It’s because I need calcium and c g give more calcium than spinach. Anyway, tried recipe. Taste was awesome. Great mix of salt garlic hear and lemon.
But, it turned out a wee bit tough and chewy. I may have erred in cooking at medium low heat instead of higher. Any advice?
Ellie
This was delicious! I left out the lemon because I forgot and it was still amazing. I thought it was weird rolling the leaves into cigar shapes to cut but I tried it anyway and it was so cool!
Bianca
I had never even eaten collard greens before making this recipe. We served it with a rare grilled fillet mignon. It was lovely, so flavourful with a delightful texture. Cooked greens are my new discovery and my body is so happy eating them. My mouth is too! Thanks a big bunch (of collards!)
Kate
I’m glad you tried it! Thank you for sharing, Bianca.
Chana
Made tonight. Amazing!
Geneva Nash Morgan
Thanks for the recipe, tasty! A friend gave us a large bunch of very fresh Collards. I used your same cutting technique. Very clever for some tough vegetables. I used one large shallot cut in the same fashion very thin and minced garlic that I sweated ahead of time because the last time I made this recipe the garlic never cooked down. Then I added the collards, a little salt and some pepper flakes. I released the pan with a splash of white wine and a squeeze of lemon and let it simmer half covered for a couple of minutes to break down the tough fibrous collards. They turned out delicious
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Geneva! I appreciate your review.
Brett
This worked great for me, a big improvement over my technique in the past. Rolling and slicing makes a great tangly structure; holding garlic/chili til the last phase lets you fully cook the greens; salt as you go and lemon at the end brighten it perfectly. I added a handful of chopped orange cherry tomatoes and it was just perfect.
Shirlee
Very nice recipe. Only thing I would add is that you can chop up the ribs/stems and saute those first because they take a little longer (I use salt, pepper, and an acid like lemon juice or a splash of vinegar.) No reason to throw out the ribs.