My Not-So-Secret Collard Greens Recipe

Before you say another word, let me tell you that if you’ve tried collard greens and aren’t really a fan, this recipe is going to change your mind! As I shared on Instagram, I haven’t met a person who wasn’t a fan after they tried my collard greens. After years of keeping this recipe all to myself, I’m finally ready to share and change the minds of all of those greens-haters. So no preconceived notions about whether or not you like collard greens. Instead, I challenge you to try this out and tell me you aren’t a fan!

My Not-So-Secret Collard Greens

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5 from 12 votes

My Not-So-Secret Collard Greens

You haven't tried collard greens until you've tried this recipe. Packed with bacon, onions and fresh, chopped greens, you won't believe what you've been missing.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Additional Cooking Time (if you have time)3 hrs

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bacon, family, southern, veggies

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 36 oz fresh collard greens cut into pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• 1 pkg bacon thick cut if available
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• sea salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
• Add entire package of bacon to the pot. Use tongs to move them around so that they all cook evenly. You want bacon to be cooked, but not too crisp.
  
• Remove bacon from pot and place on a plate covered with a paper towel. Let cool.
• Add chopped onions to the same pot and cook until soft. Make sure to stir to avoid burning.
• Add garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute.
• Add collard greens to the pot (you will need to do that in batches, unless you have a very big pot). Stir to make sure the onions and garlic are well distributed and don't burn at the bottom. The collard greens will begin to wilt.
  
• Chop up bacon into bite sized pieces and return to the pot. Stir to combine.
  
• Add chicken broth and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remember the chicken broth and bacon both have salt in them, so use salt sparingly. You can always add more later, but you can't remove it if you add too much. I typically start with 1/8 tsp.
• Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and cover pot. Simmer for one hour.
  
• At this point, you should taste to make sure you're happy with the saltiness of them. If you need to add more, add more.
  
• If you have time, keep them simmering on low for as long as possible. I often make mine the day before we need them. The longer they soak, the yummier they will be.

It’s funny… I was telling my family that a professional chef would probably cringe if they saw the way I cooked certain foods, but I’m just a regular Mom who loves to cook. People find my recipes easy to follow because I’m not professionally trained. I hope that you agree!

I have been making these collard greens for so many years. They make an appearance every Thanksgiving and/or Christmas dinner. I also make them a few times throughout the year because my kids love them!

A few tips… you can buy the collard greens already chopped up, in 1lb bags, in your local grocery store. This will save you so much time! In our store, they often have them as buy one get one free, so that’s when I usually make them.

For the onion, you can choose to use a yellow onion, or a vidalia onion. If you like your collard greens a little on the spicier side, feel free to add some red pepper flakes to give it a little kick.

If you don’t have any chicken broth in the house, you can also use water and bouillon cubes, but make sure to keep in mind that it may be a bit saltier than chicken broth, so adjust your salt as necessary.

I hope that I’ve convinced you to at least give my collard greens recipe a try. If you make it, please let me know how it turned out! And if I can answer any questions for you, please let me know! Enjoy!

XOXO