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Quick Southern-Style Vegetarian Collard Greens – vegetarian recipe
Stav Kogan

Quick Southern-Style Vegetarian Collard Greens

Get all the soulful, smoky flavor of traditional collard greens in a vibrant, healthy side dish that's ready in under 30 minutes. This recipe transforms collard greens into a tender, garlicky, and deeply savory treat.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 6 serving
Calories: 82
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large bunches collard greens, about 2 lbs / 908 g (32 oz)
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) (0 fl oz) sea salt
  • 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1/8 tsp (0.625 ml) liquid smoke, about 5 drops
  • ½ tsp (2.5 ml) (0.1 fl oz) unsulfured blackstrap molasses
  • For a touch of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes along with the garlic.
  • To make this a main dish, stir in a can of drained cannellini beans or chickpeas during the last 5 minutes of simmering.
  • The flavor of these greens deepens as they sit. They make fantastic leftovers for up to 4 days.

Method
 

  1. Prep the Greens: Trim the tough stems from the collard leaves. Halve the leaves lengthwise, then cut them crosswise into two-inch pieces. Wash the greens thoroughly in a large bowl of water, drain, and spin dry to remove all grit.
  2. Sauté Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
  4. Wilt the Greens: Add half of the collard greens to the skillet. Use tongs to toss them with the garlic and oil until they begin to wilt.
  5. Add the remaining greens and the sea salt, and continue to toss until they also start to wilt.
  6. Simmer to Perfection: Pour in the vegetable broth, liquid smoke, and molasses.
  7. Stir everything to combine well.
  8. Bring to a simmer, then cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the greens are tender to your liking.
  9. Don't skip the molasses; its subtle sweetness perfectly balances the bitterness of the greens and the smoky flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 82kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 6gFat: 2g

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