This delicious, easy, and simple vegetarian collard green recipe is cooked with onions, garlic, and broth for about 30 minutes. Garnish vegetarian collard greens with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar.
There is no bacon, pork shoulder, or ham in this meatless collard green recipe but it can certainly be added.
Collard greens are easy to make and easy to eat. Bonus, this vegetarian collard greens recipe is not only delicious, but also healthy.
If you like kale and spinach then you will like collard greens! Collards need to cook a little longer than kale to get them tender.
Variations on Vegetarian Collard Greens
This collard green recipe is a basic and delicious starting point if you've never made collard greens. I love the simplicity of a delicious recipe. Having said that there are several ways to shake it up.
- Add favorite vegetables when cooking the onions: peppers, carrots, celery, fennel, etc...
- Add favorite ground spices and mix in after the onions cook: cumin, cayenne, chili powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, etc...
- Add a pop of acid at the end like: vinegar (apple cider, white wine, white, red...) or a splash of fresh citrus or zest like lemon, lime, or orange.
- Make it spicy! Add some hot sauce or a dash of chili flakes.
- Add a tab of butter for some richness.
- This recipe is vegetarian but can also be eaten with some bacon or ham.
Prepare Meatless Collard Greens Before Cooking
Collard greens can be dirty and gritty. You gotta rinse them before cooking. It doesn't really matter if it's before or after you chop them.
I generally chop collards first and swish them in a huge sink or bowl of water (or a strainer or salad spinner). Then drain and rinse again.
- Take the fibrous stems off the collard greens.
- Bundle them up like cigars and slice. Use them sliced or run a knife through them again to chop 'em.
- Run the chopped or ribboned collard greens in a salad spinner or in a large bowl or sink of cold water. Drain and rinse.
- Cook!
*Discard the stems or save them for vegetable broth.
Serving Suggestion
This Collard greens recipe goes excellent as a side dish with any bean recipes or with a main meat dish. Pair collards with one of these recipes:
Simple Vegetarian Collard Greens
This delicious, easy, and simple vegetarian collard green recipe is cooked with onions, garlic, and broth for about 30 minutes. Garnish vegetarian collard greens with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar.
There is no bacon, pork shoulder, or ham in this meatless collard green recipe but it can certainly be added.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southern
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, diced
- 2 bunches collard greens, cleaned, stem removed, and chopped
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 small lemon zested and juiced or a dash of vinegar to taste (both optional)
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring a big stockpot to medium high heat and enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
- Add onions and a dash of salt and cook 3-4 minutes or until onions are translucent. Lower heat if necessary.
- Add garlic and more oil if needed. Cook 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add chopped collard greens and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and simmer covered ~ 30 minutes or until collards are soft / desired tenderness.
- Add lemon juice and zest to taste. Add salt to taste. happy eating! Beckie
Notes
- Add any of your favorite spices and mix them into the oil and onions after they are done cooking and before you add the rest of the ingredients.
- Add a dash of vinegar
- Add a garnish if you like. I added Korean red pepper flakes for a mild spice flavor. A dash of hot sauce or sriracha is also good.
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