These Southern style collard greens are simmered with bacon and seasonings until tender and flavorful. A simple yet satisfying side dish that pairs perfectly with proteins such as chicken, beef and pork.
When I’m looking for an easy side dish that I know the whole family will love, I turn to favorites such as slow cooker mac and cheese, sauteed brussels sprouts and these smoky, savory collard greens.
Collard greens are often overlooked at the grocery store, but if you haven’t tried these greens, you’re missing out! They have tons of great flavor, especially when you pair them with bacon. Pair your greens with traditional Hoppin’ John for a fabulous meal!
What are collard greens?
Collard greens are a leafy vegetable that is commonly eaten in the Southern United States. This veggie features large dark green leaves attached to tough stems. Collards have similar properties to kale, turnip greens and mustard greens in that they’re all sturdy greens with a bit of a bitter kick. This type of green is best enjoyed when slow cooked, as the leaves are tough when raw.
How do you make collard greens?
Clean your greens well in cold water, making sure any dirt or grit is removed. Cut the woody stem out of each piece, then roughly chop the leaves. Cook diced bacon until crispy, then remove half the bacon to use as garnish. Add onion and garlic to the bacon grease in the pan, and cook until tender. Place the greens in the pot, along with chicken broth and seasonings. Simmer until the greens are very tender. Stir in the hot sauce and vinegar, then garnish with reserved bacon and serve.
Tips for the perfect dish
- The greens can be cleaned and prepped up to three days before you plan to use them. You can also buy a bag of pre-prepared greens to save some time.
- This dish stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe as the greens will be watery when thawed.
- I recommend serving your greens with cornbread on the side for optimal enjoyment.
Flavor Variations
While I love this dish as written, there are many ways to change up the flavor to customize it to your tastes.
- Meat: Instead of bacon, try another smoky meat such as ham hocks, diced ham steak or smoked turkey wings. If you use ham hocks or smoked turkey wings, you’ll want to simmer them until tender before you add them to the greens. Be sure to cut the meat off the bones after they’ve simmered and stir it into the finished dish.
- Greens: While collards are the traditional choice, this recipe also works with other varieties of greens such as kale, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens or dandelion greens. You can even use a combination of different types of greens.
Are collard greens healthy?
Greens contain many nutritional properties and are a great addition to any healthy diet. This veggie is full of calcium, Vitamin A and Vitamin C, as well as iron, magnesium and niacin. In their natural state, collard greens are low in calories, fat and carbohydrates, yet high in fiber. This particular dish calls for bacon, which makes the greens a little less healthy. If you’re looking to save on calories, you can cut the amount of bacon in the recipe by half.
Give these greens a try, it’s the best way to eat your veggies and enjoy them too!
More side dishes you’ll enjoy
- Roasted Root Vegetables
- Honey Roasted Carrots
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Green Beans
- Maple Sweet Potatoes
Collard greens video
Collard Greens with Bacon
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound collard greens cleaned, stems removed, and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Place the bacon in a large pot over medium high heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until crisp. Remove half the bacon from the pan and reserve for later use.
- Add the onion to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic, salt and pepper, then cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the greens to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes or until wilted. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low, then cover the pot and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until greens are tender. Uncover and stir in the hot sauce and vinegar. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with reserved bacon, then serve immediately.
I’ve never made collard greens, but when fixed properly,I like them. On a cold day recently I made a pot of ham and bean soup and corn bread, then thought wow, time to try making collard greens! Found this recipe that sounded like what I was shooting for. I hit a bulls eye! This recipe turned out great! Of course its the bacon that makes it, but highly recommended and easy to make. Make sure greens are simmed enough before serving.
AWESOME. Never had Collard Greens before. Will be using this again and again
I’ve had collard greens before, but have never made them myself. These are FANTASTIC! I made a batch and unfortunately, they didn’t last until dinner because everyone kept stopping by the stove to “have a taste”. So, so good! I also halved the bacon and the salt and they were still delicious.
Made these on Easter for a bunch of college students. Big hit! I halved the bacon and halved the salt and they were still awesome. I’m going to double the recipe next time. I also used red wine vinegar since I didn’t have apple cider vinegar and it worked great.
I bought the greens at a local farmers market but had not made them before so I gave this recipe a try and it was amazing!
Hello! I am excited to try this recipe based on all of the great reviews. One question – Can this be doubled easily by just doubling all of the listed ingredients? Anything that may need altering? Thanks so much in advance!
Yes you should be able to just double the ingredients!
I made this recipe for my family last night and we loved it!
I prepare my collard greens this way except the onions and apple cider vinegar. I cook collards about three to four times a month. Next week, I plan to add the onions and vinegar. I love both so I am anxious to taste the flavor.
I agree with you
I used your recipe last night and it was so delicious!
So yummy. I love my greens – yet after a summer of all the fresh salads, I’m starting to crave some warmer cooked greens. This hit the spot. Especially with the bacon!!
Absolutely delicious! Just love how easy and healthy these are!
Can these be made the night before? Best way to reheat them
Yes you can make them ahead of time, I’d reheat on the stove!
Such a great recipe… especially for someone who’s never had collard greens before!
What a delicious side dish! I am going to try it soon! Yum!
I love that you have added bacon to this traditional southern dish. I love collard greens and I can only imagine how much flavor that bacon adds. Can’t wait to make this soon.
This recipe is so delicious and the bacon definitely add more flavor! Can’t wait to make this again!
I loved it! The added bacon made it so good!
I love this tasty side dish, great for when I need something simple yet flavorful!
These collard greens with bacon would disappear in our house!
i love this recipe wowwwwwwwwww