There is more than one way to cook collard greens in the South, and this recipe for Mary’s Healthy Southern Collard Greens is as nutritious as it is delicious!
These collard greens are made without traditional ham hocks or other pork products. Mary’s simple, straightforward method of cooking the greens enhances the mild flavor of the fresh collards and keeps them crisp and tender.
These greens had actually just been harvested from our friends Mary and her husband Rick Carroll’s garden earlier in the day, which brought a whole new meaning to the popular phrase “farm to table.”
Mary prepared them for our dinner that night and graciously agreed to share her recipe with me. And, of course, I couldn’t wait to share it with you!
What are they:
Collard greens, which have long been a staple in the South, have become the new “it” vegetable and recipes are popping up all over the internet, which makes use of nutritious collard leaves in wraps, coleslaws, salads and more.
They grow best in cooler temperatures and the peak season is January through April. However, these days you can find fresh collard greens in most grocery stores and farmers’ markets year-round.
Are they healthy:
Collard greens are chock-full of vitamins K, B6, C, and E, and are an excellent source of calcium, folate, and beta-carotene. They also have high levels of antioxidants, can help reduce inflammation, are low in calories and high in soluble fiber.
Collard greens also have more calcium per serving than kale and double the amount of protein and iron.
What to serve with them:
Cooked greens are almost always served with cornbread or hoecakes. You will also often find field peas, zipper peas, or black-eyed peas as well as sliced tomatoes or southern potato salad as accompaniments.
Here’s what’s in the recipe:
There are only three ingredients: fresh collard greens, kosher salt, and olive oil.
How to clean collards:
Although this recipe is as easy as they come, the leaves do need to be washed thoroughly before cooking to remove any sand or dirt.
To wash them fill up a sink with water and submerge the leaves and swish them around. Depending on how sandy they are, you might have to repeat this process with clean water several times until there is no more sand in your sink.
After washing the leaves, let them dry, wrap in a paper towel, and they can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed plastic bag for up to 5 days.
How to remove the stems and prepare them for cooking:
Use a sharp knife to cut out the tough center stalk of each leaf and then stack the leaves on top of each other and slice into 1-inch ribbons.
Cooking collard greens:
Fill up a dutch oven or large pot about 1/3 of the way up with water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the olive oil and salt.
Add the collards to the water and bring back to a boil. (You may need to add the collards in batches if they don’t all fit at one time. They will wilt down, and then you can add the rest.)
When all of the greens have been added, and the water is boiling, turn the heat down to low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
Continue to cook for about 10 more minutes. Serve immediately and be sure to include some of the flavorful “pot likker”.
Related recipes:
If you like this dish, you might also like these other Southern recipes: Tomato Cobbler with Cornmeal-Cheddar Biscuits, The Ultimate Southern Style Burger, Southern-Style Baked Mac and Cheese, Southern Sweet Potato Pie, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Southern Style Crispy Onion Rings.
If you need more menu ideas or inspiration, check out all of my Southern recipes here.
★ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
Mary's Healthy Southern Collard Greens Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-3 bunches fresh collard greens thoroughly washed
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to cut out the tough center stalk of each leaf and then stack the leaves on top of each other and slice into 1-inch ribbons.
- Fill up a dutch oven or large pot about 1/3 of the way up with water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the olive oil and salt.
- Add the collards to the water and bring back to a boil. (You may need to add the collards in batches if they don't all fit at one time. They will wilt down, and then you can add the rest.) When all of the collards have been added, and the water is boiling, turn the heat down to low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
- Continue to cook for about 10 more minutes. Serve immediately and be sure to include some of the flavorful "pot likker".
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