What are Collard Greens?
Part of our Ultimate Guide to Fruits and Vegetables. Click to see more answers to your questions.
Collard greens are a type of leafy green vegetable that belongs to the Brassica family, which includes cabbage, broccoli, and kale. They are primarily known for their large, dark-colored, edible leaves and a slightly bitter taste that can intensify as the leaves mature.
Around the world
These greens are a staple in various cuisines around the world, appreciated for both their nutritional value and their culinary uses.
In the United States, particularly in the southern regions, collard greens are traditionally cooked by simmering them slowly with smoked meats like ham hocks, turkey necks, or bacon. This cooking method, which can last several hours, tenderizes the tough leaves and infuses them with a smoky flavor. The leftover cooking broth, often called “pot likker,” is also enjoyed for its taste, which is imbued with the essence of the greens and smoked meat.
They can also be used as a novel garnish: fine strips of fresh collard greens that are fried until crisp and papery top a recipe for Mussels with Orecchiette from Patrick O’Connell, chef and owner of Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia.
Beyond American Southern cooking, collard greens are prepared in other cultures.
In Brazil, they are known as “couve” and are commonly sliced finely and sautéed with garlic, usually served alongside feijoada, a stew of beans with beef and pork. This dish highlights the greens’ ability to complement more robust, meaty flavors.
Portuguese “caldo verde,” a soup that features thinly sliced collard greens with potatoes and chorizo sausage, is another example of how these greens are used in different culinary traditions. The soup is a comforting dish often enjoyed during celebrations and colder weather.In the Indian subcontinent, collard greens might be cooked down with spices such as cumin and mustard seeds, along with onions and garlic, to create “saag.” This preparation showcases the greens in a flavorful context, similar to other cooked greens like spinach or mustard leaves.
In East Africa, collard greens, or “sukuma wiki,” are a common accompaniment to meals, especially served with ugali, a type of cornmeal porridge. The greens are typically sautéed with onions and sometimes tomatoes, offering a simple but satisfying side dish.
How to prepare
Kiano Moju shared her recipe for Kenyan Sukuma wiki on Serious Eats—sautéed collard greens cut into 2 inch ribbons. Her tips for cleaning:
Don’t be tempted to save time and skip washing the greens. Bunched collard greens, like any type of dark leafy green that is grown in the ground, can have residual dirt that when left unwashed before cooking, can have an unwelcome gritty texture. Avoid this by taking the few minutes to fill a large bowl of water, then dipping the individual leaves briefly into the water and rubbing them clean before transferring to a colander to drain…The next crucial step when preparing the greens for cooking is to remove the fibrous center stalk that runs through the middle of each leaf.
Collard greens are easy to grow, thriving in cooler weather and tolerating frost, which even enhances their flavor. They are planted in well-drained, fertile soil and need regular watering, especially as they grow larger. Harvesting begins when the leaves are firm and large enough to eat but before they toughen with age.
