The real secret within this Vegan Southern-Style Collard Greens is the addition of bold, smoky flavors which boost the flavor of the greens above any other.
Originally Published on: Dec 9, 2016
Chopped onions and garlic are sauteed for an aromatic base then the collard greens are slowly braised in juicy tomatoes, fragrant herbs, and deep spices.
Smoked paprika is the spice that provides the vegan collard greens with a distinctive background smokiness to amp the flavor. With the amount of flavor packed into this dish,
it is hard to believe that it only takes 30 minutes to complete. The pot liquor of rich, smoky soup permeates all the vegetables and is almost as delicious as the vegan collard greens themselves.
If you like a spicier side of greens then add a teaspoon of chili flakes to finish or serve with hot sauce, a welcome spice to contrast your main meal.
The resulting dish is fresh and tender vegan collard green, an amazingly delicious taste of the South!
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There was a good reason to create these vegan collard greens this weekend, it is my husband’s birthday! I’m so excited to create and feed him some of his favorite dishes…
He specially requested that I make my Cranberry Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies, Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake, Jamaican Rice and Peas, Jamaican Spicy Curry Potato, and a big pot of Vegan Southern-Style Collard Greens.
What Are Collard Greens?
Collard greens are dark green leafy brassica from the same family as cabbage. They are most similar to kale, this recipe also works perfectly using kale, chard, or mustard greens if collard greens are unavailable.
Greens are cultivated all year round and especially thrive in the heat of summer but are even tastier during the winter months.
Especially popular in the Southern United States as a staple vegetable, sauteed greens are fresh and vibrant with a welcome zing from garlic and smoked paprika.
Each region of the south and each chef has their own unique version of collard greens, the kind of recipe that
has been passed down by generations. Now I pass my recipe of vegan collard greens onto you to share with your family and begin your own traditions.
Can You Eat Collard Greens Raw?
Collards greens are eaten raw in salads, veggie wraps, added to soups, and even dehydrated. It has a bitter taste that is actually milder than kale leaves. I personally find raw collard greens and other cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, kale, Brussel’s sprouts, to be harsh on my digestion, when eaten raw. I prefer to eat them after they are cooked.

How To Clean Collard Greens
Cleaning your collard greens properly is one of the most important steps in preparing collard greens. You want to make sure all the dirt and sand that the greens are grown in are completely removed. I’m sure you don’t want to be eating sandy pot likker!
You want to soak your collard green leaves in salted water to remove sand, dirt, and anything else that might be clinging to the leaves.
Fill a large basin or the sink with water, add salt. Submerge your collard greens leaves in the water let it soak for about 5 minutes. Swish around the leaves, pour out the dirty water.
Replace with clean water. Next, I love to take each individual leaf and wash on both sides rubbing the leaf to make sure there is no dirt or sand cling to each leaf.
How To Cut Collard Greens?
I remove the stem that runs down the middle of the collard greens most of the time. There I times that I really don’t bother, I just chop up the leaves. It is not necessary for you to remove the stem, it actually has lots of nutrients and fiber.
A mature stem might be bitter and tough.

How To Cook Vegan Southern-Style Collard Greens
I purchase collard greens fresh from the local farmers’ market here in Florida. I find they are very tender and usually cook in 30 minutes or less.
Depending on the conditions collards can be a little tougher so may need cooking for longer, they are ready when tender. If the stalk of the greens is thick and woody, then remove it using a knife for quicker cooking.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium-high. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and cook for a minute. Add tomatoes, smoked paprika, thyme, salt and cook stirring for a minute.
- Add the collard greens in batches to your pot, Stir the chopped leaves until they are wilted. Add the remaining greens, cover the pot, and let it do its business.
- Stir the greens occasionally, the leaves can take up to an hour or even longer depend on how mature the leaves are.
- You can taste and adjust the seasoning, also check if greens are tender. You can also add extra water or vegetable broth to make sure there are remaining pot likker to sop up your cornbread.
You might want to triple this recipe if you are serving a large family or guests. Remember that the greens will shrink to about half the size.
Many Southern recipes use bacon, ham hock, or some form of pork as the base for collard greens. To produce a vegan collard greens recipe I add smoked paprika, this provides a real smoky flavor along with onion, garlic, and tomatoes to replace meat.
The result is bursting with flavors that you won’t even miss the meat at all!

Other Southern-Style Recipes:
- Instant Pot Pinto Beans
- Cornbread
- Baked Candied Yams
- Southern-Style Black-Eyed Peas
- Vegan Gumbo
- Vegan Mac And Cheese
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Categories
- Categories: Gluten-Free, Vegan
- Course: Side Dish
- Cuisines: American, Soul Food, Southern
- Seasons: Black History, Christmas, Thanksgiving
Nutrition
(Per portion)- Energy: 92 kcal / 385 kJ
- Fat: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Carbs: 11 g
Cook Time
- Preparation: 20 min
- Cooking: 35 min
- Ready in: 55 min
- For: 4 servings
Ingredients
- one pound collard greens, washed and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup water, or vegetable broth
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium-high. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and cook for a minute. Add tomatoes, smoked paprika, thyme, salt and cook stirring for a minute.
- Stir in collard greens until wilted.
- Add liquid, cover saucepan and reduce to simmer for 30 minutes.
Gggiiirrrllllll, you have my heart, belly and mind with these greens! If I am not mistaken, they are the staple I have here, with my dinner….only that mine don’t have sweet paprika in them.
Wow, these authentic vegan collard greens sound absolutely delicious! I love that they’re cooked in the Southern tradition of low and slow, which I imagine really brings out the flavour of the simple everyday ingredients. It’s amazing how something so basic can be transformed into the best way to cook vegan collard greens. I can’t wait to try this recipe myself!
I’m seeing more amazing vegan food but I’m not. However, I don’t mind trying it haha. Thank you for sharing!
Collard greens are so delicious and this recipe is simple and easy to follow.
I made this vegan collard green for the first time and it did not dissapoint me. Thank you for your recipe.
Your vegan Southern-style collard greens recipe is a winner! 🌱🍃 Loved the flavorful twist on a classic dish. Your step-by-step instructions made it a breeze to follow. Excited to add this plant-based goodness to my table. Thanks for sharing the yum! 👏👩🍳
Oh my, this vegan dish looks incredibly delicious and a very healthy meal too! Many will gonna love this for sure! The greenish color makes it so enticing! Loved it!
Looks lovely and healthy recipe
I’ve made beans and greens using a broth flavoring, but I haven’t tried making anything else with collard greens. Your recipe sounds great with the garlic and tomato.
This sounds pretty good! I don’t think I’ve ever actually had this dish before so I will have to try it out.