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These southern style soul food collard greens are the kind of comfort food that takes me straight to the heart of Southern cooking. The greens are perfectly tender with a slight smoky flavor and pieces of meat that are so tender. Whether I’m serving it up alongside cornbread and roasted Cornish hens or just digging in straight from the pot, these collard greens bring all the comfort and soul. This is one of the BEST soul food collard greens recipes you’ll try!
Why I love this collard greens recipe
When I was younger, I would spend my Thanksgivings in Montgomery, Alabama with my Dad and Stepmoms family. We used to go pick out the collard greens from a farm and take them back home to cook them.
This recipe reminds me of those times and collard greens are my absolute favorite side on Thanksgiving. My grandma taught me how to make greens and this is partially her recipe, mixed with a few things I tweaked on my own.
With this recipe, I feel like you really can’t mess up as you can add more seasonings or take away as you see fit.
Ingredients for soul food collard greens recipe
- Smoked meat (like hammocks or smoked turkey): Adds a smoky, rich flavor that brings depth to the broth. I prefer ham hocks because they have a good amount of meat and the fattiness helps add to the rich broth aka pot liquor.
- Collard greens: The star of the dish, these hearty greens soak up all that savory goodness.
- Water: The base for cooking and creating the broth.
- Garlic powder: Adds a savory undertone to enhance the flavor.
- Hot sauce: Gives a subtle kick without overpowering the dish.
- Pepper: For seasoning and a touch of spice.
- Smoked paprika: Adds smokiness and a beautiful depth of flavor.
- Chicken bouillon: Enhances the savory profile of the broth.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and a smooth texture.
- White vinegar: Balances the richness and cuts through the flavors.
- Garlic cloves: Fresh garlic for an aromatic, bold taste.
- Salt (if using smoked turkey): Adds a touch of saltiness if needed.
The full written recipe with measurements is below on the recipe card.
How to cook collard greens southern style
First rinse the smoked meat with water and vinegar and pat dry. I only do this if using ham mocks or neck bones.
Start simmering the smoked meat with chicken bouillon in water to create a flavorful broth. Let this cook for about 45 minutes to an hour.
Meanwhile, wash and prep your collard greens. First take the greens and cut off the stems on the bottom. Then take the larger greens, fold in half and rip off the stems. The larger stems can make the greens bitter, but I leave them on the smaller sized leaves.
Then stack some of the leaves on top of each other and tightly roll. Next, cut the rolled up greens into one inch thick ribbons. Place in a bowl and clean with water and vinegar to ensure any dirt and grit is off of the greens. I like to do this a few times.
Add the collard greens to the same pot with the ham hocks. I like to do this gradually so the greens can start to wilt down.
Once they begin to wilt, stir in the butter, garlic, vinegar, hot sauce, and seasonings.
Cover and let everything simmer together until the greens and meat are tender.
Remove the bones from the meat, break it into smaller pieces, and add the meat back in with the greens. Serve these greens up as a soulful side or enjoy them on their own.
Recipe Tip
Collard greens can be made a day ahead if you want. They taste even better the next day after sitting in the broth for a while.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes! Skip the smoked meat and add a few drops of liquid smoke for flavor. You can also use vegetable bouillon. I’d suggest to add some diced yellow onions to the mix as well.
These greens keep well for up to 3 days in the fridge and taste even better the next day.
Serve alongside cornbread, fried chicken, or with any holiday dish—or just enjoy them on their own! I love soaking up the broth with a little cornbread.
Please remember to leave a review if you make this recipe. The feedback helps me to become a better cook and develop amazing recipes for you.
Soul Food Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb smoked ham hocks , smoked turkey works too
- 2 large bunches of collard greens, at least 10 leaves per bunch
- 2 quarts water
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp hot sauce
- Pepper to taste
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp chicken bouillon, I used better than bouillon
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic
- pinch of salt, only use salt if using smoked turkey, the smoked pork is already salty and the bouillon
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with about two quarts of water over high heat. Add the smoked meat and chicken bouillon. Bring to a boil cover, reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for about 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, wash and prep your collard greens. First take the greens and cut off the stems on the bottom. Then take the larger greens, fold in half and rip off the stems. The larger stems can make the greens bitter, but I leave them on the smaller sized leaves.
- Then stack some of the leaves on top of each other and tightly roll. Next, cut the rolled up greens into one inch thick ribbons. Place in a bowl and clean with water and vinegar to ensure any dirt and grit is off of the greens.
- Roll them up and cut into one inch slices. Add the greens to the pot with the broth and stir in.
- Once the greens are slightly wilted add in all the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for at least an hour or until the meat and greens are very tender.
- Remove the bones from the meat and break up the meat into smaller pieces. Add the meat back into the pot with the greens and stir. Taste and see if you'd like to add any more seasonings.
- Serve with your favorite mains or eat on its own and enjoy!
Video
@theres.food.at.home Soul food collard greens recipe! Search “soul food collard greens there’s food at home” on google for the full recipe. This is about 6 servings. #creatorsearchinsights #foodtiktok #tiktokpartner #thanksgivingrecipes #sides ♬ La vie en rose (Cover Edith Piaf) – 田东昱
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tastes amazing and super easy to make!
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
I never review recipes but it’s thanksgiving night (midnight) 2024 and everyone is still raving about these collards I made. I followed this recipe exactly, no substitutions, and everyone loved it. This will be a staple every year from now on. I doubted the hot sauce (I used Tabasco) and the vinegar because I don’t use those ingredients a lot. I thought it would be overpowering but it came out perfectly
Thank you so much Priya! I’m so glad the hot sauce and vinegar were to your liking =).
This recipe was amazing! I kept referring to it throughout the morning. Everyone enjoyed.
I’m so happy to hear!