Coconut-Braised Collard Greens Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Leanne

I do not like greens. I dislike collards the most.I had seconds.

Tia

So quick to make with a bag of precut and cleaned kale. I did make changes based on what I had available (kale and leeks). Added garlic and fresh ginger based on other reviews. And a can of chick peas because I wanted additional protein. Delicious.

Rachel

Added 3 cloves of garlic, half a yellow onion, 2in of grated ginger, and 2 tbsp of chili oil. Sautéd at the beginning of the recipe w the scallions. Did half a bag of chopped kale / half a bag of spinach instead of collards and served over wild rice. This was wonderful!

Britt

Loved this so much. Great way to get your dark leafy greens in that’s not a basic sauté. Used a mixture of mostly collards and some spinach I had on hand. Took note of some additions in the reviews and added lots of minced ginger, which was SO good! Added some shallots as well. I’ve never not cooked greens like my southern grandmother taught me, low and slow, so I let this cook down for over an hour with a stir here and there. Total hit in my house. Will be a regular go-to.

Julia

I added a tablespoon of fish sauce after loving the original recipe. The fish sauce brought out so many new flavors! It was a very happy addition.

Jackie

I feel like the cook time on this was too short... I'm still cooking these 10 minutes later and my collards are still chewy. Going to try another 5-10 minutes in my dutch oven covered.

FLBelle

Yes! Kale is so tough. I left mine braising for thirty minutes. I also used full fat coconut milk. Much richer!

Jefferson B

Grew up in East Tennessee and NC. This is the best collards I’ve ever had. Substitute yellow onions. Easier and more flavorful in the butter/oil I thought. Tossed in a few scraggly end bits of ginger I had to the simmer and removed before serving. You can’t mess this up. Do not remove stems.

Sami

Yes! Definitely make this with full fat coconut milk. I made this once with low fat coconut milk and the texture was all wrong (instead of a nice creamy texture, the low fat coconut milk created a mucous-like texture).

Heather

This was surprisingly excellent. I looked at comments and added garlic in the beginning per suggestions. Also added some vegetable stock for more braising liquid and a can of rinsed chickpeas. Cooked all for 45 minutes in the Dutch oven. The greens were silky and so flavorful! I topped with chili oil. It made a complete meal for 2 people. Next time I will only use 1/2 can of beans, I thought there were too many for the cooked down greens. But otherwise absolutely perfect.

Matt

This is a beautiful recipe. I love collards and wanted to try a new preparation. I’m so glad I found this one. Collards have a stem / spine that I cut away from the leaves. I saved those and cut into 1/2” lengths, sautéed them in the oils until they were crisp-tender, then added the green onions and proceeded with everything else as instructed. I added plenty of salt and pepper and a few dashes of hot sauce, and topped with toasted sesame seeds alongside white rice. Superb.

Rose

This was delicious. I cut out all the veins and it cooked in 30 minutes. I also added some curry and ginger. Served over brown rice, it was a hit.

GiGi

I used collard greens and cooked these for much longer than the recipe called for. I thought they needed some acid and added a splash of rice vinegar. Delicious.

Robin

We marinated tofu in soy sauce, sherry vinegar, salt and a little organic sesame oil with a light taste, while preparing the collard greens. Added a tsp of Chile crisp, as well as ginger and garlic as others suggested and sautéed those with the scallions. Then followed the recipe, and added the marinated tofu toward the end. The end result was balanced flavors of salty, spicy, and softly sweet. Delicious!

Abby Z

I am not a collards person but I got a bunch in my winter CSA box and was determined to eat them. I only wanted to make them tolerable to eat, but this recipe made them delicious! I will definitely cook this again.

Carolyn

This dish was so ridiculously easy and so incredibly delicious. Everyone in my family loved it, even my one family member who was very dubious about the ingredients and who is not a huge coconut fan to start with. As with a few other combinations - chocolate and peanut butter, salted peanuts and candy corn (seriously, try it), it is definitely more than the sum of its parts.

mombadil

So simple, so good. Even the toddler gobbled them up!

kate

I hate to be someone who comments with a review of an entirely different recipe.... nonetheless this is an incredibly adaptable recipe. We didn't have coconut oil or scallions, so I used peanut oil and garlic instead. I also added a few halved fingerling potatoes because I had them on hand. It was delicious! The star of the show was the rich coconut broth, which we soaked up with bread.

Teague

I've been sorta bummed about collards since we went to a plant diet, bacon or ham made them so much better. Well, this is IT. Delicious, guess those vegan collards just needed more richness. We ate them all and licked the bowl.

Shannon

We loved this. Will definitely make again. So simple and flavorful. Agree with others: use full fat coconut milk.

Betsy

This is great. I added ginger, garlic, cayenne and red pepper flakes and garbanzo beans as per the other comments. Also braised the greens for about 56 minutes. Delicious vegetarian meal served over rice.

L&D

Simply delicious!

Nick Hodson

This is one of those dishes that creates its own flavor profile distinct from its ingredients. Who would have thought kale, coconut milk, onions and soy sauce could be so fascinating?I didn’t have coconut milk and used coconut cream with half a cup of water; that certainly added richness. I also simmered the mix for about 45 minutes, tasting the kale for tenderness (past chewy but still with a bite) and even though the sauce was great, added a tablespoon of gochujang. Amazing!

Michael

Per some of the other comments, Added some fish sauce, a couple cloves of garlic and a little lemon before serving to give it acid. Awesome.

jen

Made as directed, but cooked longer, about 30 min. There is a slight sweetness from the coconut milk, but I can’t say it was an improvement over traditional collards, it was just different and rather bland, in my opinion.

Roubi

I don't understand how this dish gets so many 5 star reviews. I found it so bland. I had to add ginger and curry to give it some flavor.

Jamie M.

Very satisfying and super easy! I skipped the butter to make it a little lighter and subbed coconut aminos for the soy. Served over brown rice and topped with a chili crisp-fried egg. Garnished with green onion and furikake. Leftovers will be breakfast!

Vanessa Lyman

This was stunningly delicious. Have I never combined soy sauce and coconut milk and butter? Where has this been all my life? So simple, it was tastier than it had any right to be. I'll try adding ginger next time, based on the reviews.

Paula

This is delicious. I love collards, but even if you don't this is a great one.

Kathy

Cooked as recipe described. Really liked it a lot!

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Coconut-Braised Collard Greens Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do you put vinegar in collard greens? ›

This might seem like an unusual addition if you're new to making collard greens, but the vinegar adds a welcome tangy note that brightens the dish and balances out the salty, savory flavors. A tablespoon of sugar also helps balance out the greens' potential bitterness.

What tenderizes collard greens? ›

All you need to do is add a teaspoon of baking soda to your boiling water or stock to ensure that your collard greens are flavorful, tender, and vibrant.

What do you soak collard greens in before cooking? ›

Here's how to properly wash collard greens.
  1. Fill your sink with water, and then add 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar and 3 tablespoons salt. ( ...
  2. Swish this around, and then submerged your greens in the water. ...
  3. Let the greens soak for 20-30 minutes, giving them a good scrub midway.
Aug 1, 2021

Can you put too much water in collard greens? ›

Make sure you let the water drain out of you collard greens as much as possible. Too much water in your pot will ruin your greens.

What takes the bitterness out of collard greens? ›

The foods that help reduce bitterness are:
  • Salt while cooking and/or while eating (like on bitter salad greens)
  • Sweet or Spicy.
  • Sour or Acids like lemon or vinegar.
  • Long cooking like braising (think southern collard greens that are cooked for hours)
  • Blanch first.
Jul 7, 2021

Why put baking soda in collard greens? ›

In the case of collard greens, baking soda's utility is threefold, serving as a flavor enhancer, a tenderizer, and a color protector. Baking soda is an alkali salt possessing the tenderizing and flavor-enhancing properties of regular salt.

Can you overcook collards? ›

It is important to not overcook collard greens or kale, as they tend to give off a sulfur smell and taste bitter. Cut the leaves into one-half inch strips and steam for 5 minutes on the stove. Collard greens make a great addition to eggs and bean soup or can be served alone as a steamed vegetable with a dressing.

How do you make can collards taste better? ›

If you find the flavor of canned collard greens to be lacking, you can add a few ingredients to liven them up. Some options include adding a splash of lemon juice or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to add tanginess and spice.

Why are collard greens cooked so long? ›

Balance the bitterness by making sure the greens are well-seasoned with salt and include a punch of acidity from vinegar. Long cooking time. Slowly cooking collard greens not only softens the tough leaves, it also tames the leaves' bitter flavor.

Do you use the stems of collard greens? ›

Why: Most collard recipes call to discard the stems because they're so fibrous, but if you chop them small, they will cook just like the leafy greens. The finished dish is just as delicious and a lot thriftier than traditional collard greens, and the pleasantly-supple stems give these greens a distinctive bite.

Why do my collard greens smell bad? ›

The longer collards are cooked, the more they release a sulfurous smell.

What happens if you eat too much collard greens? ›

Collard greens are healthy for you, but it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Collard greens are full of fiber, which takes longer for your body to digest than many other substances. Eating too much fiber at once can lead to uncomfortable side effects like bloating or gas.

How to tell if collards are bad? ›

You can tell if your collard greens are bad by the way they look and smell. If you've stored fresh collard greens properly, they'll typically turn in about 5 to 7 days. If you notice an odd smell or see mold forming on your collards, it is best to discard them.

Does vinegar take the bitterness out of greens? ›

Acids, like vinegar and citrus juice, help to brighten up bitter greens and provide a light contrasting flavor.

How much vinegar do you use to clean greens? ›

Adding vinegar to the water (1/2 cup distilled white vinegar per 1 cup water), followed by a clean water rinse, has been shown to reduce bacterial contamination but may affect texture and taste. After washing, blot dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner to remove excess moisture.

What to do if I put too much vinegar in my greens? ›

Sourness comes from acidic ingredients (including tomatoes, wine and vinegar). If your dish tastes too sour try to add sweetness—think sugar, honey (it's healthy!), cream or even caramelized onions. You can also dilute the dish (same as you would with a dish with too much salt).

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