collard greens

i wouldn’t say that i’m a picky eater. i like almost all foods. well, except for meat. and broccoli.

despite not being picky, i’m not a very diverse cook – we tend to use the same kinds of ingredients week after week.

but thanks to the bi-monthly csa box we’re receiving, we’re making and eating all kinds of things i would never pick up at the store. like brussels sprouts. and collard greens. who knew that these veggies are so very tasty? i wish i’d discovered them years ago!

i would like to tell you that this is the best recipe for collard greens. and while i think that’s technically a true statement, this is the only recipe for collard greens i’ve ever made or eaten. so you’ll just have to trust me that it’s absolutely delicious, even though i don’t have a comparison.

what makes it so delicious? well, the greens simmer with onions, broth, and red pepper flakes for the better part of an hour, and then tomatoes mellow out the dish at the very end. the collard greens end up tasting spicy, savory, and not bitter in the least. we served them with baked yams and, although this is hard to admit, macaroni and cheese from a box. (give me a break on that one, k? i’m a student, after all!) so won’t you please be adventurous and eat some greens with me?

one year ago: cherry, almond, apple stuffing
two years ago: lime coconut cupcakes

collard greens

yields 4-6 side dish servings
borrowed from foodnetwork.com

  • 1T olive oil
  • 1T butter
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1t red pepper flakes (or less, if you don’t like spicy)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 large bunch collard greens, washed, dried, and chopped
  • 3c vegetable broth
  • 2 tomatoes, diced, or 15oz canned diced tomatoes, drained
  • salt and pepper
    ______________________________
  1. in a medium pan, heat the oil and butter
  2. saute the onions in the olive oil/butter mixture until soft, approx 2 mins
  3. add the red pepper flakes and garlic and saute for another minutes
  4. add the collard greens and saute for yet another minute, stirring
  5. pour the vegetable broth into the pan, then bring to a simmer, cover, and allow to continue to simmer for 40 minutes
  6. add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste, and serve!

5 Responses

  1. Jessi Hance Says:

    Mmm, collard greens! It’s been too long, I will get some too.

    I can’t comprehend your dislike of broccoli, but maybe you couldn’t understand my aversion to brussels sprouts. ;)

  2. em Says:

    @Jessi: We’ll just have to agree to disagree on those veggies. :)

  3. Jessi Hance Says:

    @em: yes, we’ll have to reach across the vegetal divide!

  4. Brianna Says:

    We got collard greens in our last CSA bunch, too. I like them stewed w tomatoes like this. Or really in any kind of veggie stew. They’re also tasty stir-fried with onions and a bit of Bragg’s.

  5. em Says:

    @Brianna: Thanks for the suggestions – I’ll have to experiment with them! Isn’t it interesting that our CSA boxes are so similar, even though we’re across the country from each other?

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