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In a lot of Southern homes, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day don’t happen without a pot of collard greens. They’re cheap, they feed a crowd, and they taste even better the next day.
These Southern collard greens simmer slowly with bacon, onion and garlic in chicken broth until they’re silky and tender. A splash of vinegar at the end brightens them up. The cooking liquid, called pot likker, is good enough to sip or soak up with cornbread.
Ingredients and Swaps
- Collard greens: Two bunches, about 2 pounds. A bag of pre-cut collards saves time but usually costs more.
- Bacon: Four slices. A smoked ham hock or smoked turkey wing is the traditional choice and adds deeper flavor.
- Onion and garlic: The base of the flavor.
- Chicken broth: Use vegetable broth and a little smoked paprika for a meatless version.
- Apple cider vinegar, sugar and red pepper flakes: A little tang, a little sweetness and a little heat. Adjust all three to taste.
Tips for Tender Collard Greens
- Wash them well. Swish the leaves in a sink of cold water, lift them out and repeat until no grit settles at the bottom.
- Remove the stems. Fold each leaf in half and cut out the thick center rib.
- Use a big pot. Two bunches of raw greens fill a Dutch oven but cook down to about a third of the volume.
- Take your time. Collards need at least 45 minutes of simmering to turn silky. Taste a piece before you call them done.
- Season at the end. The broth and bacon add salt as they cook down.
Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.
Cost: Ingredients – $6.23 from Walmart, $5.63 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.94 to $1.04
Southern Collard Greens
Ingredients
Method
- Wash the collard greens well in a sink of cold water. Cut out the thick stems and chop the leaves into 1-inch strips.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes.
- Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the broth and bring it to a boil. Add the greens a few handfuls at a time, stirring as they wilt.
- Cover, lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring now and then, until the greens are silky and tender.
- Stir in the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust, then serve with some of the cooking liquid.
Notes
- For a ham hock or smoked turkey wing, simmer it in the broth for 30 minutes before adding the greens, then pull the meat off the bone and stir it back in.
- A 2-pound bag of pre-cut collards works in place of the bunches.
What to Serve With It
Serve them with cornbread and roasted turkey or ham. On New Year’s Day, they go with black-eyed peas for good luck in the year ahead. For Thanksgiving, see our 18 cheap Thanksgiving side dishes for more to serve alongside them.
Storage and Make-Ahead
- Make ahead: Collards taste even better the next day. Cook them up to 2 days ahead and reheat gently on the stove.
- Refrigerate leftovers with some of the cooking liquid for up to 5 days.
- Freeze cooled greens with their liquid for up to 3 months.
Collard Greens Questions
How long do collard greens take to cook?
About 45 minutes to 1 hour at a gentle simmer. Younger, thinner leaves cook faster than large, thick ones.
Why are my collard greens bitter?
They may need more time. Long simmering softens the bitterness, and a little sugar and vinegar at the end balance what’s left.
Can I make collard greens without meat?
Yes. Use vegetable broth, cook the onion in 2 tablespoons of oil and add ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika for a smoky flavor.
