Tangy, tender Sauteed Collard Greens are made for seconds. And thirds. They are addictively delicious, and they only have 3 ingredients!
This recipe for Sauteed Collard Greens was me making the best of what has been an incredibly frustrating situation. Let me tell you about the time we had to throw out all of our perishable food. Twice.
Y’all, our refrigerator has been on the fritz, and I am so annoyed. We bought this fridge in May, and for the past few months, it has stopped cooling our food at random! It will work for a few days or even a week and then decide it’s done doing the one vital thing you need a refrigerator to do.
We would wake up, go to grab the soymilk for our coffee, and realize that everything in the fridge is tepid.
This thing is still under warranty, so repair people keep coming to look at it, but in the meantime, our fridge has been pretty bare, because we are afraid it will go out and spoil all of the food. AGAIN.
The point is, we’ve been living on a few days of groceries at a time, and I was hungry. A bunch of collard greens was one of the few appealing things we had in the house. So Sauteed Collards for lunch it was.
I made a panful of these vegan collard greens, and they were so perfect that I immediately cooked myself a second pan!
The recipe below reflects what I learned from from my early mistake. Instead of chopping and cooking a few leaves, it uses four full cups of collards. That way, you have plenty left when you’re craving another helping.
(and another)
(and another)
Sauteed Collards in Under 15 Minutes
Chances are, you’re used to collard greens made in a slow cooker, but I hope that you’ll give sauteed collards a chance.
You can basically saute collard greens just like you would kale or any other dark, leafy green. They do take slightly longer to cook than kale, but it’s really only a few extra minutes.
Collards are tough veggies, which is why I like to saute in a little bit of oil, then douse in liquid at the end.
In this recipe, I use seasoned rice vinegar as my liquid, which gives these a lovely sweetness and a touch of acidity. Perfect for balancing out the earthy bitterness of collard greens!
That quick steam in vinegar at the end is what makes these Sauteed Collard Greens so addictive. They have just the right amount of sweetness and acidity from the vinegar and the perfect texture. Seriously, you’re going to love them!
Sauteed Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups sliced collard greens – You want to chiffonade them, meaning slice them into thin ribbons. See the video for a visual of how to do this.
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the collard greens, and cook until they turn bright green and begin to wilt, 4-5 minutes.
- Add the rice vinegar, stirring well to coat the greens, and cook just about two minutes more.
Fran
Can you use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar in place of the rice vinegar?
Becky Striepe
They have a different flavor, so I wouldn’t make that substitution. You can use balsamic, though! Rice vinegar is a bit sweet, so balsamic works well in a pinch.
Lucy
Love this recipe! It’s a perfect template for greens of all sorts.
Did they ever figure out what was wrong with your fridge? We’ve been having a similar problem. It’s pretty annoying!
Becky Striepe
Thank you! We use it a lot to make kale, too.
We never did figure it out, and the company ended up replacing the whole fridge (it was practically brand new, so still under warranty). What a headache that whole thing was. I am sorry you’re dealing with fridge issues!
Jenn
I love adding vinegar to greens too. I don’t cook with them nearly enough though. I need to do it more often. I’m obsessed with collard wraps though so they usually get eaten up that way before I have a chance to do anything else.
Becky Striepe
Collard wraps are the bomb. I used to eat them a ton when I was pregnant. Not sure why I stopped!
Sarah De la Cruz
These look so good! Can’t wait to try them! I love your secret trick with the rice wine vinegar—it’s one of my fave ingredients!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Sarah! Mine too. I used this method with bok choy last night and it was great, too!
Cadry
Oh, I could eat collard greens endlessly. I didn’t start eating them until I was in my thirties, and I’m sad to think of all of the years that I missed out on them! This looks like a wonderful way to enjoy them.
Becky Striepe
Collards don’t get nearly the love they deserve! Thank you, Cadry!
Mary Ellen | VNutrition
I’m always looking to add more greens to my meals. These look perfect (and tasty)!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Mary Ellen!
Mel | avirtualvegan.com
I love sautéed greens and the touch of vinegar is such a great idea. I bet it tenderizes them a little as well adding flavour. Mmm. I can see why you went back for extras!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Mel!
Katie Koteen
I always like a new little zing to my side dishes! Can’t wait to make this!!
Becky Striepe
Enjoy them, Katie!
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day
I usually only like raw collards, but this recipe is calling my name. I am used to seeing overcooked collard greens that are actually brown. Your method looks really good since the collards are actually a vibrant green and still look like a vegetable!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Amy! I def like southern style collards, too, but I do like serving them up vibrant green even more!
Dianne
I love collards, but I don’t make them enough. I love how easy this is! I would definitely be back for seconds – and thirds.
Becky Striepe
Hooray! I hope this recipe helps you eat more collards!