Having only ever made vegetarian collard greens recipes, I remember being shocked when I learned that collard greens, cooked in their “traditional” form, aren’t even remotely vegetarian. Who knew? Well, apparently most of the United States knew, because everyone I talked to about got a pretty good chuckle at the fact that I was so baffled. Anyways.

Traditionally, non vegetarian collard greens recipes are made with pork to get a nice, meaty, smoky flavor. If you’re really hoping to get the cured bacon flavor while keeping the recipe vegan, I’d recommend using a smoked sea salt, which, if you experiment with a few different varieties, you’ll find often taste a lot like bacon. Don’t add the salt until the very end, since salt will leech all of the water out of your greens, leaving them a gray, soggy mess. Adding salt to greens too early essentially does the same thing as overcooking them. And speaking of overcooking………

DO NOT OVERCOOK YOUR GREENS. I repeat, DO NOT OVERCOOK YOUR GREENS. No one likes mushy collard greens (or kale, spinach, or chard for that matter) and no one wants a kitchen full of wanna-be mustard gas, which is essentially what you get if you overcook your greens until they stink. This vegan collard greens recipe – and any other, in case you’re wondering – should be cooked just until the leaves are a brilliant shade of green and are tender enough to bite through without any fibrous resistance. Once they’re done, immediately remove them from the heat, salt to taste, and serve.

Slow Cooked Vegetarian Collard Greens

Author: Stephanie Stiavetti

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Sides

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

Nutrition Facts

Slow Cooked Vegetarian Collard Greens

Amount Per Serving

Calories 234 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 10g

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 448mg19%

Potassium 558mg16%

Carbohydrates 23g8%

Fiber 6g25%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 24150IU483%

Vitamin C 87.5mg106%

Calcium 150mg15%

Iron 1.3mg7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This slow cooked vegan and vegetarian collard greens recipe is the perfect side dish for any entree.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium medium red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 whole carrots, peeled and chopped to smaller bits
• 1 whole chipotle pepper, roasted and chopped
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 8 cups chopped collard greens
• Smoked sea salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions, cooking until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
2. Add carrots and pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn the heat down to low and add vegetable stock and collard greens. Cover pot and allow to cook just until the greens are tender, about 30-40 minutes. Salt to taste at the very end to keep your greens from getting soggy. Serve hot.

This content was originally posted on FearlessFresh.com.