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    Home » Recipes » Side Dish

    Vegan Collard Greens

    Published: Nov 4, 2021 · Updated: May 5, 2022 by Sapana Chandra, MS, CHC · 21 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pin for vegan collard greens.

    These delicious vegan collard greens are simple enough for a weeknight meal but have enough flavor to serve to guests or as a holiday dish. You can whip up this tasty side dish in less than 30 minutes.

    Pan of cooked collard greens with plate next to it.

    Using just a few ingredients, these warm savory greens are easy to cook, versatile and flavorful. They're ready in less than 30 minutes and add flavor to any dinner table.

    What to serve with collard greens? I love my Vegan Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole, and Butternut Squash Soup.

    Ingredients you'll need

    In this recipe, we'll cook the collard greens with garlic, onion, and tomatoes to create a savory, tasty side dish. You'll need the following ingredients:

    • Collard: Pick a fresh bunch of collard greens. They shouldn't have any brown spots and should feel stiff to the touch
    • Tomatoes: canned or fresh tomatoes can be used. I usually use diced cherry tomatoes.
    • Onions: both yellow and red onion taste great with collards
    • Apple cider vinegar: If you don't have apple cider vinegar, lemon juice also works to give it tanginess and more flavor.
    • Garlic: I prefer fresh garlic but you can also use garlic powder.
    • Paprika: I use sweet paprika in this recipe but you can use smoked paprika for a Southern flavor.
    • Oil: I prefer cooking with avocado oil but any oil or butter can be used.
    • Sea salt and black pepper: Add seasoning to taste.

    Note: This recipe can easily be doubled, however, I recommend cooking in batches as the collards will fill up the pan until they are cooked down.

    A plate of greens next to a pan of cooked greens.

    How to cook vegan collard greens

    1. Prepare the collard greens: Prepare the collard greens by removing thick central ribs using a sharp knife. Once you've removed the stems, stack the leaves on top of each other.

    Cut thin strips across the leaves, creating long ribbons. Give it a few horizontal chops to create shorter ribbons. The collard greens are ready to be cooked.

    Fresh collard greens on a cutting board

    2. Cook garlic and onion: Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until the onions become translucent and fragrant, about 8-10 minutes.

    Onions cooking on pan

    3. Add cherry tomatoes: Stir in the cherry tomatoes and increase heat to medium. Cook until soft, about 3 minutes.

    Cooked onions and tomatoes.

    4. Add remaining ingredients: Add the chopped collard greens, salt, pepper, paprika, vinegar, and stir until the greens are coated with the mixture.

    Pro tip: If using fresh tomatoes, you may need to add a tablespoon or two of veggie broth or water to make sure there's enough liquid to cook the collards in.

    Pan after adding fresh collard greens.

    5. Cook and cerve: Reduce the heat to low, and cook until the greens are wilted and dark green, about 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. Turn off heat. Adjust seasoning, if needed, and stir.

    Cooked collard greens.

    Storing and reheating

    To store: Cool down completely before storing in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    To reheat: When ready to serve, warm up on a pan over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of water to add moisture, if needed. Alternatively, use the microwave to warm up.

    Serving suggestions

    These vegan collard greens have a fresh and tangy flavor, which makes them perfect for pairing with any main course. A few of my favorite options are:

    • Serve with soup, such as cauliflower soup or butternut squash soup.
    • Serve over jasmine rice, brown rice, or Basmati rice
    • In a Buddha bowl, such as a Vegan Power Bowl
    • Quinoa: cooked on the stovetop or Instant Pot
    • Pairs well with sweet potato casserole or mashed sweet potatoes
    A pan of cooked vegan collard greens

    More easy side dish recipes

    • Mashed Sweet Potatoes
    • Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
    • Homemade Cranberry Sauce
    • Italian Potato Salad
    • Roasted Radishes
    • Garlic Roasted Cauliflower

    If you tried this Vegan Collard Greens recipe or any other recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for more delicious recipes.

    Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published on November 7, 2019. Since then, it’s been freshened up with new pictures and more details to help you make the recipe.

    A pan of cooked vegan collard greens.

    Vegan Collard Greens

    5 from 17 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep time: 5 minutes
    Cook time: 20 minutes
    Total time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 143kcal
    Author: Sapana Chandra
    These delicious vegan collard greens are simple enough for a weeknight meal but have enough flavor to serve to guests or as a Thanksgiving side dish. Quick and easy to make, they come together in less than 30 minutes.

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 yellow onion, diced
    • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
    • 1 bunch collard greens
    • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt, to taste
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    • Prepare the collard greens by removing thick central ribs, stacking up the leaves, and slicing into thin strips. 
    • Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until the onions become translucent and fragrant, about 8-10 minutes.
    • Stir in the tomatoes and increase heat to medium. Cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
    • Add the chopped collard greens, salt, pepper, paprika, vinegar, and stir until the greens are coated with the mixture. Reduce the heat to low, and cook until the greens are wilted and dark green, about 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a few tablespoons of water, if needed, throughout the cooking process (*see note). 
    • Turn off heat and serve.

    Notes

    *If the collard greens start to stick to the pan, you can 'deglaze' the pan with a bit of water (I recommend 1 tablespoon of water at a time, as needed) to prevent sticking.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 143kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 613mg, Potassium: 531mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 5401IU, Vitamin C: 50mg, Calcium: 276mg, Iron: 2mg
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Tried this recipe?Mention @realandvibrant and hashtag #realandvibrant!
    « Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
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    About Sapana Chandra, MS, CHC

    Sapana Chandra is a certified health coach, author of Plant Power Bowls, and founder of Real +Vibrant. Here you’ll find simply delicious vegetarian recipes with step-by-step photo instructions – recipes you’ll be excited to enjoy and share with your loved ones.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Candace says

      November 17, 2022 at 2:29 pm

      I’m making these as a dish for Thanksgiving! Can’t wait to try them! Are these pods to make ahead of time and possibly freeze?

      Reply
    2. Collard lover says

      August 06, 2022 at 11:10 am

      This was my first time making and eating collard greens. I used lemon juice and fresh tomatoes and added a couple extra cloves of garlic. This recipe is SO PERFECT. Really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.5 stars

      Reply
    3. Patricia A MacMenamie says

      June 26, 2022 at 3:51 pm

      Absolutely delicious! Healthy, quick and easy to prepare with basic ingredients. Highly recommend trying it.5 stars

      Reply
    4. Sunnyjoy says

      May 11, 2020 at 2:04 pm

      Commented earlier today but forgot to rate! To add to comment, I'll mention I find your recipes are written in an easy-to-grasp style ... simple and complete. I've already chosen my next pick to try. 🙂5 stars

      Reply
    5. Sunny Joy says

      May 11, 2020 at 1:45 pm

      Outstanding flavor. Thanks so much. I just discovered collards this week and searched for recipes and yours was the best. I added a little small-diced firm tofu, small-chopped mushrooms and raisins, for extra nutrition and volume, and used veggie broth in place of oil, but your ingredients were predominant and work great with each other. I'm not a cook. Your photos made it irresistible to try. My roommate said it tasted s-o-o healthy, which is important to us. 🙂

      Reply
    6. Josie says

      March 03, 2020 at 8:43 am

      Sapana, This is great, thank you! Can I try this in the instant pot? I would love a recipe for Collard Greens and Rice for the Instant Pot!! Love your recipes 🙂 Josie5 stars

      Reply
      • Sapana Chandra, MS, CHC says

        March 03, 2020 at 5:59 pm

        Thank you for your feedback, Josie! I'm happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. I haven't tried making it in the Instant Pot but I'm sure you can. I do have a few rice recipes for the Instant Pot -- simply enter rice in the search bar.

        Reply
    7. Adrianne says

      November 07, 2019 at 4:01 pm

      Wow, great recipe that makes you feel good too!! I love the step by step pics. These would be a great week night dinner when you want some veggies in your diet, thanks!!5 stars

      Reply
      • Sapana Chandra, MS, CHC says

        November 10, 2019 at 4:26 pm

        Thanks, Adrianne! So glad you like it!

        Reply
    8. Krissy Allori says

      November 07, 2019 at 3:54 pm

      This is very good. I'm going to add it to my menu for Thanksgiving.5 stars

      Reply
      • Sapana Chandra, MS, CHC says

        November 10, 2019 at 4:26 pm

        Thank you, Krissy!

        Reply
    9. Mahy says

      November 07, 2019 at 3:20 pm

      It is amazing how you only need 30 minutes for something so healthy and delicious as these greens. They look absolutely stunning!5 stars

      Reply
      • Sapana Chandra, MS, CHC says

        November 10, 2019 at 4:27 pm

        Thank you, Mahy! Hope you enjoy them.

        Reply
    10. Cindy Gordon says

      November 07, 2019 at 2:51 pm

      I am a huge fan of collard greens! I use them for everything! I love this recipe! So easy to make and so yummy!5 stars

      Reply
      • Sapana Chandra, MS, CHC says

        November 10, 2019 at 4:27 pm

        Aren't they so good?! So glad you love it!

        Reply
    11. Genevieve from @fittyfoodlicious says

      November 07, 2019 at 1:35 pm

      This recipe looks so good! Pinning for later, thanks!5 stars

      Reply
      • Sapana Chandra, MS, CHC says

        November 10, 2019 at 4:27 pm

        I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    12. Cynthia says

      November 07, 2019 at 12:21 pm

      Woah, I didn't know that collard greens could look and taste so good! I always walk right past them in the grocery store.5 stars

      Reply
      • Sapana Chandra, MS, CHC says

        November 10, 2019 at 4:28 pm

        I used to do the same! Now I always grab a bunch.

        Reply
    13. Haley Hoover says

      November 07, 2019 at 12:13 pm

      YUMMMMMMMM!

      Reply
      • Sapana Chandra, MS, CHC says

        November 10, 2019 at 4:28 pm

        Thanks, Haley!!

        Reply

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    Sapana Chandra

    Hi, I'm Sapana! I’m a recipe developer and author of the cookbook Plant Power Bowls. Here you'll find simple, delicious, vegetarian recipes made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Learn more about me

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