Instant Pot Collard Greens

It’s considered lucky to eat collards early in the new year because the folded green leaves represent money! The Instant Pot makes light work of cooking the collards right so that are wish for a prosperous new year can be made much more easily!

I’ve lived in the South for a long time, and bitter greens, like mustard, turnip, and collards have grown on me over the years, but I could never quite get the technique down. My collards especially, were either underdone or overcooked because of the tough leaves and thick stems.

Having to strip collard leaves, chop, wash, and then figure out the perfect cook time made me want to completely give up on them. And while I love the flavor, any time I order them in a local restaurant, the collard greens are always a little mushy and an unappealing dark greenish brown. In other words, often cooked to death.

But then along came the Instant Pot, and I’ve been perfectly “braising” my collard greens several times every month, I can’t get enough. I love them with a splash of vinegar, but my favorite way to make these in the Instant Pot is Southern-style, with a smoky broth with a little spicy kick.

Pressure Cooking Collards = Sweet And Tender Greens

When collards are braised, or in this case, pressure cooked, they lose a lot of their bitterness and become sweet, and also better absorb the cooking liquid. I start the cooking liquid off with some bold flavors by sauteing a chopped onion and half of a package of bacon right inside the Instant Pot, along with garlic powder, salt, and a pinch or two of red pepper flakes. Once the onion is translucent and the bacon begins to render, I add the broth and the greens, lock the lid onto the pot and set the timer for seven minutes, and walk away. It’s that easy.

The pressure from the Instant Pot also does two magical things to the collards that I could never quite master: it makes the stems tender without overcooking the leaves, and the collards stay a perfect shade of green.

Can I Use Bacon Instead Of Ham Hocks For Collard Greens?

Ham hocks are traditionally used in Southern-style braised greens recipes, but the cook time is so short in the Instant Pot, that the ham hock never has enough time to really lend any good, smoky flavor to the cooking liquid. Bacon, however, is a perfect stand-in for this recipe.

Time Savers In The Kitchen

I like to use the pre-washed and cut collards found in the produce section of my grocery store. If you have the same, grab them, it’ll save you a good 10 minutes of prep time. Stalks of collard greens also tend to be long and wide, and take up a lot of space in my refrigerator, so the bag of pre-washed collards is also a space saver for me. 

Even if you don’t live in the South, these collards make a comforting side dish for the winter, and a nice change of pace during the summer. They’re great in soups, mixed into mashed potatoes, and even enjoyed cold the next day.

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