Today I’m sharing my slow cooker vegan collard greens recipe that’s quickly become one of the most popular recipes here on the blog. These healthy meatless collard greens are gluten free, dairy free (no butter), and suitable both for vegan and vegetarian diets.
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This time of the year in the United States, we are reminded from every direction about the Southern tradition of eating collard greens and black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day to bring ingood luckand financial stability with us into the rest of the year.
Since I’m a Russian who’s only lived in the US for the past few years, I still find new American traditions all the time.
The flavor of classic Southern collard greens is especially dear to me because it reminds me of something that I used to eat in the kindergarten long, long time ago when the Soviet Union still existed.
My taste memory is very strong – I might not remember what exactly that kindergarten dish was (clearly it was some type of greens), but when I first tasted American collard greens a few years ago, the flavors brought me right back to my childhood.
Want a recipe that has both collard greens AND black eyed peas? Check out my vegan Instant Pot black eyed peas and collard greens soup.
Not long ago I got a hold of a huge bunch of collard greens from a local vegetable store, so I decided to experiment with cooking them in a slow cooker.
The classic recipe for Southern collard greens calls for cooking them with bacon, a ham hock, or some other smoked animal part. This adds lots of unhealthy fats to a dish that can otherwise be very healthy.
Naturally I decided to reinvent the recipe to make it healthier and vegan-friendly.
To make sure my collards still came out with a classic smoky flavor, I added a tiny bit of liquid smoke at the end (this is my go-to liquid smoke brand of choice).
Alternatively, you can sprinkle your collards with good smoked paprika (here’s a delicious Spanish smoked paprikabrand), or use the liquid smoke and paprika together if you’re a big fan of smoky flavors!
Ingredients of Vegan Slow Cooker Collard Greens
10 cups chopped collard greens (about one large bunch)
2 Tbsp white vinegar (to clean the collard leaves only!)
1 large yellow onion, sliced
5-6 garlic cloves, sliced or minced
1 cup water/vegetable broth, plus more if needed
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp smoked paprika – mild or hot, to taste
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 Tbsp cayenne pepper
Finishing ingredients:
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
Low sodium soy sauce, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Equipment:
6-quart slow cooker – I use classic Crock Pot slow cooker
How to Prep and Cook Vegan Slow Cooker Collard Greens
Prepping the large and thick collard leaves may seem like a labor-consuming feat, but in fact it doesn’t have to be.
The tricky part is to wash off the lingering bits of dirt and sand. I found that the best way to achieve this is to give the leaves a quick cold water bath in a clean kitchen sink.
I also added 2 Tbsp of white vinegar to the water for a better clean, and gave the leaves a good stir with my hands (rubber gloves optional).
Once the leaves were clean, I took them out and shook the water off (the leaves don’t have to be completely dry at this step).
I then stacked a few leaves on a cutting board, lining their central stems together, and cut the stems out. This step is optional but highly recommended to get a uniform texture in the cooked collard greens.
To prep my slow cooker, I sprayed its bowl lightly with cooking spray.
Then, I added all of the ingredients (chopped collards,sliced onion, minced garlic, water/veggie broth, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper). I lightly mixed everything and covered the pot with a lid.
I set the slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours. Ideally, it’s best to stir the greens once or twice during this time, but if you can’t, they will cook just fine without stirring.
About 10 minutes before the end, I added the finishing ingredients (liquid smoke, low sodium soy sauce, black pepper), and then adjusted the flavors to taste.
That’s it!
Health Benefits of Collard Greens
Collard greens are closely related to cabbage and kale and are loaded with nutrients and fiber. They contain lots of vitamins A, C, K, as well as nutrients like calcium, iron, folates, etc. (source).
Soluble fiber in collards helps feed the good bacteria in our gut, which promotes digestive health (source). Besides, it absorbs LDL (bad) cholesterol before it reaches our bloodstream, which can help lower our cholesterol levels (source).
Insoluble fiber adds bulk to our stools, which helps food pass quicker through our intestines. Besides, it helps with insulin sensitivity, helping reduce diabetes risk (source).
In addition to all this goodness, collard greens are rich in cancer-fighting phytonutrients like glucosinolate that inhibits the growth and spreading of cancer cells (source).
Collard Greens Flavor Tips
Not a fan of collard greens because of their slightly bitter taste? A little tip: collards lose their bitterness and become sweeter after the first frost of the winter – the same goes for most greens in the cabbage family.
Still not a fan? Use other types of greens for this recipe – cabbage, kale, turnip greens (more bitter than collards though) all work for the Southern New Year’s good luck tradition.
By the way, if you don’t want to wait till your slow cooker leafy greens are done and would rather have something quick, check out my recipe for easy sauteed kale and onions with balsamic reduction – it’s made on the stovetop in no time!
What Can I Serve with Vegan Slow Cooker Collard Greens?
These vegan collard greens make a delicious side dish for baked BBQ tofu, homemade BBQ seitan or BBQ chickpeas. If you’re putting together the whole Southern style New Year’s Day feast, try them with my easy Instant Pot black eyed peas!
It also pairs well with other vegan side dishes like my easy vegan mashed potatoes, chipotle coleslaw or poppyseed coleslaw, roasted butternut squash, or smoky roasted Brussels sprouts for a delicious fall-inspired comfort food feast.
If you’re making this recipe for your Thanksgiving dinner, don’t forget my creamy dairy-free vegan green bean casserole!
UPDATE July 2015: This recipe has been approved by Dr. Michael Greger of Nutrition Facts.org to be a part of his healthy plant-based recipe directory!
Yield: 6 servings
Slow Cooker Vegan Collard Greens Recipe
This easy slow cooker vegan collard greens recipe yields delicious, smoky Southern-style collard greens without the need for meat or oil. A little bit of liquid smoke and smoked paprika goes a long way. Serve with classic vegan comfort food staples like baked beans, vegan mac n cheese, cornbread, etc.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 10 cups chopped collard greens (about one large bunch)
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar - to clean the collard leaves only!
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 5-6 garlic cloves, sliced or minced
- 1 cup water/vegetable broth, plus more if needed
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika - mild or hot, to taste
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1/4 Tbsp cayenne pepper
Finishing ingredients:
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
- Low sodium soy sauce, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Equipment:
- 6-quart slow cooker - I use classic Crock Pot slow cooker
Instructions
Cleaning and chopping the collards:
- Fill up a clean sink halfway with cool water. Add 2 Tbsp of white vinegar. Put the whole collard leaves into the water, stir them for a couple minutes with your hands or a big spoon - this removes any of the sand or dirt that may have stuck to the leaves.
- Once the leaves are clean, take them out and remove the thick central stem: stack a few leaves on top of each other with stems aligned, then cut it out with a sharp knife.
- After the stems are removed, chop all of the leaves into 1-inch squares or strips. Collards will wilt quite a bit during cooking, so there's no need to cut them smaller.
Setting up the crock pot:
- Spray the bowl of your slow cooker lightly with cooking spray, add all of the ingredientsexcept the finishing ones, lightly mix and cover with a lid.
- Set the slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours. Ideally, you might need to stir the greens once or twice during this time, but if you can't, they will cook just fine without stirring.
- About 10 minutes before the end, add the finishing ingredients, adjusting the flavors to taste.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 127Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 174mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 14gSugar: 2gProtein: 10g
Please note that the provided nutritional information data is approximate.
Question of the Day: Do you follow the Southern tradition of eating collard greens and black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day? Are there any other food traditions in the area where you live?
I’d love to hear from you in the comments! And happy New Year to you and your family!
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Alina Zavatsky - Vegan Runner Eats
Alina first made a switch to a vegan diet in 2013 to optimize her athletic performance as a marathon runner. Eventually she embraced veganism as a way to be kinder to fellow living beings and the environment. Alina hopes that this blog helps its readers on their path to becoming vegan and making this world a better place.
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