December 25, 2024

Quick and Easy Southern-Style Instant Pot Collard Greens

Quick and Easy Southern-Style Instant Pot Collard Greens

Don’t reserve collard greens just for New Year’s Day. With this quick and easy Instant Pot collard greens recipe, you can have delicious Southern-style collard greens whenever you want.

Looking down into an Instant Pot full of cooked collard greens. Fresh collard leaves, a bottle of hot sauce, a dish of ground black pepper, apple cider vinegar, salt and a serving dish are to the sides.

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I feel like collard greens are vastly underappreciated, especially compared to the more sophisticated leafy greens like kale or spinach. Not only are they dirt cheap, but they are loaded with Vitamin K, fiber, and potassium, making them super healthy. I will typically cook a large pot of flavorful collard greens on the weekend and serve them as a side dish throughout the week. 

The drawback is that raw collard leaves are tough. Cooking collard greens on the stove requires several hours of cook time to transform them into tender greens. Not everyone has time for that. These pressure cooked collard greens, on the other hand, need only 30 minutes of cooking time! 

If you would rather make stovetop collards, check out this recipe for Southern Turnip Greens. You might also like this post on cooking collard greens in a slow cooker.

Ingredients and tools you will need

My delicious southern-style greens require only seven ingredients, some of which you may already have on hand. To convert Southern greens into a quick and easy Instant Pot recipe, you will need:

  • 4 large bunches of fresh collard greens
  • 12 ounces salt pork – Salt pork is pork that has been salt-cured, typically made from pork belly, though occasionally from fatback. It looks similar to uncut side bacon but is fattier, as it comes from the lowest part of the belly, and saltier, since it’s cured more intensely and for a longer time. Unlike bacon, salt pork is never smoked. You can also use pork jowls, ham hock, a hambone, country ham smoked turkey leg or even bacon. 
  • 2 cups cold water – for more flavor, use chicken stock or vegetable broth for the cooking liquid.
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar – I love the tangy flavor the cider vinegar adds, but if you don’t have any you can use white vinegar.
  • 1 teaspoon sugar – this counteracts any bitterness in the leaves. I promise it won’t make the dish sweet.
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Electric pressure cooker – my Instant Pot is no longer being sold. This Instant Pot is similar.
  • Red pepper flakes or hot sauce, optional
Collage of ingredients needed to make Instant Pot collard greens.Collage of ingredients needed to make Instant Pot collard greens.

Wash the leaves and remove the stems

Collards, which hail from the same family as cabbage and broccoli, tend to be quite dirty since they grow in the ground. It’s always a good idea to wash the leaves first to remove any grit. I like to fill my clean sink with cool water and fully submerge the leaves, letting them soak for about 15-20 minutes so any dirt can settle at the bottom. After soaking, I gently lift the leaves out and drain the water. If you’re working with several bunches of greens, you might need to do this in batches. If so, be sure to drain the water and rinse the sink between each batch.

The center stem of a collard green leaf is quite tough, so it’s best to remove it before cooking. While you can use a sharp knife, I find it easier to tear the leaves from the stem by hand. If you compost, the stems make a great addition. Once the stems are removed, chop the leaves into more manageable pieces for cooking.

Turnip green leaves soaking in a kitchen sink.Turnip green leaves soaking in a kitchen sink.
Turnip greens after the stems have been removed and chopped.Turnip greens after the stems have been removed and chopped.

How to make Instant Pot collard greens

  1. Chop the salt pork into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Select the SAUTE setting on the Instant Pot. 
  3. Add the salt pork and cook for 3-5 minutes to render off some of the grease, but do not drain the grease.

  4. Add the water to the Instant Pot and scrape up any bits of salt pork that have stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring the water to a boil and simmer the salt pork for five minutes.
  5. Add the cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to the pot. Allow the liquid to come to a boil again.
  6. Add the greens. You may need to work in batches, allowing the greens to wilt down to make room for more.
  7. Turn off the SAUTÉ setting.
  8. Secure and lock the lid onto the Instant Pot. Double-check that the valve is closed. Select the MANUAL function and set the timer for 20 minutes. 
  9. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Rendering uncooked salt pork using the saute setting of the Instant Pot.Rendering uncooked salt pork using the saute setting of the Instant Pot.
Salt pork after it has cooked for for several minutes in the Instant Pot.Salt pork after it has cooked for for several minutes in the Instant Pot.
Adding the water to the salt pork in the Instant Pot.Adding the water to the salt pork in the Instant Pot.
Boiling the salt pork and water for 3-5 minutes.Boiling the salt pork and water for 3-5 minutes.
Adding the apple cider vinegar to the salt pork and water in the Instant Pot.Adding the apple cider vinegar to the salt pork and water in the Instant Pot.
Salt pork, water, apple cider vinegar, salt, sugar and ground black pepper in the Instant Pot.Salt pork, water, apple cider vinegar, salt, sugar and ground black pepper in the Instant Pot.
Chopped greens added to the Instant Pot with the rest of the ingredients.Chopped greens added to the Instant Pot with the rest of the ingredients.
Twisting and securing the top onto the Instant Pot.Twisting and securing the top onto the Instant Pot.
Collard greens and salt pork after they have been pressure cooked for 30 minutes.Collard greens and salt pork after they have been pressure cooked for 30 minutes.

Storage, freezing, and reheating instructions

Storage. Allow the collard greens to cool completely. Transfer them to an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator within two hours. Consume within four days.

Freezing. Transfer the collard greens to an airtight container or freezer bag. Be sure to leave a little room at the top for expansion. If using a freezer bag, squeeze out as much air as possible. Consume within six months. Thaw before reheating.

Reheating. Collard greens can be reheated for 1-2 minutes in the microwave. You can also spoon them into a large saucepan. Add about 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of water or broth and bring to a low simmer. Cook until heated through.

Frequently asked questions

Will this work for turnip greens?

Yes! You can use this method to also cook turnip greens.

Will this work for mustard greens?

Mustard green leaves are more tender than collard or turnip greens. Therefore, I do not recommend using this cooking method.

Can I use bagged greens?

Yes. Two 32-ounce bags of washed and chopped fresh collards are equivalent to four bunches.

Can I use frozen greens?

Yes. Frozen greens are blanched first to preserve color, so you won’t need to cook them as long. Follow the recipe and cook them for 10 minutes instead of 30.

Serving dish full of collard greens with a bottle of hot sauce and an Instant Pot in the background.Serving dish full of collard greens with a bottle of hot sauce and an Instant Pot in the background.

Serve pressure cooker collard greens with

More Instant Pot recipes

Serving dish full of collard greens with a bottle of hot sauce and an Instant Pot in the background.Serving dish full of collard greens with a bottle of hot sauce and an Instant Pot in the background.
  • 4 bunches of collard greens washed
  • 12 ounces salt pork
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

  • Remove the center stems from the greens. Discard the stems and coarsely chop the leaves. Set aside.

  • Chop the salt pork into bite-sized pieces.

  • Select the SAUTE function on the Instant Pot.

  • Add the salt pork and cook for 3-5 minutes to render off some of the grease, but do not drain the grease.

  • Add the water to the Instant Pot and scrape up any bits of salt pork that have stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring the water to a boil and simmer the salt pork for five minutes.

  • Add the cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to the pot. Allow the liquid to come to a boil again.

  • Add the greens. You may need to work in batches, allowing the greens to wilt down to make room for more.

  • Turn off the SAUTE function.

  • Secure and lock the lid onto the Instant Pot. Double-check that the valve is closed. Select the MANUAL function and set the timer for 20 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally.

Storage, freezing, and reheating instructions
Storage. Allow the collard greens to cool completely. Transfer them to an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator within two hours. Consume within four days.
Freezing. Transfer the collard greens to an airtight container or freezer bag. Be sure to leave a little room at the top for expansion. If using a freezer bag, squeeze out as much air as possible. Consume within six months. Thaw before reheating.
Reheating. Collard greens can be reheated for 1-2 minutes in the microwave. You can also spoon them into a large saucepan. Add about 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of water or broth and bring to a low simmer. Cook until heated through.

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 660mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 72mg

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