Instant Pot Collard Greens

Greens, Southern Sides, Vegetables

These Instant Pot collard greens are so flavorful and lovely. When collards are in season, you’ll want to make this side at every meal time it’s so easy.


Just yesterday my husband (an Australian) said he was talking to his northern co-worker and they both agreed on something. 

Something heretical.

Something awful.

They both think that greens…. taste like weeds.

That eating turnips and collard greens is like eating weeds. 

I didn’t even know what to say to him. 

instant pot collard greens on a red and white checked napkin

Will our marriage work out?

Only time will tell.

My grandmother’s collard greens (with bacon!)

My grandmother used to make collards in a pressure cooker and I can still remember and hear and feel that nostalgic feeling of the top that sounded like a train whistle.

She wouldn’t know what to make of an Instant Pot, but honestly… I don’t know what to make of not cooking every single thing I possibly can in the Instant Pot. 

So that’s that. 

Instant Pot Collard Greens

If you want to cook these in a large pot instead of an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, simply cook for around 40 minutes instead of the 10 minute pressure cooking time. 

Easy peasy collard greens squeezy.

Ingredients For Instant Pot Collard Greens

  • 1 lb collard greens
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 8 slices bacon
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves garlic (or 2 tsp minced garlic)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar to cut the bitterness
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • pinch red pepper flakes
  • pinch pepper

instant pot collard greens with bacon

Directions For Instant Pot Collard Greens

  1. Turn on your instant pot to saute and add the oil.
  2. Add bacon (about 4 or 5 pieces seem to fit) and cook around 2 minutes per side or until crispy. This might take 2 rounds to get all your bacon.
  3. Remove back and set aside to let it further crisp. Crumble it (or cut it up with kitchen scissors) and return it to the pan. Remove excess bacon grease if there’s a lot.
  4. Add onion and let it cook until it becomes tender, this takes around 4 minutes.
  5. Then add the garlic and stir well so it doesn’t overcook.
  6. Add in the collard greens and, using tongs if you have them, get all of the greens into the onion, garlic, and oil mixture so they begin to wilt.
  7. Once all the collards are coated, add the chicken stock, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if you’re using them.
  8. Put the lid on the instant pot to sealing, then turn it onto Manual for 10 minutes.
  9. Let it cook for 10 minutes, then turn it off. You can either vent it yourself automatically or let it self-vent.

Pot Likker

Don’t forget that you’ll get pot likker from your greens! These instant pot greens will give you the best pot likker around.


Instant Pot Collard Greens

Rachel Norman
These instant pot collard greens are so flavorful and lovely. When collards are in season, you'll want to make this side at every meal time it's so easy.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Southern
Servings 8
Calories 143 kcal

Equipment

  • Pressure Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil to cook bacon
  • 8 slices bacon
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 cloves garlic (or 2 tsps minced garlic)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 cups organic chicken broth
  • pinch red pepper flakes if desired
  • pinch pepper
  • 1 lb collard greens cut into small bite sized pieces

Instructions
 

  • Turn on your instant pot to saute and add the oil.
  • Add bacon (about 4 or 5 pieces seem to fit) and cook around 2 minutes per side or until crispy. This might take 2 rounds to get all your bacon.
  • Remove back and set aside to let it further crisp. Crumble it (or cut it up with kitchen scissors) and return it to the pan. Remove excess bacon grease if there's a lot.
  • Add onion and let it cook until it becomes tender, this takes around 4 minutes.
  • Then add the garlic and stir well so it doesn't overcook.
  • Add in the collard greens and, using tongs if you have them, get all of the greens into the onion, garlic, and oil mixture so they begin to wilt.
  • Once all the collards are coated, add the chicken stock, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if you're using them.
  • Put the lid on the instant pot to sealing, then turn it onto Manual for 10 minutes.
  • Let it cook for 10 minutes, then turn it off. You can either vent it yourself automatically or let it self-vent.

Nutrition

Calories: 143kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 5gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 662mgPotassium: 239mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2854IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 141mgIron: 1mg
Keyword instant pot
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My family and I absolutely LOVED this recipe. And I loved the simplicity of it. Thank you! My 7yr. old is always requesting collard greens and cornbread. This is my go-to.

  2. 5 stars
    I’ve been meaning to come back and comment on this since Christmas. This recipe is fabulous! I used half collards and half turnip greens (I also had to use my saved bacon fat because I’d accidentally cooked all the bacon for breakfast).

    My boyfriend, who’s from Ohio and previously wouldn’t touch greens with a 10-foot pole, loved these. I only made them for Christmas because he likes this one leftover sandwich that uses them. But he usually won’t eat them. These he was eating straight out of the Instant Pot crock.

    Really impressed, and thank you so much for sharing.

  3. Can you just double this in the instapot to feed more?

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