Instant Pot Collard Greens Recipe

By
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
An internationally recognized culinary authority, Kristina Vanni is well-known for her recipe development, food photography, and experience as a TV show host.
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Updated on 06/2/22
Instant Pot Collard Greens

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Pressure Build/Release Time: 10 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 1 pot
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
375 Calories
26g Fat
19g Carbs
18g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 375
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 33%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 42mg 14%
Sodium 816mg 35%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 25mg 124%
Calcium 183mg 14%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 475mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Collard greens are part of the same vegetable family as cabbage and broccoli and are known for their large, dark-colored, edible leaves. Collard greens do not have a close-knit core of leaves like cabbage, making them more tolerant of high humidity levels. It's no wonder that collard greens have become so closely associated with the deep South and are a staple in Southern cuisine.

These greens are slightly bitter, so they taste even better when cooked with a bit of vinegar, sugar, and seasoned with some spicy hot sauce. Of course, adding some juicy pieces of thick-cut bacon makes eating your greens even more enjoyable.

Traditionally, collard greens are enjoyed on New Year's Day along with black-eyed peas and cornbread, to ensure wealth and good luck in the coming year. But they're also eaten all season long in the South as a favorite side dish. Instead of cooking low and slow on the stove, this recipe prepares the collard greens quickly and easily using an electric pressure cooker. They are ready to enjoy in under 30 minutes, making them great for a weeknight.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 cup chopped onion

  • 6 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch lardons

  • 1 (16-ounce) bag collard greens

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Instant Pot Collard Greens ingredients
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Heat the oil in an electric pressure cooker on the sauté setting. Add the onion and bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and just beginning to brown and bacon has rendered some of its fat about 5 to 6 minutes.

    bacon and onions in electric pressure cooker
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. Add the collard greens to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until the collards are shiny and wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. If all of the greens don’t fit into the pot at the same time, cook and wilt them in batches. 

    collard greens in electric pressure cooker
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Stir in the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and hot sauce. Lock lid and turn to the manual setting. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.

    collard green ingredients in pressure cooker
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. Release the pressure manually, then open lid and taste collard greens. Adjust the seasoning as needed. If there’s a lot of excess liquid in the pot, return to the sauté setting and simmer until the liquid is reduced enough to just lightly coat the greens.

    Instant Pot Collard Greens
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  6. Transfer the cooked collard greens to a platter. Season with additional hot sauce as desired.

Tip

  • Collard greens tend to be quite sandy, so it is important to thoroughly wash the greens before adding them to the recipe. They might need to be scrubbed and rinsed a few times to make sure they are perfectly clean. You should continue to wash the greens until you don't see any grit left in the water in the sink. Alternatively, fill a clean basin or sink with cold water and dunk the leaves. Let soak a few minutes so that the grit sinks to the bottom of the basin.