Easy Instant Pot Collard Greens with Bacon

Collard Greens are a traditional Southern dish that are especially popular on New Year’s. This recipe has some yummy twists with the addition of bacon and a few red pepper flakes – and making them in the Instant Pot makes this dish even faster and easier than ever before.

Collard Greens Instant Pot

Although marrying Forrest has many, many upsides, I love that he’s widened my palate a little bit.

I’ve never been that picky (I really just don’t like globby cheese and soft cheeses like feta), so I’m always willing to try something new. But until I met Forrest, I didn’t really know much about Southern cooking.

I’m actually convinced now that the South is the best when it comes to side dishes. They just can’t be beaten!

One of the dishes Forrest had me try several years ago was collard greens.

I’ll admit, it wasn’t a dish I loved at first…but then we had them at his parent’s house a few years ago, and I realized that when they are cooked well..they are delicious.

Since collard greens are a popular dish for New Year’s, I thought I would make an Instant Pot version.

I have no idea how authentic these are to the South, so don’t come after me with a pitchfork is they aren’t what you grew up having your Grandma cooked…but I can tell you that they are DELICIOUS.

I kept going back for more after my first bite, and it was great.

I would recommend going easy on the red pepper flakes (a pinch really means a pinch) or omitting them entirely if you can’t handle spice. But I do love the kick it gives.

Vinegar is also an interesting addition after they are cooked, but it’s up to you whether or not you use it!

I hope that you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

What are Collard Greens?

Collard Greens is a leafy green vegetable that have dark leaves and a hard stem. They are very popular in Southern Cooking.

They are known for being a bit bitter, so slow steaming them helps to lessen that flavor. However, making them in the Instant Pot speeds up the process with great results.

They are pretty similar to other leafy greens, such as kale, and you will prepare them in a similar manner.

Why Do You Have Collard Greens on New Year’s?

In the South, it’s very common to serve collard greens and black-eyed peas on New Year’s.

It is said that these both represent good luck and prosperity for the new year, and the collard greens symbolize cash.

I think it’s a great tradition, and although we don’t live in the South, Forrest’s family has deep roots there, and we love to share that heritage with our children.

What Should You Serve with Collard Greens?

Collard greens make for a great side dish for so many meals! Here are a few ideas.

• Chicken
• Cod
• Corn Bread
• Pork chops
• Fried chicken
• Black-eyed peas (of course)
• Pulled Pork (we love Eastern Carolina style!)
• BBQ
• Catfish

Collards in Instant Pot

Supplies

• Instant Pot (6 or 8 quart)
• Slotted Spoon
• I love Redmond Salt– it’s the best of the best! Get a discount with code CLARKS.

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bacon, uncooked and chopped up
• Oil (I used Avocado Oil, but Olive oil would work just fine)
• 1 cup diced sweet onion
• 1 pound collard greens, washed and sliced into 2-3 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• White vinegar (optional)

Add a little bit oil to the pot of your Instant Pot and set to medium saute.

Once the oil is heated, add bacon and cook until done. Remove and put in a bowl.

Remove and cook onions in the bacon grease and oil for about five minutes. Add garlic at the end and cook for about one minute – stir the entire time to prevent burning.

Remove onion and garlic and deglaze the bottom of the pan with a couple of splashes of water.

Add the collards into the pot along with the bacon, onion, garlic and a little extra oil and saute until wilted.

Add salt and pepper.

Add chicken broth and stir with the wilted collards.

Put the lid on the pet, seal it from venting, and set to five minutes on the steam setting.

Once the timer goes over, quick pressure release all the pressure.

Serve immediately – use a slotted spoon to serve. There will be a lot of liquid, so the slotted spoon is essential!

Add a little vinegar if you desire!

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How Long to Cook Collard Greens in Instant Pot?

As I was developing this recipe, I looked at several recipes for collard greens on the stovetop and most required steaming for about 40 minutes. That was definitely way too long for the Instant Pot!

With vegetables, I usually start out lower because they can get mushy fast. Five minutes seemed to be the perfect amount of time when combined with Quick Pressure Release (releasing the pressure with the valve rather than letting is slowly release.

Variations

There are several different ways people like to prepare these. Some don’t add bacon, some cook it with a ham hock, some cook and serve with vinegar, and some like to add a little spice with hot sauce or red pepper flakes (we use a little red pepper flakes in this recipe!)

FAQ

What Instant Pot do you use? I have both the Instant Pot DUO 60 6 Quart and the Instant Pot Ultra 8 Quart. Both work great with this recipe.

Can I use something other than bacon? A lot of people will use ham hock when preparing their collard greens instead. If you do this, just skip the step about cooking bacon!

What does it mean to deglaze the pot? This is a way to get all the stuck on parts off the bottom of the pot that inevitably appears from cooking and sauteeing things. I usually just splash some water in the pot while it’s still on saute and loosen up the pieces of food. Don’t discard them (unless they got burnt) – it adds great flavor. But you must do this or else you will likely get a burn warning.

Can I use frozen collards? I have not used frozen collard greens in this recipe. If you do this, just be careful not to overcook them. I would probably just do them for two minutes!

Is this collard recipe keto-friendly? I believe it is!

How can I make this vegetarian? Just omit the bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken. It will be a little bit less flavorful, but it should taste good!

Other Recipes You May Enjoy

• How to Make Corn on the Cob in the Microwave
• Easy Instant Pot Grits Recipe – So Fast and Yummy
• Easy Skillet Creamed Corn
• Fast and Easy Instant Pot Acorn Squash Recipe
• Easy Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas with Bacon

Collard greens are a delicious and easy way to get some veggies and other good Southern fixings! Try it in your Instant Pot for your next meal or New Year’s celebration.