These Southern Style Pressure Cooker Collard Greens are flavorful, tender, and cooked in half the time than the stove top method. Now you can enjoy collard greens any day of the week!
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If you live in the South, then you know all about the amazing way collard greens are cooked down here. For me, southern style collard greens are like a dream come true. In fact, it’s a must item I have to have on my Thanksgiving plate. I avoided making it at home for the longest time because of how long the process was of making the greens.
First, it took so much time to do the soaking and washing. Then, it took hours of cooking it on the stove to make sure they were tender. Then, there’s the smell…that good ol’ stinky collard greens smell. Yea, these were the reasons why I avoided cooking collards at home for the longest.
But the Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker came to the rescue and now I can make collards in less than an hour! I’m sharing my one pot collard green recipe that can be made with little to no effort while you prepare the rest of your dinner. Lookout Thanksgiving, my collards are going to be the easiest thing you make.
Why you should eat more Collard Greens
Collard greens are full of many essential vitamins and they’ve been noted as one of the vegetables that can aid in the prevention of cancer. You can read more about all the great health benefits of here.
Also, collard greens are delicious when prepared right and are a great way to introduce kids to vegetables. My 10 year old loves these southern style collard greens so I make them quite often.
Fresh or bagged Collards, which to use?
I’ve made this recipe with both fresh collard greens (the ones that require all that soaking and washing) and the collard greens you find in a bag in the store. Guess what the difference was? Absolutely nothing…except the price and convenience. The bag was about 2 dollars more than what I spend on the fresh collards but it was so much more convenient. No longer will I take hours and hours to wash my collard greens.
If you want to use fresh collards, you can read more about cleaning them here. Or you can be like me and BUY THE BAG.
What makes these pressure cooker Collard Greens so Flavorful?
That good ol’ turkey leg. I like to add a fully cooked smoked turkey leg to the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. You can find these in any grocery store. It brings so much flavor to the collards. I don’t even add salt when I prepare this recipe. It’s just not needed.
How long to cook collard greens in the Pressure Cooker
I prepared this recipe in my 6qt Instant Pot electric pressure cooker. The pressure cook time for this recipe as written is 35 minutes. That is the perfect amount of time to allow the turkey leg meat to fall off the bone and to have the collards soften without turning to mush. If preparing this recipe without the turkey leg, adjust the pressure cook time to 25 minutes.
Cooking collard greens in your pressure cooker is so easy it should be done more often.
Looking for more Side Dishes? Try these out:
- Instant Pot Cabbage
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob (Cheddar and Sour Cream Flavored)
- Instant Pot White Cheddar Pasta
- Corn Soufflé
- Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes
Southern Style Pressure Cooker Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 1 smoked turkey leg fully cooked
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 lb bag collard greens
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Instructions
- Add smoked turkey leg, onion, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, chicken broth into Pressure Cooker. Then add collard greens on top, pushing down so that the greens are not sticking out the pressure cooker.
- Place lid on pressure cooker, making sure the valve is set to “Sealing.”
- Pressure cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
- Once time is up, do a quick release by switching the valve to “Venting.”
- Open lid and remove turkey leg from pressure cooker. Use forks to shred the meat off the bone, returning the meat to the pressure cooker.
- Add Apple cider vinegar to the collards and stir.
- Enjoy 🙂
Notes
Notes on Southern Style Pressure Cooker Collard Greens
- To make this dish vegetarian, use vegetable broth and adjust the pressure cook time to 25 minutes.
- This recipe was prepared in a 6qt Instant Pot. Please adjust accordingly for 3qt and 8qt models.
Suggested Tools for Southern Style Pressure Cooker Collard Greens
Instant Pot Electric Pressure CookerNutrition
Step by Step Photos of Southern Style Pressure Cooker Collard Greens
Add the first four ingredients and red pepper flakes to the Instant Pot.
Add collard greens to the top of the other ingredients. Slightly push collards down so they aren’t sticking out of the top. Don’t worry, they shall cook down.
Place lid on Instant Pot, ensuring the valve is set to “Sealing.” Pressure Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
Once timer on the instant pot is done, quick release the pressure by switching it to “venting”. Be careful as hot steam will shoot out, so do so slowly and carefully. Once the little metal pin goes down, the pressure has been released and you can open the lid.
Remove the smoked turkey leg from the pot and shred with a fork. It should fall off the bone.
Add the shredded smoked turkey and apple cider vinegar to Instant Pot. Enjoy 🙂
alan says
This is really good and etremely easy. Using turkey instead of pork makes it healthier.
Robin Claire says
Excited to try this. I haven’t been able to locate bagged greens, so do you have an idea as to how many bunches I would use instead?
Tanya says
Hi Robin, 16 oz. So depending on how large the bunches are, it’ll probably be about 1 large bunch.
Iethia says
Would the time vary for turkey necks or turkey tails
Tanya says
Hi, I’ve never used turkey tails or necks but others have and it worked fine. I’d suggest still cooking at the 35 min high pressure. Any longer and the greens may get too mushy.
Teresa says
Making this now ! 😋
I much prefer to use NPR…..would you say decrease pressure time to 25min for NPR ?
Tanya says
Hi Teresa, I’d probably only reduce it by a little and cook for 30 minutes, and then natural release to ensure that the turkey meat still falls off the bone.
Robert says
I have a traditional pressure cooker, not electric insta pot. Your recipe, I want to try. Ya think the cooking time would be the same when I bring it to the correct temp when the top starts to jiggle?
Tanya says
Just about. Traditional pressure cookers are a wee bit faster, but I think the suggested cook time will still be just fine.
Ayanna Anderson says
This recipe has been my go to since I got my instant pot last year. I add a few more seasonings to my liking but otherwise, this is it!
Tanya says
Yay! So glad you like the recipe and thank you for your feedback 🙂
Will says
Thank you , Tanya. Your recipe had the right cooking time that other recipes shorted.
Perhaps as a man, I shouldn’t say it on your blog, but you are a lovely person.
Tanya says
Hi Will, Thank you so much. So glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Denise says
Very good!! I used smoked bacon ends from a butchery instead of the turkey leg. Came out very delicious. It’s so easy this is the only way I’ll cook them from now on.
Marc says
Yum! Won’t buy canned greens again” sorry Sylvia, Thanks for recipe!
Mika Bennett says
I used the recipe for my New Year’s greens and turned put great. I added a dash of Tamari, hot sauce, and black pepper. I just got my IP and will definitely keep this recipe on reserve. Thanks for sharing.
Tanya says
Awesome! So glad you liked them. I love adding hot sauce to my greens too.