These Southern Style Pressure Cooker Collard Greens are flavorful, tender, and cooked in half the time as the stove top method. Now you can enjoy collard greens any day of the week!
The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.
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. It’s a must-have 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.
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 dump-and-go 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.
If you like these collard greens, try my slow cooker collard greens or my collard green soup.
A Quick Glance at the Ingredients Needed
- For the potlikker/ broth - smoked turkey leg, onion, garlic, chicken broth, red pepper flakes, and apple cider vinegar. These ingredients give you some of the best-tasting broth with these greens.
- Fresh Collard greens - chopped. I like buying pre-chopped bags, or you can buy and cut the fresh collards into 1-inch pieces.
How to make Pressure Cooker Collard Greens
Step 1: Add smoked turkey leg, onion, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, and chicken broth into the Pressure Cooker.
Step 2: Add the cut collard greens on top, pushing down so that the greens are not sticking out of the pressure cooker.
Step 3: Place the lid on the 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.”
Step 4: Open the lid and remove the turkey leg from the pressure cooker. Use forks to shred the meat off the bone, then return it to the pressure cooker.
Step 5: Add Apple cider vinegar to the collards and stir.
Make-ahead and Storage Options
These greens are great for making ahead of time. Store the greens and the broth in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They can also be frozen for 3-6 months.
Why you should eat more Collard Greens
Collard greens are rich in many essential vitamins and offer great health benefits. They are also 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 often make them.
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.
Feel free to use any smoked meat in this recipe, from smoked ham to bacon. It'll bring so much flavor to the greens. Or leave it out if you want to keep it meatless.
How long to cook collard greens in the Pressure Cooker
I prepared this recipe in my 6-quart 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.
Looking for more Side Dishes? Try these out:
- Instant Pot Cabbage
- Instant Pot Green Beans and Potatoes
- Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Black-eyed Peas
- Vegan collard greens
Southern Style Pressure Cooker Collard Greens
Ingredients
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. Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
Notes
- To make this dish vegetarian, use vegetable broth and adjust the pressure cook time to 25 minutes.
- This recipe was prepared in a 6-quart Instant Pot. Please adjust accordingly for 3-qt and 8-qt models.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!This post was originally published on August 7, 2018. It has been updated with new helpful information and tips.
Kat says
Maaaaaan this recipe produced greens so good that I realized I had never actually had good collard greens before. Now, I didnt have a smoked turkey let, so I used diced ham (but plan to try the smoked turkey leg at least once) I also didnt have red pepper flakes or apple cider vinegar, so I used 1/4 tsp of ground red pepper and distilled white vinegar. UH-MAY-ZING!!!!!!!! Such an easy recipe especially using the prebagged collards. Damn near 2 min of prep time and not one bitter bite or tough green. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂 This recipe is a keeper for this girl!
MG says
What if I add the apple cider vinegar in the pressure cooker to cook with the greens?
Tanya says
I’ve never done it that way so I’m not sure what the difference would be. Cooking vinegar under pressure could change the flavor profile of the dish. I like to add the little at the end to brighten up the greens.
michael farmer says
52,000 calories? I only eat about 1,500 a day. Is that calorie count accurate?
Tanya says
Hi Michael, looks like there was a glitch on my nutrition calculator. Thank you, I've fixed it now.
Eugenia says
This looks delicious and can't wait to try it! I have an 8 qt. IP. What adjustments should I make?
Tanya says
None, I'd keep everything the same.
Kat says
@Eugenia,
I just made this in my 8 quart instant pot, I was worried I would need more liquid so I did 1 3/4 cups of chicken broth, but in the end it wasn't necessary. Plenty of liquid left.
Rick says
Yes! Love this recipe for easy, delectable collards. Was introduced to collard greens in Nashville on a visit and now I got 'em at home! Thank you so much!
Stephanie Esaw says
Trying this for the first time... I’ve never used my instant pot! Wish me luck!!!
Tanya says
Good luck 🙂 Please let me know how your first use went.
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.
Kat says
@Teresa,
Not sure if this will help or not, but I just made mine cooked for 25 min (cuz I used precooked diced ham) and let it keep warm and do its thing for 20 min post cook. Then released and by then it was minimal release to get the red thing to drop. IDK if this makes sense or helps at all lol.
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.