Coconut-Braised Collard Greens

Coconut-Braised Collard Greens
Romulo Yanes for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(1,821)
Comments
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Cooking leafy greens in coconut milk makes them sweet, soft and rich. A spike of hot sauce and some rice or grits makes this a complete vegetarian meal; you can easily replace the butter with oil to make it vegan. The recipe comes from Von Diaz, a writer who was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Atlanta. She combines ingredients and influences from both places in her home cooking. —Julia Moskin

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1large bunch collard greens (1½ to 2 pounds)
  • 1tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1bunch (6 to 8) scallions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
  • cups unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1tablespoon soy sauce
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

300 calories; 26 grams fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 9 grams protein; 752 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cut off and discard any dry or wilted bits from the collard greens and wash the remaining collards in cold water. Transfer to a colander to drain, then coarsely chop the stems and leaves into 2- to 3-inch pieces.

  2. Step 2

    In a large wok or skillet, heat butter and oil over medium-high until rippling. Add scallions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Add collards and cook, stirring, just until wilted, about 1 minute.

  3. Step 3

    Add coconut milk and soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until collards are cooked to your taste, about 7 minutes for bright and crisp greens or 10 minutes for darker, softer greens.

  4. Step 4

    Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Ratings

5 out of 5
1,821 user ratings
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Comments

I do not like greens. I dislike collards the most. I had seconds.

So quick to make with a bag of precut and cleaned kale. I did make changes based on what I had available (kale and leeks). Added garlic and fresh ginger based on other reviews. And a can of chick peas because I wanted additional protein. Delicious.

Added 3 cloves of garlic, half a yellow onion, 2in of grated ginger, and 2 tbsp of chili oil. Sautéd at the beginning of the recipe w the scallions. Did half a bag of chopped kale / half a bag of spinach instead of collards and served over wild rice. This was wonderful!

I aged a little veg bouillon. Delicious!

Delicious. I added a little vegetable bouillon.

I’m usually the person who, during collards season, takes this recipe and turns it into a curry, heavy on the ginger and turmeric and lime and garbanzo beans. However, I found myself with collards, coconut milk, and scallions this evening—and a very flavorful main dish—so I made it pretty much as Von and Julia wrote it, and it was absolutely lovely! My coconut milk was reduced fat, and I used the whole can. I know from past experience that full fat coconut clings more closely to the greens. I also added 2 small cloves of minced garlic. I will keep returning to this recipe both as the base for a fantastic curry and a tasty, understated side.

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Credits

Adapted from “Coconuts and Collards” by Von Diaz (University Press of Florida, 2018)

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