Traditional collard greens get their deep, smoky flavor from ham hocks, bacon, or salt pork, and a single serving can top 800 mg of sodium. These Slow Cooker Collard Greens build that same smoky, savory taste with smoked paprika, garlic, and a splash of apple cider vinegar. They’re completely vegan, and each 3/4 cup serving has just 82 calories, 116 mg of sodium, and 6 grams of fiber.
Our secret ingredient is a Honeycrisp apple. Chopped fine and tucked in with the onion, it melts into the broth as the greens slowly cook, softening their natural bitterness and adding a gentle sweetness that makes the pot likker worth sipping. All you have to do is wash and slice the greens, stir everything together in your crock pot, and let it do the rest of the work.
What Makes These Slow Cooker Collard Greens Heallthy
Collard greens are packed with nutrients, but the way they’re usually cooked adds a lot of salt and saturated fat. This recipe leaves out the smoked pork entirely and starts with unsalted vegetable broth, so the greens keep all of their fiber, calcium, and vitamins with very little sodium. A tablespoon of olive oil is the only added fat, and just ¼ teaspoon of salt seasons the whole pot. It’s an easy, flavorful way to follow a low sodium diet without giving up a Southern classic.
Key Health Highlights
Low Sodium: Has 116mg of sodium per serving, which meets the FDA’s definition of a low sodium food (140mg or less).
High in Fiber: Each serving has 6g of fiber, about 21% of the Daily Value, to support digestion and help keep you full. Along with 14g of carbohydrates, that makes these greens a good fit for diabetic meal plans.
Rich in Calcium: Collards are a great plant source of calcium, and each serving has 261mg, about 20% of the Daily Value.
Excellent Source of Vitamin K: Collard greens are very high in vitamin K, which helps your blood clot normally and supports bone health. If you take a blood thinner such as warfarin, keep your vitamin K intake consistent from day to day and talk with your doctor before making big changes to how many leafy greens you eat.
Heart Healthy: With 0g of saturated fat, 0mg of cholesterol, and only 2g of total fat per serving, these greens fit right into a heart healthy eating plan.
Vegan and Gluten Free: Made with only plants, this vegan collard greens recipe also works for vegetarian and gluten-free diets. Learn more about building balanced plant-based meals in our vegan diet guidelines.
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FAQs About Slow Cooker Collard Greens
Collard greens take 6 to 8 hours on LOW or 3 to 4 hours on HIGH in a slow cooker, until they’re very tender. How long to cook collard greens on the stovetop is much shorter, usually 45 minutes to 1 hour at a gentle simmer. As with most vegetarian slow cooker recipes, the long, gentle cook is what makes the greens silky and full of flavor. If you’re wondering how long greens should cook in general, the same timing works for most hearty greens in a crockpot, including turnip and mustard greens.
Replace the smoky flavor of ham hocks with smoked paprika, then build savory depth with onion, garlic, and unsalted vegetable broth. A little brown sugar and a sweet apple round out the flavor, and a splash of vinegar at the end makes everything taste brighter. It’s the same idea behind the greens in our collection of healthy soul food recipes, where herbs and spices do the work that fatty meat and extra salt usually do. The result is a vegetarian collard greens recipe with plenty of smoky flavor.
The best seasoning for collard greens balances smoky, sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors. This recipe uses smoked paprika for smokiness, brown sugar and a Honeycrisp apple for sweetness, red pepper flakes for heat, and apple cider vinegar to finish. For more ways to add flavor without salt, see our guide to spices low in sodium.
A long, slow cook does most of the work, since it softens both the texture and the bitter edge of the leaves. Removing the thick center stems helps, too. A touch of sweetness from the apple and brown sugar balances any remaining bitterness, and stirring in vinegar at the end brightens the flavor so the greens taste fresh instead of flat.
Unsalted vegetable broth is a great choice because it adds flavor without much sodium and keeps the recipe vegan. As the greens cook, the broth turns into pot likker, the flavorful liquid left in the pot. It’s full of flavor and some of the nutrients from the greens, so spoon some over each serving or soak it up with a piece of cornbread.
Both work well and save time. Bagged collard greens are already cut, but look for and remove any thick stems, and give them a quick rinse if the bag doesn’t say they’re pre-washed. Use 2 (16-ounce) bags of frozen collard greens, which can go straight into the slow cooker without thawing. They’re already partially cooked, so start checking them for tenderness after about 4 hours on LOW. If you’re starting with fresh bunches, our guide on how to clean fresh lettuce, herbs, and vegetables explains how to wash leafy greens.
For a more traditional flavor, add 1 small smoked turkey wing or leg along with the broth, then pull the meat from the bone and stir it into the greens before serving. Smoked turkey adds a lot of sodium, so leave out the ¼ teaspoon of salt. Keep in mind that the greens will no longer be vegan, and the nutrition information won’t reflect this version.
Collard greens can be a smart part of a weight loss plan because they’re low in calories and high in fiber. A serving of this recipe has just 82 calories and 6g of fiber, which helps you feel full and satisfied. Learn more about why fiber matters and how to get more of it in our guide to high fiber foods.
More Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes
If you love coming home to dinner that cooked itself, these slow cooker favorites are just as easy. Each one has less than 250mg of sodium per serving.
Collards are just one way to enjoy hearty greens. These recipes show off kale and mixed greens in everything from quick weeknight sides to warm, cozy soups.
How Our Collard Greens Compare to Traditional and Canned Versions
Many collard greens recipes, and many canned versions, get their flavor from smoked pork and salt. Here is how a ¾ cup serving of our slow cooker collard greens compares with a popular ham hock and bacon recipe and with a can of seasoned Southern-style collard greens:
Sodium: Our recipe has 116mg of sodium per serving. That’s about 86% less than the 847mg in the ham hock and bacon recipe, and just ½ cup of the canned greens has 720mg.
Calories: Our greens have 82 calories per serving, about 77% fewer than the 355 calories in the ham hock and bacon version.
Saturated Fat and Cholesterol: Ours has 0g of saturated fat and 0mg of cholesterol, while the traditional recipe is cooked with ham hocks, bacon, and bacon drippings.
Ingredients: Our greens are made with vegetables, broth, and spices. The canned version lists bacon fat, pork broth, country ham broth, hydrolyzed soy protein, and caramel color.
Ingredient Spotlights
Collard Greens: Collards are a leafy green in the same family as cabbage and kale. Their large, sturdy leaves have a mild, slightly earthy flavor that turns tender and silky after a long, slow cook.
Honeycrisp Apple: Sweet and crisp, a Honeycrisp apple softens into the broth and balances the natural bitterness of the greens without making them taste like dessert.
Smoked Paprika: This is what gives the greens their smoky, savory flavor without a ham hock. Look for a brand labeled “smoked,” since regular paprika won’t have the same effect.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Adding vinegar to collard greens at the very end brightens their flavor the same way a pinch of salt would, so you can use less salt overall.
Unsalted Vegetable Broth: The broth becomes the pot likker, so choosing an unsalted one keeps the sodium low. Broths labeled “reduced sodium” can still have several hundred milligrams per cup.
Healthy Variations
Collard Greens with Black-Eyed Peas: Stir in a 15-ounce can of no-salt-added black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed, during the last 30 minutes of cooking for a heartier dish that’s perfect for New Year’s Day.
Collard Greens and Sweet Potatoes: Add 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, along with the apple and onion.
Extra Smoky Greens: Add 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke along with the smoked paprika.
Spicy Greens: Add 1 finely chopped jalapeño with the onion, or increase the red pepper flakes to 1 teaspoon.
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Ingredients
Recipe yields 8 servings
Directions
Step 1
Wash the collard greens well in a sink full of cold water, swishing them to loosen any grit. Drain and repeat if the water looks sandy. Cut out the thick center stems, stack the leaves, roll them up, and slice them into 1-inch strips.
Step 2
In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine the apple, onion, garlic, broth, olive oil, smoked paprika, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt. Stir well.
Step 3
Add the collard greens, pressing them down into the liquid. If they don’t all fit, add as many as you can, cover for 30 minutes to let them wilt, and then add the rest.
Step 4
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the greens are very tender. Stir once about halfway through, if you can.
Step 5
Stir in the vinegar. Taste and adjust with more vinegar or red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve with a spoonful of the cooking liquid.
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Nutrition Facts
Serving Size:
3/4 cup
82
Calories
3
g
Fat
0
mg
Cholesterol
116
mg
Sodium
14
g
Carbs
0
g
Sat. Fat
6
g
Fiber
4
g
Protein
4
g
Sugars
318
mg
Potassium
41
mg
Phosphorus
Alternative Cooking Methods
Instant Pot Collard Greens: Add all of the ingredients except the vinegar to a 6-quart Instant Pot, pressing the greens down below the max fill line. If they don’t all fit, wilt them in batches on the Sauté setting first. Pressure cook on High for 20 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar before serving.
Stovetop: Combine all of the ingredients except the vinegar in a large Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender. Stir in the vinegar before serving.
Make Ahead: This crockpot collard greens recipe is easy to prep ahead. Wash and slice the greens and chop the apple and onion up to 2 days ahead. Store them in separate containers in the refrigerator, then add everything to the slow cooker in the morning.
Serving & Storage Tips
Storage: Store leftovers with some of the cooking liquid in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. The flavor gets even better the next day.
Freezing: Freeze the greens in their cooking liquid for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Warm the greens in a saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of unsalted broth or water if they look dry.
What to Serve with These Slow Cooker Collard Greens
Mustard greens or turnip greens work the same way and have a more peppery bite. They’re a little more tender, so start checking them after about 5 hours on LOW. Kale is more tender, so start checking it after about 4 hours on LOW.
Any sweet, crisp apple works, such as Fuji, Gala, or Pink Lady.
Use regular paprika plus ¼ teaspoon of liquid smoke for a similar smoky flavor.
Use 1 teaspoon of pure maple syrup, or leave it out and let the apple add the sweetness. Some brown sugar is processed with bone char, so strict vegans may want to look for an organic or certified vegan brand.
Red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice adds the same bright finish.
For a milder dish that’s friendlier for kids, cut the red pepper flakes to a pinch and pass hot sauce at the table. Many hot sauces are high in sodium, so check the label.
More Healthy Soul Food Sides
Round out your plate with these Southern-inspired favorites, and find even more ideas in our collection of healthy side dish recipes.
