• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Grits and Gouda
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Air Fryer
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Meats and Mains
    • Breakfast Brunch Brinner
    • Veggies and Sides
    • Desserts and Cakes
    • Cookies and Candy
    • Canning and Condiments
    • Christmas
    • Salads & Slaws
    • Instant Pot
    • Thanksgiving
  • About
    • About
    • Community
  • Work With Me
  • Holiday Cooking Show
  • Shop
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Holiday Cooking Show
  • Shop
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home > Veggies and Sides > Instant Pot Collard Greens

    Instant Pot Collard Greens

    Published: Mar 27, 2023 · Modified: Nov 19, 2023 by Kathleen · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See full disclosure · Leave a Comment

    • Facebook
    • Email
    Jump to Recipe

    Instant Pot Collard Greens with ham hock is a classic Southern vegetable side dish. When cooked in a pressure cooker, the collards cook in a fraction of the time it takes to cook on the stovetop.

    For another shortcut, I use bags of prewashed and precut collard greens combined with onion, ham hock, and seasoning. I also give directions for the bunches of fresh collard greens!

    Blue rimmed bowl filled with collard greens and shredded ham hock, with Instant Pot in background

    This Southern collard greens recipe is so easy and it's not just for New Years Day dinner! Although it's at its peak during the cool weather months, we eat it all year round.

    If you are like me and love to EAT a pot of collard greens, but don't like to SMELL them cooking all day, then this is the best way to cook this Southern side dish for you!

    Shortcuts

    • The Instant Pot and pressure cooker cooks collard greens in a fraction of the time it takes to cook them on the stove-top.
    • Bags of pre-washed and pre-cut collard greens saves so much time washing and soaking the large collard leaves to remove dirt, then cutting and removing the tough stems.
    • For convenience, 1 cup of frozen onion can be used instead of a chopped fresh onion.

    Ingredients

    Scroll down to printable recipe for exact ingredient quantities.

    Instant Pot collard Greens recipe ingredients
    Ingredients to make Instant Pot Collard Greens
    • Collard Greens -Prewashed and precut collard greens are a time saver but scroll down for directions on using fresh, whole collard greens.
    • Onion - I've used a white onion, but any color onion would work in this dish. For a milder flavor you could use red onion or shallots.
    • Seasoning - I season the greens with black pepper and garlic salt rather than regular salt, for a little extra flavor.
    • Ham - Small, smoked ham hock flavors the collards with that familiar smokey taste. You could swap this for 2 slices of uncooked bacon.
    • Broth - Chicken broth is added, you can substitute with vegetable broth or water.

    How to cook Collard Greens in Instant Pot

    Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe with detailed instructions.

    Instant Pot filled with chopped collard green, chopped onion and a ham hock
    • Place collard greens, onion, garlic salt and black pepper into your Instant Pot or pressure cooker. 
    • Add the ham hock and pour in the chicken broth.
    Instant Pot filled with cooked collard greens and a ham hock
    • Place the lid on the Instant Pot and pressure cook and manual release, using the times on the printable recipe card below.
    Instant post filled with cooked collard greens, onion and shredded ham hock
    • Remove the ham hock from the collards in the Instant Pot, shred it and add back to the collard greens. Then gently stir it in.
    • Discard the bone and extra fat.

    Tip: I like to use 3 cups of liquid to be sure and have lots of “pot likker or liquor” to soak up with my Cornbread.

    Blue rimmed bowl filled with cooked collard greens

    Substitutions & Variations

    • Garlic salt - If you don't have garlic salt, make your own. ½ teaspoon of salt, plus ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder, equals ¾ teaspoon of garlic salt.
    • Smoked turkey - A smoked turkey leg, neck or wing can also be used in place of ham hock.
    • Greens - Pre-washed and cut mustard greens and turnip greens can also be cooked with this recipe, adjusting the cooking times. I only cook them 10 minutes, with 10 minutes Natural Release.

    WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

    I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

    How to cook a fresh bunch of collards in Instant Pot

    If you want to start from scratch, and maybe you grow your own collards, use this same recipe. Use one large bunch of fresh collard leaves (about 2 pounds). The only difference is to be sure to soak and rinse out the large collard leaves to get rid of dirt and sand. Trim out the inner, tough stems, then cut them into 1 inch ribbons or squares.

    My other favorite Southern side dishes are my Easy Cheesy Baked Mac n Cheese, Oven "Fried" Okra, and Southern Fried Squash.

    Helpful Information

    What are collard greens?

    Collard greens are a leafy green vegetable with large leaves and tough stems. They are part of the brassica family which includes cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale and turnips.

    Are collard greens just kale?

    No, they are from the same family, but are different plants, so cooking times will vary.

    What can be substituted for collard greens?

    I would suggest using mustard greens, turnip greens, kale or chard as substitutes for collard greens, adjusting the cooking times accordingly.

    What to serve with collard greens?

    Instant Pot Collard Greens are the ideal Southern vegetable side dish to serve alongside a variety of main dishes. Try them with my:

    • Instant Pot Bone-in Turkey Breast
    • Instant Pot Bone-in Pepper Jelly Ham
    • Bacon Wrapped Venison Backstrap Roast
    • Easy Cheesy Baked Mac and Cheese
    • Fried Yellow Squash

    Collard greens are perfect for gatherings with family and friends, or for holidays and celebrations. I always serve a bowl of collard greens for New Years Day dinner. They are also a great easy side dish to take along to pot luck dinners.

    Storage Tips

    • To Store. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator, covered or in an air tight container for 3-4 days.
    • To Reheat. When ready to enjoy, place the collard greens into a pot over a medium heat and warm through on the stove-top until piping hot. Or, microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on how much is "leftover".
    • To Freeze. Once cooked and cooled, collard greens can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before warming up.
    Blue rimmed bowl filled with collard greens and shredded ham hock

    Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. Be social and share, y'all! Don't forget to sign up with your email so you don’t miss a single post on my Southern shortcut recipes!

    If you make this recipe I'd love to see it! Tag me on social media with #gritsandgouda or @gritsandgouda. Leave a comment below the printable recipe if you have questions or tell me how you liked the recipe. Don't forget to rate it 5 stars if you love it!

    Want more Easy Instant Pot recipes?

    • Collard Greens & Navy Beans
    • Fresh Green Beans with Bacon
    • Black Eyed Peas
    • Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya
    • Bone-In Pepper Jelly Ham
    • Corned Beef and Reuben Sandwiches
    • Chicken Bacon Ranch Alfredo
    • Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
    Blue rimmed bowl filled with collard greens and shredded ham hock

    Instant Pot Collard Greens

    Kathleen Phillips: GritsAndGouda.com
    Instant Pot Collard Greens is a classic Southern vegetable side dish. When cooked in a pressure cooker, it cooks in a fraction of the time it takes to cook on the stovetop.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

    I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 35 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Servings 12

    Equipment

    • 1 instant pot
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 (16-ounce) bags prewashed and precut collard greens (or 15 cups 1-inch wide strips fresh collards= 1 bunch collard leaves = 2 pounds before trimming
    • ¾ cup chopped onion about 1 small onion
    • ¾ teaspoon garlic salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper (optional)
    • 1 small ham hock (or 2 slices uncooked bacon
    • 3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth or water)

    Instructions
     

    • Empty both bags of collard greens into a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Sprinkle the chopped onion, garlic salt and black pepper over the collards.
    • Place the ham hock in the middle and pour the broth over everything. No need to stir!
    • Place the lid on the Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Pressure cook for 25 minutes. Natural release 10 minutes, then quick release to release any remaining pressure inside.
    • Carefully remove the lid away from your face. Remove the ham hock and shred, if you like. You can add the chopped or shredded ham hock back to the collard greens. Discard the bone and extra fat.
    • Stir well before serving.

    Notes

    Tip: I like to use 3 cups of liquid to be sure and have lots of “pot likker or liquor” to soak up with my cornbread. (link my cornbread recipe)
    If you are like me and love to EAT a pot of collard greens but not like SMELL them cooking all day, then this is the best way to cook this Southern side dish for you!
    Shortcuts:
    The Instant Pot and pressure cooker cooks collard greens in a fraction of the time it takes to cook them on the stovetop the old fashioned way.
    Bags of prewashed and precut collard greens saves so much time washing and soaking the large collard leaves to remove dirt, then cutting and removing the tough stems.
    1 cup frozen onion can be used instead of chopped fresh.
    Substitutions: 
    ½ teaspoon salt plus ¼ teaspoon garlic powder equals ¾ teaspoon garlic salt
    A smoked turkey leg, neck or wing can also be used in place of ham hock.
    Prewashed and cut mustard greens and turnip greens can also be cooked with this recipe. I only cook them 10 minutes with 10 minutes Natural Release.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 95kcal
    Did you make this recipe?If you love it, share it! Comment below before you go!

    Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.

    More Veggies and Sides

    • Roasted parsnips and carrots served on a wooden platter
      Roasted Parsnips and Carrots
    • Honey roasted carrot sticks next to an air fryer.
      Honey Roasted Carrots (Air Fryer)
    • Whole fresh green beans with bacon and brown sugar in a cast iron skillet with spoon dripping sauce on beans.
      Skillet Green Beans with Bacon and Brown Sugar
    • Shishito Peppers roasted in air fryer on blue platter with lemon aioli dipping sauce with stack of white plates in background.
      Air Fryer Shishito Peppers and Lemon Aioli

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi y'all! I’m Kathleen. I share Southern shortcut recipes! I’m a food stylist, cookbook author, and former test kitchen director in Alabama. I take traditional Southern recipes you know and love (and a few new ones) and make them with shortcuts so you can enjoy them faster.

    More about me →

    • Mail
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Popular Recipes

    • Four pecan dishes in one collage: pie, sauce, tassies, turkey cheeseball.
      Easy Pecan Recipes
    • Collage of four air fryer recipes with text overlay.
      Easy Ninja Air Fryer Recipes
    • breaded tilapia on blue and white plate with broccoli and lemon
      Easy Air Fryer Tilapia
    • Several pieces of chocolate magic cake with one piece missing.
      Chocolate Magic Cake

    More Popular Recipes →

    Footer

    Hi y'all! I’m Kathleen. I share Southern shortcut recipes! I’m a food stylist, cookbook author, and former test kitchen director in Alabama. I take traditional Southern recipes you know and love (and a few new ones) and make them with shortcuts so you can enjoy them faster.

    Copyright © 2025 Grits and Gouda · Privacy Policy

    Thank you for rating this recipe!

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.