Easy Southern Collard Greens Recipe with Ham Hock

This easy Southern Collard Greens Recipe delivers deep, smoky richness in just 30 minutes - true Southern flavor without the long simmer. With a meaty ham hock, sautéed onion and garlic, and flavorful chicken stock, you can build bold flavor fast with no lengthy time commitment required.

Once the greens are tender, you'll pull the ham hock apart and stir the savory pieces back into the pot, giving every bite that classic Southern soul. It's quick, comforting, and packed with the kind of flavor that tastes like it took all day.

These Southern collard greens pair beautifully with classic comfort dishes that soak up that rich, smoky broth some call "pot likker" (the tasty broth left behind when cooking greens). I like to serve my greens with my Southern Cornbread and Black Eyed Peas.

Also perfect with Mac and Cheese, Mashed Potatoes, or rice for a hearty complete meal.

💖 Why You'll Love These Authentic Southern Collards

Before we jump into the details of the recipe, let's walk through what makes this version so flavorful in such a short time and why it's quickly becoming a go‑to for busy cooks who still want that slow‑cooked Southern taste.

• Big Southern flavor in just 30 minutes - Sautéed aromatics, chicken stock, and a smoky ham hock create a rich, savory broth that tastes like it simmered for hours.
• Tender greens with no bitterness - Collards cook down quickly but still come out soft, silky, and perfectly seasoned (let me show you how!)
• Ham hock meat added to the pot - After cooking, the ham hock is shredded and added back in, giving every bowl hearty, meaty flavor and true Southern comfort.

🥘 Southern Collard Greens Ingredients

🧾 Ingredient Notes

• Collard Greens - Fresh collards work best for the freshest flavor. I like to buy full, uncut leaves. Be sure to wash thoroughly, as leaves are often very sandy. Then remove the thick stems and chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly in 30 minutes.
• Ham or Pork Hock - This is your main flavor builder and is mostly bone with a bit of meat on it. Get a 1-2 pound hock that has a good portion of meat on the outside. You're looking to have about ½ to 1 cup of meat to add to your pot after the simmer for an added flavor boost. Alternately, you can use ½ to 1 cup of leftover ham.
• Butter - I used butter, but ham or bacon fat would be an excellent alternative for added flavor if you have it on hand. I have used bacon fat many times in my collard greens with great success.
• Onion & Garlic - Any type of onion - red, yellow, or white - is good here. Sautéing the onion with the garlic first creates a savory base that helps build flavor quickly without a long simmer. If you don't have fresh onion or garlic, you can substitute onion and/or garlic powder (make sure it doesn't have salt) - 1 teaspoon of each - more if desired.
• Chicken Stock - Adds another critical flavor dimension. Can use stock or broth. Beef broth or stock is also a good choice, depending on what you have on hand. Use low‑sodium if you prefer to control the salt level. (Water is also an option, but flavor will be sacrificed.)

(See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions)

🔪 How to Make Tender Collard Greens Quickly (30 Minutes)

Step 1: Wash each leaf thoroughly under cold water. Cut out the center thick stem. Chop greens into bite-sized pieces.

Step 2: Melt butter in Dutch oven or large pot on low-medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic and cook until softened and fragrant (about 5 minutes).

Step 3: Turn heat up to medium and add the ham hock to the pan. Sear on both sides until some juices are released and hock is a bit browned.

Step 4: Add the chopped collard greens to the pot on top of the ham hock along with the stock. Stir, turn heat up to start the wilting process of the greens. Turn heat down to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.

Step 5: After cook time, remove ham hock to a large plate to cool. Taste the greens and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Step 6: Pull ham off bone and add to the greens in the pot. Reheat if necessary and serve hot.

(Scroll down for full recipe and print capabilities)

💭 Expert Tips For the Most Flavorful Greens

• The key to building flavor in this quick collard recipe is in the sauteeing of the onions and garlic, followed by the searing of the ham hock. Don't skip these steps or you will miss out on the resulting rich flavors.
• Adding chicken stock to the pot instead of water is also important for flavor enhancement. Beef stock works just as well. If you have some ham gelatin left over from cooking a ham, well that would be an even better option, but this recipe seeks to be as accessible as possible without skimping on flavor (and most people don't have access to ham gelatin).
• Shred the ham hock after slightly cooling by using your hands (my favorite method) to separate the meat from any fat you don't want to include. You can also use two forks to pull the meat off and apart.
• If your greens are bitter. In my experience, collard greens don't tend to be bitter, but if you find that yours are at the end of the cook time, you can add just a dash of apple cider or red wine vinegar after tasting. Not too much, or your greens will be vinegary - you're aim is not to make it taste like vinegar - just mellow any bitterness that may be there.
• To adjust the seasoning at the end, simply taste a leaf or two to see if the greens are tough or tender, pleasant tasting vs bitter, salted enough or needs more. If they need more cook time, simply close the lid and turn the heat to medium and cook another 10-20 minutes. For bitter greens, see the point above. Salt as needed according to your preference.

📖 Substitutions / Variations

• Spicy version - If you want some heat, try adding a splash (or two) of your favorite hot sauce. Alternately, you could add a hot pepper to the pot while cooking.
• Low‑sodium version - You can lower the sodium in these greens by using low-sodium stock and low-sodium bacon instead of the ham hock. However, to make these collard greens tasty, you will need some saltiness.
• Bacon version - If you want to use bacon instead of the ham hock, you will fry the bacon first and remove it from the pan. Remove all but 1-2 tablespoons of bacon fat, then saute the onion and garlic in the bacon fat. Continue with the original recipe, but add the bacon back in place of the ham hock.

🍽 What to Serve With Collard Greens

If you're building a full Southern meal, collard greens fit right in with classic comfort dishes. Here are some of the best dinner ideas to pair with collard greens:

• Savory Cornbread - A good Southern staple and perfect for soaking up the "pot likker."
• Buttermilk Chicken Strips - These greens go perfectly with chicken of any kind.
• Slow Cooked Black‑Eyed Peas - A traditional pairing that rounds out a Southern plate. Also try my Southern Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens - They're great mixed together!
• Gouda Mac & Cheese - Creamy, satisfying, everybody loves!
• Cheesy Mashed Potatoes - One of the best sides that go with collard greens - hearty, filling, and delicious!

🫙 Storing and Reheating Collard Greens

• For leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on low to medium heat until heated through.
• Freezing is a good long-term storage solution. Simply let cool fully, then transfer to freezer container, getting as much air out as possible before sealing. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before heating as above or using in soups.

🧐 FAQs