Braised collard greens are a staple in Black foodways, showing up at casual Sunday dinners and big holiday meals alike. They are typically seasoned with smoked meat — such as pork neck bones, turkey wings or pig tails — which imbue the greens and potlikker with tons of smoke and umami. (I wish I had a bowl right now!) But reflecting my evolving consciousness concerning meat consumption, I wanted to make a meatless version with a similar flavor profile. Enter this recipe for vegan Southern-style collard greens.
For smokiness, I turned to a pantry seasoning favorite: smoked paprika. It gets added in with red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt and pepper while an onion sautes in a bit of olive oil. Then, add in vegetable stock and ribbons of collard greens to simmer until as tender as desired. (Some people like a little bite left in the greens, while others prefer them to be nice and silky.)
Lastly, miso, a fermented seasoning agent most popular in Japanese cuisine, and apple cider vinegar get swirled in at the end of cooking. There are many varieties of miso, and any can be used in this recipe, but I prefer a darker, more robustly flavored red type (aka miso) when cooking. Miso provides the umami that would have otherwise been added by meat while the vinegar perks up the flavors.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Where to Buy: Aka (red) miso can be found in well-stocked supermarkets, Asian markets or online.
See the rest of the menu: Tarragon-Butter Roasted Spatchcocked (Butterflied) Turkey | Mushroom and Leek Cornbread Dressing | Cranberry Tart With Gingersnap Cookie Crust
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