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We can all agree that southern collard greens is a dish infused with soul…and fatback, bacon, or smoked turkey. But what happens when we take the meat out of the stockpot?
Are the collards any less tasty? Is cooking collard greens without meat even possible? “Yes, it is very possible to make collard greens without the meat,” assures vegan cookbook author Katrina Gay.
Born and raised in Virginia and currently residing in Hampton Roads, Gay is well acquainted with the classic soul food dish and was more than happy to take on the challenge of cooking collard greens without meat.
“I grew up eating Southern style, and I turned to a plant-based diet about 28 years ago. So, to duplicate the flavor profile of collards [for a vegan version], I’m very familiar with what the original one tastes like.”
Prepping the Collard Greens
Gay’s meatless recipe begins by selecting a nice bunch of collards. “Depending on how much you want to cook, one bunch or two bunches of collard greens will do,” says the Soulful And Vegan author. If you don’t like the texture of collard green leaves, Gay suggests substituting kale or Swiss chard.
She cleans the collards by soaking them in water for a couple of hours to wash away any grit. Then Gay removes the stems with a knife and loosely chops up the leaves to prep them for cooking.
A Flavorful Texture Experience
The cookbook author shares the classic collard greens recipe, which gets its rich flavor from fatback (hard pork fat) or smoked/salted meat (like smoked turkey, bacon, or hammocks) simmered with the collards.
Successfully cooking collard greens without meat requires two main things. “People equate the great taste with the smokiness and the spices—that’s where the traditional flavor profile comes from,” shares the southern food expert.
For vegan collard greens, Gay turns to mushrooms or tofu to deliver the satisfying “texture” diners have come to expect from this soul food favorite. “I use portobello, shiitake or king oyster mushrooms,” she reveals about meat substitute options for this side dish.
“Some people also use tofu. The extra-firm tofu is better than the regular tofu because it holds up when cubed and chopped,” she notes about another ingredient that provides a meat-like texture. “And what’s really nice about the mushrooms and tofu is they soak up the flavor of the broth,” she adds.
The Must-Haves For Cooking Collard Greens Without Meat
Speaking of broth, this is where the magic happens with meatless collard greens. Gay simmers her collards in either vegetable stock or her go-to ingredient: Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Beef Base or Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Chicken Base.
“They’re both vegan,” she notes about the bouillon flavors. “It looks like a ‘pudding’ and you just dissolve it in water. That’s how I make my stock, or the broth, for the collards. I’ll simmer my greens in that and I’ll usually add black pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, onions.”
But to take the broth to a whole new level, Gay turns to her secret weapons: Stubb’s Hickory Liquid Smoke and smoked paprika.
“The liquid smoke and the smoked paprika really give it that meaty flavor. Now, if I’m making it for a crowd, and some might have ‘bland tastebuds,’ I might not add the smoked paprika,” she reveals.
Gay says that when cooking collard greens without meat, it’s important to engage diners with not only the taste but the aroma of this classic soul food recipe. “I like adding the liquid smoke because that makes it smell like the traditional collard greens,” she says.
“The liquid smoke gives it that smokey, meaty flavor that you expect from traditional southern collard greens—but without the meat.”
The Finishing Touches
She brings the broth to a boil and then adds the chopped collards, reducing the heat to low. This is also the point where the mushrooms or tofu are added. “After 30 to 40 minutes of simmering they’re pretty much done,” says the southern cook about the collard greens.
“You can drain them if you don’t like all the stock. I’m not really big on having a bunch of ‘wet’ greens,” laughs the accomplished home cook. “
So, I will take a slotted spoon and drain off a little [of the broth] because the flavor really soaks into the greens itself. The longer you let the collards sit [in the broth], the better they taste.”
Vegan Collards’ Benefits
There are benefits to cooking collard greens without meat, notes Gay. “It actually ends up being a healthier dish. There’s less sodium in the liquid smoke than in the fatback and things like that,” emphasizes the native Virginian. “You’re also getting more fiber—especially if you use the tofu and the mushrooms.”
She also points out that assembling the ingredients for cooking collard greens without meat is easy. “Everything you would normally buy you can find in your local grocery store—you don’t have to go to a specific health food store [to get the ingredients]. Liquid smoke and smoked paprika are found in regular supermarkets. You don’t have to go out of your way to make this recipe.”
RELATED: The Essence of How to Cook Southern Style
A New Version of Southern Comfort Food
“Here in the South, collard greens is one of our comfort foods,” Gay affirms. “You feel good when you have it and it always brings up memories of friends, family and holidays.”
Cooking collard greens without meat and having it taste deliciously familiar is quite a feat for this vegan author—especially when the original recipe’s flavor is so ingrained in our collective memories.
“I’ve had no complaints—even from my meat-eater friends,” says Gay, who just released The Vibrant Vegan, her new cookbook filled with vegan recipes from around the world.
“A lot of people think if you don’t have meat you’re missing flavor. But, like we’ve been talking about, it’s all about flavor profiles and there are different ways to make those flavor profiles.”
Now it’s your turn because Gay was more than happy to share her recipe for a vegan version of the traditional soul food dish. Give cooking collard greens without meat a try; you could end up with a new classic to bring to the next family gathering.
Vegan Collard Greens
Serves 2-4 depending on portion sizes
INGREDIENTS
2 large bunches of collard greens
2 tablespoons of extra virgin
splash of olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large yellow onion
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon of Stubbs liquid smoke
2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Beef Base or Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Chicken Base
4 cups water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, if you like a little more spiciness
Pinch of black pepper
PREPARATION
- Wash the greens. Remove all stems and chop loosely. Start the broth to cook the greens in by dissolving the Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Beef Base or Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Chicken Base in four cups of warm water.
- Set stove on medium heat. In a large pot heat the oil. Add chopped onions and cook, for about seven minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for about two minutes. Add smoked paprika and the liquid smoke and stir well with the onions and garlic.
- Add the broth to the pot and stir well with the garlic, onions and spices and bring to a boil, then add the collard greens. Put the stove on simmer and let cook for 30 to 45 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Check to see if greens are tender then add apple cider vinegar for taste, if you like, and salt and pepper to finish cooking collard greens without meat. If you want to add some texture you can also sauté chopped shiitake or portobello mushrooms (or tofu) with the onions and garlic. The mushrooms (or tofu) will absorb the liquid smoke flavor very well.
Cookbook author Katrina Gay’s newest cookbook “The Vibrant Vegan,” available for purchase on Amazon and showcases 50 of her favorite vegan recipes from around the world.
Each recipe’s nutritional value, as well as a 21-day meal plan, make this latest offering from Gay a fun and informative read for all interested in learning more about creating vegan menus. For more, also follow Katrina Gay on Instagram.
Shop Cuisine Noir’s Amazon store for Katrina Gay’s cookbooks and ingredients needed for this recipe.
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