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This Southern collard greens with smoked turkey recipe is a classic soul food dish where collard greens are slow-simmered with smoked turkey (like wings, necks, or legs) until tender and deeply seasoned.
The smoked turkey replaces traditional pork, bringing a rich, savory smokiness that infuses the greens and the cooking liquid aka potlikker - with layers of flavor. This Southern collard greens recipe leans on smoked turkey for deep flavor without pork ham hocks, uses classic stovetop technique, and delivers tender, richly seasoned greens in about 90 minutes.
It’s more than just greens, it’s a slow-cooked, flavor-forward staple where the broth, the greens, and the smoke all work together to deliver that signature soulful bite.
Bookmark this collard greens guide for more detail and other ways of cooking this tasty veggie. You can find a greens recipe like Southern mixed greens that combines multiple different greens like collards, mustards, and turnips together in one dish.
You can also learn how to use smoked bacon and chipotle to flavor collard greens or make quick cook pressure cooker greens made in instant pot.
This is the kind of pot you put on when you’re cooking a full spread, right alongside Southern smothered chicken and a stack of cornbread.
What You’ll Love About This Black Folks Collard Greens Recipe
- Deep smoky, savory flavor from slow-simmered smoked turkey
- Tender greens, never mushy, with perfectly seasoned potlikker
- A traditional Southern technique that’s easy to follow
- Naturally pork-free but still rich and soulful
- Gets even better the next day and ideal for holidays and Sunday dinner
This is the kind of recipe that tastes like it came from someone’s auntie… because the technique did.
Key Ingredients for Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey (and Their Flavor Role)
- Fresh Collard Greens - Earthy, hearty greens that soften beautifully with long simmering
- Smoked Turkey (legs, wings, or tails) - Provides smoke, salt, and umami to the potlikker
- Chicken Broth or Water - The base for the potlikker that carries all the flavor
- Apple Cider Vinegar or Hot Pepper Vinegar - Brightens the greens and balances richness
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper - Essential seasoning, adjusted at the end
Each ingredient plays a role - nothing extra, nothing wasted.
How to Make Southern Style Collard Greens
- Simmer the smoked turkey to build a flavorful, smoky broth
- Sauté onions and garlic to create a savory base
- Cook collard greens in batches, letting them wilt naturally
- Season, cover, and slow simmer until tender and deeply flavored
- Finish with vinegar and final seasoning adjustments
This low-and-slow method is what transforms simple greens into true Southern comfort.
Recipe Variations & Ingredient Substitutions
- Smoked Turkey Necks or Wings: Swap for turkey tails if unavailable; both bring smoke and richness.
- Spicy Collards: Add crushed red pepper flakes or a sliced hot pepper for a bit of heat.
- Vegan Greens Option: Use smoked sweet paprika, liquid smoke, smoked sea salt, and mushroom based veggie stock for depth without meat.
- Pressure Cooker Method: Instant pot greens cut out cook time while still delivering tender greens and strong potlikker.
Substitutions change the personality slightly, but the soul stays intact.
Test Kitchen Tips for Flavorful Soul Food Collard Greens
- Wash greens thoroughly — grit is the fastest way to ruin a pot
- Don’t rush the simmer; time is the tenderizer
- Season lightly at first — smoked turkey already brings salt
- Greens should be fully submerged but not drowning
- Taste and adjust seasoning at the end, not the beginning
Great collard greens aren’t rushed — they’re coaxed.
What to Serve with Southern Collard Greens Recipe
These greens shine alongside classic Southern mains and sides:
Serve collard greens with Grandma's hot water cornbread for dunking, some Southern black-eyed peas and green beans or alongside braised beef neck bones or Dallas style dry rubbed fried chicken for a full Sunday spread. Don’t waste the potlikker broth—sip it or save it. You should also add the dish to your Thanksgiving menu along with creamy, Southern-style mac n cheese.
For a true Sunday-dinner plate, serve them alongside this smothered turkey necks recipe, NOLA style red beans and rice or creole Jambalaya, and candied yams.
For those Friday night Fish frys these greens could be the side of choice for beautifully seasoned fried catfish. Same holds for crispy fried chicken.
If you’re building out a barbecue or cookout spread, collard greens pair beautifully with sweet-savory sides like baked beans. These Instant Pot baked beans add just enough sweetness and body to balance the earthiness of the greens.
These collard greens don’t just sit on the plate they anchor the meal.
That potlikker deserves something to soak it up.
Beats and Eats (Music to Pair with Collard Greens)
Notorious B.I.G. - “Sky’s the Limit”
This song cooks just like collard greens unhurried, reflective, layered. Let Biggie talk while the greens simmer low, the house fills with smoke and steam, and the pot does what it’s supposed to do.
FAQs Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey
What part of smoked turkey is best for collard greens?
Smoked turkey legs are most popular because they add smoke and meat, but wings and tails work well too.
How long should collard greens simmer?
Plan for 60–90 minutes for tender greens with fully developed flavor.
This southern collard greens recipe doesn't rush and doesn't apologize. Slow-cooked, smoke-kissed, and swimming in potlikker, they’re proof that when you give greens time and respect… the sky really is the limit.
Like most collards recipes, these collards don’t just feed your belly—they feed your spirit. My love for collards is unmatched. I have a short list of recipes I keep in rotation including quick cooking Brazilian style greens, a "mess o greens" featuring collards mixed with turnip and mustard greens, and the terribly underrated greens gumbo z'herbes.
Don't forget to reserve some of that pot likker and use to flavor a dish like shrimp and grits.
Keep up with my food exploits on Instagram and YouTube. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated playlists.
Southern Collard Greens w/ Smoked Turkey
Ingredients
- 2 bunch of collard greens de-stemmed, chopped and cleaned
- ½ onion sliced
- 2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- 4-5 cups of homemade broth or low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 /2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 large white onion halved
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-3 sprigs fresh herbs
- ½ large onion charred
- 3 garlic cloves diced
- 1 whole ear of corn husks removed
- 2 large carrots halved
- 2 celery stems halved
- 2-3 fully cooked smoked turkey wings or 1 smoked turkey leg
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt
- ½ tablespoon black pepper
Method
- Turn cooktop burner to highest settings. Place onion halved side down and burn to a char. Flip and char the other side
- Add 7-8 cups of water to a large stock pot.
- Add smoked turkey, charred onion, corn, carrots, celery, bay leaf, garlic, salt, and pepper, bring to a boil, then simmer for at least 2 hours. I simmer mine from anywhere between 12-24 hours.
- Let the stock cool. Strain the stock into a large bowl. Pull the smoked turkey meat off the bones and reserve for later. Let stock sit overnight in the fridge.
- In a large pot, add a tablespoon of olive oil and the sliced onions. Season with half the paprika. Saute until tender.
- Add in the broth, red pepper flakes, greens, molasses, vinegar, and smoked turkey meat pieces. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for about an hour. Halfway through add the remaining paprika.
- Season to your preference with more paprika, salt, pepper if you feel the need, but the flavor from the stock should be enough.
Nutrition
Notes
- First and foremost spend the time to clean the greens. Unless you're buying pre-packaged collards, thoroughly wash the greens. Check that! Even give the bagged version a rinse. Greens typically have all kinds of dirt on them, so take the time and wash them in your sink to ensure of the sandy, earthy grittiness is removed. You'll thank me later otherwise you'll get sand in your teeth and that's not a good look
- Chop the collards in some measure of uniformity. Roughly chopped is fine, you just want to avoid having really big leaves as once they absorb the liquid you'll end up with mounds or globs of greens which can be a chore to chew
- Make your own homemade broth. Commercial broths are either too salty or bland. Making your own allows you greater control.
- 95% of your effort should be spent on the broth. My greens don't touch the broth until after about 2 days of broth refinement. Refinement for me includes building the broth slowly letting it simmer for hours, tweaking the seasonings, and allowing for rest to allow the flavors to come together.
- Resist the urge to boil the collard greens; instead let them cook slowly wilting as they cook.
- For a version of these that can be made with convenience and ease try this instant pot greens recipe.
This was unbelievably delicious. The flavors were so on point and I'm from the south so I know what good greens need to taste like. Nailed this recipe perfectly!
Love collard greens! Can’t wait to try with the charred onion… sounds delish!
I will try this out over Christmas when we have loads of turkey 🙂