These coconut collard greens take a soul food staple and give it a little Caribbean flavor with creamy coconut milk, aromatics, and just enough heat from red chili flakes. The greens cook low and slow until tender, soaking up all that seasoned coconut broth along the way. And that pot likker? You’ll want every last drop. I love to serve mine with my holiday cornbread or my buttermilk cornbread biscuits.

I didn’t grow up eating collard greens, but I learned to love and appreciate Southern-style collards whenever I had the chance to enjoy a good soul food meal. Eventually, I learned how to make an amazing pot myself. Since I love just about anything with coconut, I started wondering what would happen if I brought some of the familiar flavors of my Jamaican heritage into the mix. Coconut milk was the natural place to start, and after seasoning it with peppers, garlic, ginger, and some red chili flakes, I knew I was onto something.

Why You’ll Love These Coconut Collard Greens

What really makes these greens special is the cooking liquid. Coconut milk creates a rich, silky pot likker while the onion, three colors of bell pepper, garlic, ginger and spices give it plenty of savory flavor. Red chili flakes add a gentle kick that balances the richness of the coconut without making the greens overly spicy.

There’s also no meat required. That makes these collard greens a great option when you’re cooking for a crowd with different dietary preferences, especially around the holidays. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and skip the butter or substitute a plant-based butter to make the recipe vegan.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Collard greens: The star of the pot. Remove the tough center stems, slice the leaves into ribbons, and wash them thoroughly before cooking.
• Coconut oil: Adds another subtle layer of coconut flavor and is used to sauté the vegetables.
• Salted butter: Adds richness to the base of the greens. For a vegan version, use your favorite plant-based butter or additional coconut oil.
• Onion and bell peppers: I use onion plus green, red, and yellow bell peppers to build a flavorful aromatic base.
• Garlic and ginger: Two aromatics that work especially well with coconut milk and bring some Caribbean influence to the pot.
• All-purpose seasoning: Adds another layer of savory seasoning. Use your preferred blend and adjust the additional salt if your seasoning already contains plenty.
• Paprika: Adds mild, earthy flavor and color.
• Salt and black pepper: Essential for seasoning the greens and coconut broth.
• Red chili flakes: Give the pot likker a slight kick that helps balance the richness of the coconut milk.
• Coconut milk: Creates the creamy, flavorful braising liquid that sets these collard greens apart.
• Chicken or vegetable broth: Adds savory depth. Choose vegetable broth if you want to keep the greens vegetarian or vegan.
• Coconut milk powder: This is optional, but if you’re a serious coconut lover like me, it intensifies the coconut flavor even more.

How to Clean Collard Greens

Nobody wants gritty collard greens, so don’t rush this step.

Start by rinsing the whole leaves thoroughly to remove any visible dirt. Remove the tough portion of the center stem, then stack and cut the leaves into ribbons. Wash the cut greens again in cool water with vinegar and salt, gently moving them around to loosen any remaining grit.

Drain and rinse with fresh, cool water as needed until the water is clear and there’s no grit remaining.

How to Make Coconut-Braised Collard Greens

Start by melting the coconut oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and bell peppers and sauté briefly before adding the garlic and ginger.

Next, stir in the all-purpose seasoning, paprika, salt, black pepper and red chili flakes. Adding the seasonings at this stage allows them to coat the aromatics before the greens go into the pot.

Add the cleaned collard greens in batches. Don’t worry if it looks like way too many greens at first! As they cook, they’ll wilt considerably. Continue adding and sautéing until all the greens fit comfortably in the pot and begin releasing some of their liquid.

Pour in the coconut milk, water and broth and stir everything together. For an extra boost of coconut flavor, add the optional coconut milk powder.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the collard greens braise for about one hour, or until they’re tender and flavorful. Give them a stir occasionally so all of the greens get a chance to mingle with that coconut pot likker.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe Notes

Adjust the heat: The red chili flakes provide a mild kick. Reduce the amount for less heat or add a little more if you like your greens spicy.

Don’t skip cleaning the greens: Collards can hold quite a bit of dirt and grit, so wash them thoroughly before cooking.

Taste before adding more salt: All-purpose seasoning and broth can both contain salt, so taste the cooking liquid before making any final adjustments.

For stronger coconut flavor: Add the optional packet of coconut milk powder. It boosts the coconut flavor without requiring additional liquid.

For vegan collard greens: Use vegetable broth and substitute plant-based butter or additional coconut oil for the salted butter.

Don’t throw out the pot likker: The seasoned coconut broth left in the bottom of the pot is one of the best parts of this recipe. Spoon some over each serving.

I Hope You Enjoy These Coconut-Braised Collard Greens!

I love taking inspiration from the foods and flavors I’ve experienced and finding ways to bring my Jamaican roots into the mix, and these coconut-braised collard greens do exactly that. Whether you add them to your Thanksgiving or Christmas table, serve them with Sunday dinner or make a pot just because you’re craving some good greens, I hope you enjoy this Caribbean-inspired spin as much as I do.

If you try this collard greens recipe, let me know how it turns out. I’d love to hear from you.

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