This traditionally southern leafy green is even tastier in the cold months, making them the perfect ingredient to cook with on Thanksgiving! Collard greens are similar to other greens like kale and spinach in that they are low in calories but rich in nutrition. If you’re not from the South, you might be unfamiliar with collards, but you can use these recipes to start incorporating them into your diet.

For those interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App  – with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, vegan, plant-based, and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help you get healthy!

Also, don’t forget to check out our ultimate guide to plant-based recipes for Thanksgiving!

These recipes are perfect for an appetizer, entree, or side dish this Thanksgiving, but they will of course work for any time of the year!

1. Macadamia and Sun-Dried Tomato Collard Dolmades

Source: Macadamia and Sun-Dried Tomato Collard Dolmades

In this recipe, crumbly macadamia nuts, crisp red bell pepper, and savory sun-dried tomatoes are rolled up into a tasty appetizer that’ll delight your guests. Traditional dolmades use grape leaves as the wrap, but in these Macadamia and Sun-Dried Tomato Collard Dolmades by Jodi Burke, more readily available collard leaves are used. These are perfect for practically any party when served with a creamy sauce for dipping.

2. Blanched Collard Wraps

Source: Blanched Collard Wraps

We like Blanched Collard Wraps by Molly Patrick. They are full of nutrients and they’re fun to eat. These little wraps are another fun appetizer to serve for the holidays.

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3. Spicy Collards and White Beans

Source: Spicy Collards and White Beans

There’s nothing like a big ol’ plate of beans ‘n greens to fill you up and make you feel super-duper healthy. Packed full of calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C, they make a great nutrient-dense side dish for Thanksgiving, especially with the addition of cannellini beans! You’ll love these Spicy Collards and White Beans by Kelly Williams!

4. Coconut Milk Braised Collard Greens

Source: Coconut Milk Braised Collard Greens

Traditionally a southern dish, collard greens are a great way to get your daily dose of green, leafy, veggies. This recipe for Coconut Milk Braised Collard Greens by Courtney West is great as a main course or alongside an entrée. Garlic, pepper, cumin, and mustard seeds give this recipe a great spice, while coconut balances it out with a delicious creaminess. Customize this dish with your own spice combination, or serve it over quinoa!

5. Buckwheat With Collards and Mushrooms

Source: Buckwheat With Collards and Mushrooms

This simple dish is hearty, filling, and flavorful. Cooked buckwheat, wilted collards, meaty mushrooms, and a homemade lemon tahini sauce is the perfect combo. It’s made by puréeing tahini, lemon juice, dates, and garlic until smooth and creamy. This easy Buckwheat With Collards and Mushrooms by Molly Patrick works as both a lunch and a dinner.

6. Stir-Fried Soba Noodles With Sweet Potatoes And Collard Greens

Source: Stir-Fried Soba Noodles With Sweet Potatoes And Collard Greens

Put a twist on thanksgiving sides with these Stir-Fried Soba Noodles With Sweet Potatoes And Collard Greens by Marwin Brown! This is a Japanese-rooted stir-fry with soul food tendencies. The sweet potatoes and greens are prepared in fairly neutral flavors so each holds up and pairs well with the garlic, ginger, soy, etc. The sweet potatoes are such a nice touch, as the sweetness balances out the dish to contrast the salt and acidity of the sauce. The best part about this dish is that there is little prep and very little cooking. It’s all wok based, after all. Easy prep, easy cook, easy clean-up!

7. Fall Harvest Collard Green Rolls

Source: Fall Harvest Collard Green Rolls

These Fall Harvest Collard Green Rolls by Denisse Salinas feature seasonal wild rice pilaf rolled into collard leaves for handheld packages of seasonal goodness! Acorn squash, pecans, dried cranberry, and shredded carrot are stuffed into each collard leaf. For added fall flavor, make the cranberry balsamic sauce for dipping/spreading/eating straight out of the jar with a spoon!

8. BBQ Tempeh With Collard Green Hash and Horseradish Cole Slaw

Source: BBQ Tempeh With Collard Green Hash and Horseradish Cole Slaw

Surprise your guests with a summery barbecue dish for Thanksgiving! You can even just take the collard hash and use it as a side dish. This BBQ Tempeh With Collard Green Hash by Pamela Elizabeth from Blossom on Carmine in New York City’s West Village will prove that vegan BBQ rivals any other BBQ in the world. It combines your favorites all on one plate. Owner Pamela Elizabeth also made sure to make this meal perfectly balanced so you get all the fuel you need to power you through the day.

9. Smoky Southern Collard Greens

Source: Smoky Southern Collard Greens

Comfort food at its finest! Warm up your meal with a bowl of these spicy, healthy, oil-free collard greens. The perfect healthy and green side dish for the holidays.

10. Curried Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens

Source: Curried Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens

Collard greens and black-eyed peas are cooked in a blend of spices to create a dish that’s a mix between a dal and chana masala. Using peas instead of the usual chickpeas makes this meal thick and hearty, like a comforting stew. Serve this spicy meal over a bed of rice of freshly cooked quinoa.

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