The cooking time for collard greens varies depending on the method and the toughness of the greens:
- For young, fresh collard greens, cooking them until tender usually takes about 15 minutes. Older, tougher greens can take up to 45 minutes to become tender when cooked on the stovetop in fat
- Southern-style collard greens are often simmered partially covered for 45 minutes to an hour until tender
- A common method is to simmer collard greens covered for about 1 hour or until they reach the desired tenderness, stirring occasionally
- Quick sautéed collard greens can be cooked in about 5 to 15 minutes, depending on how soft you want them. This involves cooking chopped greens in olive oil with garlic and seasonings over medium heat until wilted and tender
- Slow cooking methods require longer times: up to 45 minutes on the stovetop, 20 minutes in an Instant Pot, or 3 to 6 hours in a slow cooker
- A seasoned collard greens recipe may take about 2 hours total cooking time on the stovetop, including simmering covered for 45 minutes plus an additional hour to achieve softness
In summary, typical cooking times range from 15 minutes for quick sautéed or young greens, to 45 minutes to 1 hour for traditional simmered greens, and up to 2 hours or more for deeply flavored Southern-style collards. Slow cooker or pressure cooker methods can shorten or extend these times accordingly
