Smoky Southern Collard Greens, Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew
Collards, sweet potatoes and lentils like a vegan take on a classic southern simmer. Cooked in a smoky broth, and a splash of pepper sauce to finish. It tastes like a pot of Sunday greens that decided to become dinner on its own & one pot for easy clean up!
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or heavy pot (5.5 qt or bigger)
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Vegetable peeler
- Wooden spoon
- Plate or bowl (for the seared okra)
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided 40g
- 6 okra pods sliced into ½-inch rounds (¾ cup / 70g)
- 1 large yellow onion diced (1½ cups / 220g)
- 2 celery stalks diced (¾ cup / 100g)
- 5 garlic cloves minced (1½ tbsp / 15g)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika 5g
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes 1g
- 1 can diced tomatoes with juices 14.5 oz (1¾ cups / 411g)
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, gluten-free if needed 1.4 L / 1420g
- 1 cup dry brown or green lentils, rinsed 200g
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes (4 cups / 600g)
- 1 tsp liquid smoke 5g
- 1½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste 5g
- ½ tsp black pepper 1g
- 1 large bunch collard greens stems removed, sliced into ribbons (8 cups packed / 340 g after stemming)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 15g
- 1 tbsp hot pepper vinegar (the liquid from a jar of pickled hot peppers) 15g
- Hot sauce for serving (optional)
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast mixed in at your leisure (optional)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the okra in a single layer and leave it alone for 2 to 3 minutes until browned on the bottom, then stir and cook another 2 minutes. Move it to a plate and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the onion and celery with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring now and then, until soft and the onion starts turning golden, 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes. Stir for about 1 minute, until the garlic smells good and hasn’t browned.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes and scrape up anything stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the broth, lentils, sweet potatoes, liquid smoke, salt and black pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook for 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the sweet potatoes give easily to a fork.
- Stir in the collard greens a few handfuls at a time, letting each batch wilt before adding more. Simmer uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, until the collards are tender with a little chew left. Stir the seared okra back in for the last 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar and hot pepper vinegar. Taste and adjust salt. Don’t skip the acid; it’s what makes this taste Southern instead of just brown.
- Let it rest off the heat for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken. Serve with hot sauce on the table.
Notes
Substitutions
Swap collards for mustard greens (more peppery) or lacinato kale (cooks faster, add in the last 8 minutes).
Butternut squash works in place of sweet potato.
Red lentils will break down completely and make this closer to a thick porridge.
No okra? Use 1 diced green bell pepper, cooked with the onion and celery in step 2.
No hot pepper vinegar? Use another tablespoon of apple cider vinegar plus a few dashes of hot sauce.
Liquid smoke brands vary a lot in strength! If yours is new to you, start with ½ tsp and add more at the end. Optional add-ins
1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed, stirred in with the collards
2 tbsp tomato paste and 1 tsp dried thyme in step 3 for a deeper, more savory broth
2 bay leaves with the broth in step 4 (pull them out before serving)
Serve over rice or with cornbread for dunking (use a GF cornbread to keep it gluten-free) Cooking tips
Searing the okra separately and adding it back at the end keeps it from going slimy. Make sure the okra is dry before it hits the pan.
To prep collards fast: stack 5 or 6 stemmed leaves, roll them tight like a cigar, and slice into thin ribbons.
If you want silkier, more traditional-style greens, add them halfway through the simmer in step 5 instead of waiting.
Keep the sweet potato cubes close to ¾ inch. Smaller ones will dissolve into the broth before the lentils finish. Storage
Keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days and freezes well for up to 3 months.
The okra softens on reheating but holds up fine.
It thickens a lot overnight as the lentils drink up the broth.
Loosen with a splash of broth or water when reheating, and add another small splash of vinegar to wake it back up.
Swap collards for mustard greens (more peppery) or lacinato kale (cooks faster, add in the last 8 minutes).
Butternut squash works in place of sweet potato.
Red lentils will break down completely and make this closer to a thick porridge.
No okra? Use 1 diced green bell pepper, cooked with the onion and celery in step 2.
No hot pepper vinegar? Use another tablespoon of apple cider vinegar plus a few dashes of hot sauce.
Liquid smoke brands vary a lot in strength! If yours is new to you, start with ½ tsp and add more at the end. Optional add-ins
1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed, stirred in with the collards
2 tbsp tomato paste and 1 tsp dried thyme in step 3 for a deeper, more savory broth
2 bay leaves with the broth in step 4 (pull them out before serving)
Serve over rice or with cornbread for dunking (use a GF cornbread to keep it gluten-free) Cooking tips
Searing the okra separately and adding it back at the end keeps it from going slimy. Make sure the okra is dry before it hits the pan.
To prep collards fast: stack 5 or 6 stemmed leaves, roll them tight like a cigar, and slice into thin ribbons.
If you want silkier, more traditional-style greens, add them halfway through the simmer in step 5 instead of waiting.
Keep the sweet potato cubes close to ¾ inch. Smaller ones will dissolve into the broth before the lentils finish. Storage
Keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days and freezes well for up to 3 months.
The okra softens on reheating but holds up fine.
It thickens a lot overnight as the lentils drink up the broth.
Loosen with a splash of broth or water when reheating, and add another small splash of vinegar to wake it back up.