Flavor-Packed Vegetarian Collard Greens

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 (14 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring
• 2 pounds collard greens, chopped
• 1 ½ cups cooked white beans (Optional)

Step 1

Warm some olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once the butter melts and begins to brown a little, toss in the chopped onion and garlic. Cook everything together, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes soft and translucent, which should take about 5 minutes. Then, add the thyme and bay leaves and give it a quick stir.

Step 2

Pour in the chopped tomatoes, vegetable broth, brown sugar, molasses, and a splash of liquid smoke. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Carefully add the collard greens, stirring them in without breaking up the leaves too much.

Step 3

Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot, and let everything simmer until the greens are tender, which usually takes around 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it and give it a stir now and then to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. Once the greens are soft and flavorful, it’s ready to enjoy!