TL/DR – Orange Miso Braised Collard Greens. A vegan take on a healthy and affordable green leafy vegetable, with the complimentary flavors of orange juice and zest, fresh ginger, honey, vinegar, and freshly ground black pepper. Great as a side dish or tossed with ramen noodles. –
Collard greens! Affordable at the grocery store and just as easy to grow in your summer garden. Did I mention ridiculously healthy? Check out collard greens today if you haven’t cooked them at home before. Normally they are braised with onions and some sort of fatty pork, but this version is vegan.
Start by removing the ribs from the collard greens. Tedious? Yes, but after this step it’s smooth sailing. Then chop the greens in pieces no larger than 2 inches.
Combine fresh orange juice, miso, honey, white balsamic or cider vinegar, orange zest and grated fresh ginger in a bowl and whisk well.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then dump in the greens and the braising liquid. Stir well to coat all of the leaves. Cover the skillet and lower the heat to low. Braise on low for about 30 minutes. It does seem excessive, but collard greens can be quite tough. Check them at about 25 minutes and go from there if you prefer your greens to be slightly al dente.
Serve immediately as a side dish, or toss the greens with hot ramen noodles coated in a bit of sesame oil. I prefer Lotus Foods Rice Ramen because it is higher in protein.
For more easy vegan dishes, try Vegan Miso Chili, Avocado Peanut Bulgur Salad, or Vegan Green Chile Bean Soup.
Orange Miso Braised Collard Greens
A vegan take on a healthy and affordable green leafy vegetable, with the complimentary flavors of orange juice and zest, fresh ginger, honey, vinegar, and freshly ground black pepper. Great as a side dish or tossed with ramen noodles.
Ingredients
- 8 c collard greens, about 2 bunches
- 1/2 c fresh orange juice, about 2 oranges
- 2 T red or yellow miso paste
- 1 T honey
- 1 T white balsamic or apple cider vinegar
- zest of one orange
- 1 t fresh ginger, grated
- 1/8 freshly ground pepper or more to taste
- 3 to 4 ramen noodle blocks, optional
- 1 t sesame oil, optional
Directions
- Step 1 Rinse the collard greens well and remove the ribs, then chop them into pieces no larger than 2 inch squares.
- Step 2 In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, miso paste, honey, vinegar, orange zest, grated ginger, and fresh pepper.
- Step 3 Heat a large, deep skillet over medium high heat, then dump the greens in. Pour the braising liquid over the greens and toss them to coat. Cover the skillet, set the heat on low, and allow the greens to braise for 25 to 30 minutes. Check after 25 minutes and then cook longer to match your desired tenderness.
- Step 4 Serve immediately as a side dish, or over hot ramen noodles tossed in sesame oil.
