Collard greens and beans with bacon are a favorite Southern recipe, made quick and easy here with a few shortcuts. It’s great for a New Year’s Day meal or an anytime dinner side dish!
Eeek, it's Christmas Eve!
The excitement in our house has been building steadily for weeks. My kids are 7 and 5 and are SO ready for Santa to pay them a visit. It's been a really fun holiday season with them. ❤️
And with all the fun activities and special parts of our holiday that are part of the day today, and the excitement for tomorrow, we are HERE!
But I'm getting slightly ahead of myself today and sharing something that's really intended for the next upcoming holiday - New Year's.
This recipe has some of my very favorite Southern flavors all together in one dish.
I’ve used similar ingredients in my Southern New Year’s Day dinner skillet and my New Year’s Day black-eyed pea casserole.
And today I’m sharing my collard greens and beans with bacon.
It’s savory, salty, warm and oh so tasty!
It’s also really fast to prepare - I use pre-cooked beans (canned or frozen) and I thinly slice the collards so they are soft and ready in minutes. (So much better than stewing them for hours!)
It’s a great way to get a quick fix of these favorites.
And it’s a perfect recipe for New Year’s Day, since this has three of the traditional foods you are supposed to eat (pork-bacon, greens and field or black-eyed peas).
(Read on down below in the FAQs for more info on New Year’s Day food traditions in the South.)
I prefer this as a side dish - it goes great with chicken or pork - but you can also serve it over rice as a main dish meal.
And if you want to make these collard greens and beans vegetarian, you can skip the bacon and use oil or butter to sauté the onion and garlic.
Notes on collard greens and beans:
- I use field peas in this recipe because it makes this dish even more Southern to me.
- However, you could substitute black-eyed peas, pinto beans or even cannellini beans if you prefer. Pick your favorite!
- Field peas can be found fresh in the summertime in the South, but also are available canned or in the freezer section. Be sure they are cooked and ready to use for this recipe.
- I use thick-cut bacon but any kind will do. I think 3 slices is enough but if you want extra, you can probably fit 4-5 slices in your pan.
And now, I’ve got some frequently asked questions. I know not everyone is as familiar with these ingredients as I am so I wanted to tackle a few common topics.
If you want to go directly to the recipe, simply scroll past this information and you’ll see the recipe card near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
What are field peas?
Field peas are a Southern legume that have been popular in the South for hundreds of years. They are very hearty in terms of growing them and were an inexpensive staple crop that was often grown to add nitrogen back to the soil.
Field peas can be found in many varieties and go by many names, including crowder, pinkeye, cow, purple hull, old timer and more.
Fun fact: They are actually one of the oldest domesticated crops, cultivated for at least 7,000 years now.
Where can I buy field peas?
Field peas are usually only found fresh in the summertime. Even then, I have to get them from the farmers market and you have to be there early because they will run out!
If you can find them fresh or dried, you’ll need to cook them in advance for this recipe.
You can also get canned field peas in the canned vegetable aisle of the grocery store. I have seen regular field peas, crowder peas (which are a variety and fine to use here as well) and also canned field peas with snaps. That means they have some green beans mixed in with them. They are easy enough to pick out or you can add them to this dish.
Finally, you can also usually find field peas in the freezer section. Check the bag and cook them according to the package instructions to have them ready to use in this recipe.
What can I substitute for field peas?
Field peas may be difficult to find outside of the South. In that case, you can substitute black-eyed peas or crowder peas, which are both a type of field pea. Pinto beans also will work in most recipes (including this one). Cannelini beans may also work as an alternative.
How do you prep collards?
To prep collard greens, wash them well and shake or pat them dry. Remove the hard inner stem (similar to how you would prep kale) using either a knife or by folding the large collard leaves in half and tearing the stem out with your fingers.
Then, for this Southern greens recipe, roll up your remaining long strips of collard green leaves into a tight roll, almost like a cigar. Slice thinly — this is called a julienne cut — and they’re ready to go.
Check out the video with my recipe for quick Southern collard greens with bacon to watch this in action.
What’s the significance of New Year’s Day foods in the South?
You are supposed to eat 3-4 main foods on New Year’s Day, according to the traditions in the South. I grew up with these every Jan. 1 as a way to ensure a healthy and prosperous New Year.
Here’s the details:
Pork – Pork was seen as a special occasion food in the South in earlier times, particularly the “high on the hog” cuts. That, along with the rich fat content, is meant to symbolize wealth and prosperity.
Black-eyed peas or field peas – Some people say lentils and peas are eaten on New Years Day because they resemble small coins and contribute to a prosperous year. That’s what my family always said. Others say the black-eyed peas tradition dates back to the Civil War when Vicksburg, Mississippi, was cut off from food supplies and the people resorted to eating the crops used to feed cattle (which is why cowpeas are one of the other names for field peas). This saved the people from starvation and made the peas a symbol of resourcefulness and good fortune.
Greens (traditionally collard greens) – Their green color symbolizes paper money and ensures wealth and prosperity in the new year.
Cornbread – It’s golden color and the golden nuggets of corn are also supposed to ensure a year of financial success.
See, now you're an expert too!
Whether these are old favorites or new-to-you ingredients, I hope you give these collard greens and beans with bacon a try. I think you will love them!
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Collard greens and beans with bacon
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large bunch collards, stems removed, leaves rolled tightly together and thinly sliced (see notes)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup cooked field peas, see notes
- For serving: Hot sauce
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a large pan over medium heat until cooked through, turning occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. (You can prep your collards and other ingredients while the bacon cooks.)
- Remove bacon and reserve, leaving bacon grease in the pan.
- Add onion to the pan and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add collards and cook until wilted down, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add cooked field peas to the pan and stir until well combined and heated through.
- Serve the greens and beans hot with reserved crumbled bacon and hot sauce on top, if using.
Notes
Nutrition
Karly
I love this! I will definitely be making this soon!
Kathryn
Yay, I hope you love it!