Looking for something to do with leftover ham? Give this quick sautéed collard greens recipe a try!
With a simple sauce, crispy bits of ham, and a heaping pile of good-for-you greens, this side dish is paleo, gluten free, and low carb.
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A perfect leftover ham recipe
Whether you've got ham leftover from a holiday meal or you just like ham, sautéed collard greens are a great way to repurpose those leftovers into a simple new meal.
With 2 cups of ham and 6 whopping cups of collard greens, I consider this more of a side dish than a meal.
That said, if you've got a bucketload of leftover ham to use up, simply add more to bulk up that protein and treat this sautéed collard greens recipe as more of a leftover ham with collard greens situation.
Ingredients
COLLARD GREENS: The core of the recipe! Collard greens are a super nutrient dense food, containing several vitamins and minerals.
HAM: Ideally, you'll use leftover ham for this recipe. However, you can use just-bought pre-cooked ham as well.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: The acid base for our sauce! If you'd prefer to use a different type of vinegar, I recommend red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar.
MAPLE SYRUP: We need a little sweetness to balance out the acid of the sauce, and maple syrup steps in wonderfully. Make sure to use pure maple syrup, not maple-flavored syrup.
HOT SAUCE: A touch of hot sauce adds just a tiny bit of heat to these sautéed collard greens. In a pinch, you can omit it.
BACON FAT: I think bacon fat enhanced the ham and definitely enhances the umami of this recipe, but you can use olive oil or any other cooking fat as a replacement.
ROASTED GARLIC: This recipe calls for 12 cloves of roasted garlic. That's a lot of garlic, right? Well, roasted garlic doesn't have as much bite as a raw clove. If you want to skip roasting the garlic and use raw cloves, use 4-6 cloves of garlic.
What is a gastrique?
This sautéed collard greens and ham recipe uses a simple gastrique to flavor the dish and tie it all together.
Most of you out there likely have no idea what the heck I'm talking about. Gastrique?! Resist the urge to high tail it out of here. Trust me, this is a lot easier than you think!
Simply put, a gastrique is a simple reduction of vinegar and sweetener that's used as a glaze/sauce/etc. to add flavor to a dish.
And making it isn't complicated, either!
How to make a gastrique
The recipe will walk you through the steps, but just to let you know how simple this is:
- Add the vinegar, maple syrup, and hot sauce (just for a little kick!) to a saucepan.
- Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Done.
See? You can make a gastrique!
Variations and substitutions
- Don't have any leftover ham to use? You can use 4 strips of bacon, although the results won't be as meaty. Omit the bacon fat and fry the bacon before using.
- Alternatively, you can use leftover pork from a Smoked Pork Platter!
- Swap apple cider vinegar for balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar.
- Not enough collard greens? Use another sturdy leafy green, like swiss chard or kale.
More recipes for leftover ham
If you have even more leftovers from a Glazed Baked Ham to use up, I've got you!
- Soup is the easiest way to use up ham! Try my Creamy Ham & Potato Soup or Simple Split Pea and Ham Soup.
- Ham can be substituted for bacon in this Plantain, Bacon, & Chive Frittata or Mushroom, Bacon, and Cauliflower Casserole.
More quick side dish recipes to try
Always on the hunt for new gluten free side dish recipes? Try some of these favorites!
- Simple Stovetop Garlic Herb Carrots
- Roasted Garlic Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Oven-Roasted Potato Rounds
- Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad
- Simple Honey-Roasted Carrots
Did you try this sautéed collard greens and ham recipe? I'd love to hear what you think! Comment below or tag me on Instagram.
Print📖 Recipe
Sauteed Collard Greens with Ham
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Sauteed
- Cuisine: Southern
Description
With a simple sauce, crispy bits of ham, and a pile of good-for-you greens, these sauteed collard greens are a perfect way to use up holiday leftovers while keeping your meals nutrient-dense!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce (here's my go-to)
- 2 tablespoons bacon fat
- 2 cups roughly chopped leftover ham (about ½ pound)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 ½ lbs collard greens, stems removed and leaves thinly sliced (about 6 cups sliced)
- 12 cloves roasted garlic cloves, chopped (or 4-6 cloves raw garlic, minced)
Instructions
- Combine apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and hot sauce in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Set aside.
- Melt bacon fat in a 12" cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add ham, cooking for 3-4 minutes until slightly browned and crisp. Stir in yellow onion, continuing to cook for 4-6 minute or until soft and translucent. Increase heat to high and add collard greens and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes or until the greens are wilted. Stir in reserved gastrique, roasted garlic, and oil. Serve immediately.
Kechia says
Made this for my picky kids and they loved it! Thank you!