Creamy Collard Greens with Caramelized Onions & Bacon

We think it’s time to upgrade your basic collard greens recipe for something a lot more flavorful and utterly irresistible. Read on to see how we make creamy collard greens with caramelized onions and bacon. 

Creamy Collard Greens with Caramelized Onions & Bacon

This one is a game-changer! No joke! This has got to be one of the absolute best collard greens recipes EVA’! And we apologize in advance because if you’re watching your waistline and your caloric intake then consider this your cheat day. This is one decadent and indulgent side dish that eats like an entrée.

It has bright green pan-friend collard because who likes the washed-out grayish drab-colored greens your Auntie makes every Thanksgiving? Nobody.

I also decided to add a ton of caramelized sweet onions. Caramelized onions are one of my favorites savory delights. I mean, how could they not be?

Did I mention bacon? As in loads of crispy delicious bacon? Didn’t I? Perhaps it was a slight oversight. Well, yes there is bacon galore and then some! But now, here comes the decadent part. The creamy Alfredo sauce-infused sauce! It is rich, cheesy and buttery. Perfectly perfect!

Now, when you layer all of these wonderful ingredients together what you get is a side-dish that just might steal the spotlight. All eyes may remain wide-open during the saying of grace because this one’s a looker for sure and it knows it. Those arrogant sides!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds washed and picked over collard greens chopped
• sea salt
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 8-10 ounces crispy bacon 
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 large sweet Vidalia onions, sliced, caramelized in unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 jar Alfredo sauce
• freshly cracked black peppercorns

Directions:

1. Pan fry 8-10 strips of Smithfield thick-cut bacon until crispy. Place on paper towels to absorb excess grease. Reserve three tablespoons of bacon grease.
2. In a large skillet add two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and one tablespoon of unsalted butter, when the olive oil and butter mixture is hot sauté chopped collard greens until bright green and tender. About 10 minutes. Season with a couple of turns of sea salt, freshly ground black peppercorns, and Old Bay seasoning. Spoon collard greens into a dish and set aside.
3. Wipe skillet clean, and add two tablespoons of olive oil and two tablespoons, when the olive oil and butter are hot add sliced onions and sauté using med-high heat until brown, turn onions over reduce heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook over low heat for 25-30 minutes until onions are caramelized. Remove skillet from heat and set aside.
4. Using a clean skillet over med-high heat add bacon grease and one tablespoon of unsalted butter, when the grease is hot whisk in 1 1/2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, continue to whisk until the roux begins to brown. Stir in whole milk and heavy cream, and continue to whisk until mixture begins to thicken. Continue to whisk until smooth.
5. Gradually stir in Alfredo sauce and stir over medium heat until ingredients are fully incorporated. Remove skillet from heat.
6. Pour sauce into a large serving dish; add pan-fried collard greens. Top with caramelized onions and crispy bacon.

Serve.

Creamy Collard Greens with Caramelized Onions & Bacon

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Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds washed and picked over collard greens chopped
• sea salt
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 8-10 ounces crispy bacon (I used Smithfield)
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 large sweet Vidalia onions, sliced, caramelized in unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 jar Alfredo sauce
• freshly cracked black peppercorns

Instructions

Directions:

Pan fry 8-10 strips of Smithfield thick-cut bacon until crispy. Place on paper towels to absorb excess grease. Reserve three tablespoons of bacon grease.

In a large skillet add two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and one tablespoon of unsalted butter, when the olive oil and butter mixture is hot sauté chopped collard greens until bright green and tender. About 10 minutes. Season with a couple of turns of sea salt, freshly ground black peppercorns and Old Bay seasoning. Spoon collard greens into a dish and set aside.

Wipe skillet clean, and add two tablespoons of olive oil and two tablespoons, when the olive oil and butter are hot add sliced onions and sauté using med-high heat until brown, turn onions over reduce heat to low and cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook over low heat for 25-30 minutes until onions are caramelized. Remove skillet from heat and set aside.

Using a clean skillet over med-high heat add bacon grease and one tablespoon of unsalted butter, when the grease is hot whisk in 1 1/2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, continue to whisk until the roux begins to brown. Stir in whole milk and heavy cream, and continue to whisk until mixture begins to thicken. Continue to whisk until smooth.

Gradually stir in Alfredo sauce and stir over medium heat until ingredients are fully incorporated. Remove skillet from heat.

Pour sauce into a large serving dish; add pan-fried collard greens. Top with caramelized onions and crispy bacon.

Serve.

Be sure to check out some of our other holiday favorites:

• Spicy Thanksgiving Turkey & Dressing Sandwich
• 25 Side Dishes For Thanksgiving
• Easy Cornbread Dressing Recipe
• Hard Cherry Cider Cocktail {& Mocktail version}
• Cornbread & Italian Sausage Dressing with Winter Veggies
• Deconstructed Mini Pasta Salad with Lemon & Dill Dressing