Roasted collard greens and Brussels sprouts are embellished with polenta in a simple and hearty side dish. Prepared polenta adds a bit of comfort to the dish, and olives give it briny bursts of flavor.
Collard greens are an under-appreciated leafy green; though these large leaves might look daunting, they’re easy to prepare if you know the right technique.
This dish goes well with many kinds of fall meals. Since the oven is set at a high temperature for this recipe, roasting a pan of potatoes or sweet potatoes combined with tempeh or baked tofu would make a nice side-by-side dish. A simple salad or slaw completes the meal.
Good for holidays or everyday cool weather meals: Since this makes a generous portion, it would also make a nice side dish for the fall and winter holidays. But of course, it’s easy enough to make for everyday meals.
Roasting collards: Roasting ribbon-cut collard works as well as stir-frying, as you’ll see in this recipe. This shouldn’t be surprising; collard greens belong to the family of cruciferous vegetables (which includes cabbage and broccoli), none of which are very appealing when overcooked, but excellent roasted.
In PRAISE OF COLLARD GREENS
A staple of Southern American cuisine, collards greens were the biggest surprise for me as I was researching and developing recipes for my book, Wild About Greens. To my palate, they’re tastier than kale — milder and sweeter. Collards are a great source of all the nutrients found in other greens, and are an especially good source of calcium.
A better way to prep collards: Away with overcooked, mushy collards! The newer technique is to cut the stemmed collard greens into narrow ribbons and sauté, stir-fry, or roast them. Preparing them like this heightens their pleasant flavor and retains their color and texture.
Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com
Explore more …
- Vegan recipes featuring collard greens
- Delicious oven-roasted vegetable recipes
- Spinach and Chard with Sautéed Polenta
- Seitan and Polenta with Fresh Greens
- Recipes for Using Tube Polenta
Roasted Collard Greens with Brussels Sprouts and Polenta

Roasted collard Greens team up with Brussels sprouts and polenta in a simple and hearty side dish.
Ingredients
- 12 or so collard green leaves
- 12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic or red wine vinegar
- 18-ounce tube prepared polenta
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup brine-cured black olives (like Kalamata), halved
- 2 teaspoons salt-free seasoning blend
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425º F.
- Cut the collard green leaves away from their stems with a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Stack 6 to 8 similar-sized leaf halves atop one another at a time. Roll up snugly from one of the narrow ends, then slice thinly crosswise. Chop the slices in a few places to shorten the ribbons. Place in a colander; rinse well and then blot dry.
- Coat your palms with a little of the olive oil and massage it into the collard leaves. You can do this while they’re still in the colander.
- Place the Brussels sprouts in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle in the vinegar and stir together.
- Cut the polenta into 12 even slices, each about 1/2 inch thick. Cut each slice into quarters to make little wedges.
- Add the polenta to the mixing bowl with the Brussels sprouts along with the bell pepper. Drizzle in the oil and transfer to a parchment-lined roasting pan.
- Roast for 20 minutes, stirring after the first 10 minutes. Then, pile the collards atop everything. After 5 minutes, they should be wilted enough to stir in with the Brussels sprouts and polenta.
- Add the olives at this point as well, and sprinkle in the seasoning blend. Roast for 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until the Brussels sprouts and polenta are lightly browned here and there.
- Remove from the oven, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
See lots more easy vegan salads & sides.
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