Equipment
Ingredients
Collard Greens
- 24 collard green leaves, thick lower stems shaved or removed
Rice Filling
- 200 g short-grain white rice, rinsed well
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 30 g tomato paste
- 30 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 20 g fresh dill, finely chopped
- 15 g fresh mint, finely chopped
- 2 g ground allspice
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Simmering Broth
- 400 ml vegetable broth
- 45 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 g tomato paste
- 3 g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 342 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 45 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 894 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 493 mg
- Calcium
- 234 mg
- Iron
- 2.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 49 mg
- Phosphorus
- 94 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 268 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 51 mg
- Vitamin E
- 4.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 458 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.12 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.17 mg
- Niacin
- 1.6 mg
- Folate
- 132 mcg
- Water
- 215 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil at 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Working in batches, submerge the collard green leaves for 2 to 3 minutes until pliable and bright green. Transfer immediately to an ice bath to stop the cooking, then drain and pat completely dry.
Heat 45ml of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute for 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 more minute until fragrant.
Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the onion mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the rinsed short-grain rice, parsley, dill, mint, allspice, salt, black pepper, and 15ml of lemon juice. Mix thoroughly until the rice is evenly coated with herbs and seasonings.
Lay a blanched collard leaf flat on a work surface, vein side up. Place about 20 grams of the rice filling near the base of the leaf. Fold the bottom up over the filling, fold the left and right sides inward, and roll tightly upward like a cigar. Repeat with the remaining 19 leaves.
Line the bottom of a Dutch oven with the remaining torn or unused collard leaves. Arrange the stuffed rolls tightly together in the pot, seam-side down, creating a snug single or double layer to prevent them from unrolling.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the vegetable broth, 45ml lemon juice, 30ml olive oil, 30g tomato paste, and salt for the simmering broth. Pour this mixture over the stuffed collard greens in the Dutch oven.
Place an inverted heatproof plate directly on top of the rolls to weigh them down. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer at 90 degrees Celsius or 195 degrees Fahrenheit over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and gently simmer for 45 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat. Allow the stuffed collard greens to rest and cool in the cooking liquid for at least 15 minutes before removing the plate and serving. They can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.
Chef's Notes
- Shaving down the thick center rib of the collard greens with a paring knife before blanching makes rolling much easier and yields a more tender final bite.
- Always line the bottom of your pot with torn or imperfect leaves to act as a buffer, preventing the bottom layer of stuffed greens from scorching during the long simmer.
- Allowing the rolls to cool in their cooking liquid helps them absorb maximum flavor and prevents the collard greens from discoloring or drying out when exposed to air.
- For maximum flavor development, this dish is actually better when made a day in advance and left to rest in the refrigerator overnight.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container submerged in any remaining cooking liquid to prevent drying.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze in cooking liquid. Texture of leaves may soften slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Gently warm in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of water, or serve at room temperature.
Troubleshooting
Rolls unraveled during cooking
Cause: Packed too loosely in the pot or boiled too vigorously without a heavy plate weighting them down
Fix: Cannot be fixed aesthetically, but can be served as a deconstructed savory rice and greens bowl
Prevention: Ensure rolls are packed snugly seam-side down and maintain a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil
Rice inside the leaves is hard or crunchy
Cause: Insufficient simmering time or not enough liquid to steam the rice inside the tight roll
Fix: Add 60ml of hot water or broth, replace the plate and lid, and simmer for an additional 15 minutes
Prevention: Check one roll for doneness before turning off the heat; ensure the pot lid fits tightly to trap steam
Bottom layer of rolls is burnt or scorched
Cause: Heat was too high or pot was not lined with spare leaves
Fix: Discard the scorched bottom layer; salvage the undamaged top layers
Prevention: Always line the bottom of the pot with unused or torn leaves to act as a heat buffer
Cultural Context
This dish is a vibrant, Southern-leaning twist on traditional Mediterranean dolmades or sarma. While grape leaves or cabbage are historically used across the Levant, Greece, and Turkey, collard greens provide a structurally robust, slightly earthy alternative that pairs beautifully with bright lemon and rich tomato. It represents a beautiful convergence of Mediterranean technique and highly nutritious, accessible produce.
