Coconut Curried Greens (30 minutes!)

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Grabbing a spoonful of our amazing Coconut Curried Greens recipe

You know those dishes that are so insanely delicious you can’t help but go back for seconds and thirds, and you have to slap your own hand away for taking bites right off the serving plate?

Yeah, this is one of those dishes. Prepare yourselves for my latest curry obsession: 30-minute AMAZING Coconut Curried Greens!

Collard greens and curry powder in a cast iron skillet ready to be made into a delicious vegan side dish

This recipe is super simple, requiring just 1 pan, 30 minutes and 10 ingredients. I even include a DIY curry powder* seeing as I was out of my go-to jar and had to make my own. Spoiler alert: it’s gold dust and I want to put it on everything. Do it!

*Note: learn more about the origin of curry powder and find our DIY recipe here.

Besides the curry powder, we’re talking collard greens, kale, sea salt, coconut sugar, and light coconut milk. This combination of ingredients makes by-far the tastiest (and healthiest!) greens I’ve ever tried. These may very well be on weekly rotation in our house moving forward.

About Collard Greens

Collard greens originated in the eastern Mediterranean and have been around since prehistoric times. They were introduced to America in the 1600s by Africans who cooked the greens down into a gravy called “pot likker”. These delicious and nutrient-packed greens became a staple in African-American cuisine (source).

Stirring Coconut Curried Greens in a cast iron skillet for a easy, healthy, and delicious veggie dish

I hope you all LOVE this recipe. It’s:

Super flavorful
Loaded with greens
Rich in plant-based protein + fiber
Savory-sweet
Insanely healthy
& Absolutely delicious

Although these are great on their own, I think these greens would pair well with any of my curries: Coconut Red Curry with Chickpeas, Spicy Red Curry Cauliflower Wings, 1-Pot Sweet Potato Kale Curry, Green Curry with Chickpeas, Spicy Red Lentil Curry, 30-Minute Coconut Curry, Easy Chana Masala, Thai Yellow Curry with Mango, or my Coconut Curry Ramen. And, I have another curry coming next week that is the perfect match for these greens – stay tuned!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see. Cheers, friends!

A big plate full of gluten-free vegan Coconut Curried Greens

Amazing Coconut Curried Greens

Amazing coconut curried greens made with 10 ingredients in 30 minutes. An incredibly flavorful, healthy side dish for any Indian-inspired meal.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Big plate of Coconut Curried Greens beside a spoonful of curry powder
4.87 from 44 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Course Side
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Indian-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? 2-3 Days

Ingredients

GREENS

  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 medium shallot (sliced)
  • 3 cloves garlic* (minced)
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • 1 large bundle collard greens (large stems removed, chopped)
  • 2 tsp curry powder (divided // plus more to taste)
  • 2 tsp coconut sugar (plus more to taste)
  • Sea salt (to taste // ~1/2 tsp as original recipe is written)
  • 1 large bundle kale (green or purple // large stems removed // chopped)
  • 1/2 cup light coconut milk (or sub vegetable broth or water // divided)

FOR SERVING optional

  • Toasted coconut flakes

Instructions

  • Heat a large metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add coconut oil, shallot, garlic and ginger. Sauté for 2-4 minutes, or until shallot is tender and fragrant.
  • Add collard greens, half of the curry powder (1 tsp as original recipe is written), coconut sugar, and a healthy pinch sea salt. Stir to combine and reduce heat slightly to medium-low. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until greens appear tender but not mushy.
  • Add kale, another pinch of sea salt, remaining curry powder (1 tsp as original recipe is written), and the coconut milk. Stir to combine and cover once more to steam for 2-4 minutes, or until kale appears tender.
  • Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt to taste, coconut sugar for sweetness, or curry powder for intense curry flavor.
  • Best when fresh, though leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Notes

*3 cloves garlic yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic.
*Method adapted from Real Simple and All Recipes.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional coconut flakes.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 132 Carbohydrates: 12.3 g Protein: 4 g Fat: 9.1 g Saturated Fat: 6.8 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 327 mg Potassium: 334 mg Fiber: 4.3 g Sugar: 3.8 g Vitamin A: 3200 IU Vitamin C: 54.5 mg Calcium: 210 mg Iron: 0.7 mg

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  1. Tsveta says

    Amazing! My family doesn’t love collard greens but they were on sale in our local market, so I had a bunch. So glad I found this recipe, the dish was so yummy, my people devoured it right from the pan :))))
    Thank you!

  2. Lynne says

    O. M. G. Minimalist baker has hands down been my go-to since I started eating vegan, and up until now I have been shamefully remiss in submitting any reviews – lol. Most of the dishes I’ve made from Dana’s recipes have been amazing – no exaggeration- and this one, which received hearty approval from the carnivores I served it to last night, is no exception, and possibly one of the best I’ve made. I served it with Coconut Green Curry, brown rice and crispy tofu, with toasted coconut and cilantro garnishes. Leftovers today were soooo good! Dana, I’ve been saying this for awhile, but I think your recipes are truly inspired. Thank you for making this new way of eating so unbelievably scrumptious! Oh, I did add more curry and salt, and a bit of cayenne and smoked paprika, but that’s also one of the things I love about these recipes, is that there are always suggestions for how to promote the various flavors. ❤️

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Awwww, this makes us SO happy, Lynne! Thank you so much for your kind words and lovely review! xoxo

  3. Olivia says

    I made this with a few modifications because I was cooking for one and did not want leftovers. I only used collard greens (1 bunch) and added all the curry spices at once vs. half/half. It was delicious and hearty! I would definitely make it again.

  4. Kelly says

    Wow. I just made this tonight and am blown away. I paired with black eyed peas and quinoa and it was so GOOD. Although, I don’t think I’ve ever made a Minimalist Baker recipe that I didn’t love. I will absolutely be saving this one for future.

  5. Liz says

    This is a great recipe. We used Swiss chard and lacinato kale. I chopped up the chard stems and sauteed them with the shallots and probably doubled the ginger, but I made the recipe otherwise as written. It served 2 as a light supper over brown rice. Delicious, fast and easy.

  6. susan owen says

    This is DELICIOUS, period. I used only kale and no collards as I had none on hand, plus I added some chickpeas I had in the fridge. The dish is divine! Superb, quick and vegan….cannot go wrong here!

  7. Shelly says

    Just made this, and it turned out fantastic. So flavorful and filling. I modified quite a bit, as I was looking for a recipe in which to use my garden Swiss chard, collards and cauliflower. I really wanted something different than just sautéing the veggies with garlic. I also made the curry as instructed in the link, it made all the difference rather than using my (perhaps stale) prepared curry powder in the cupboard. I used half collards and half Swiss chard, and added about 2 cups of cauliflower florets midway and topped the pan with a lid to steam it. Also, I used half vegetable broth and half lite coconut milk to keep it from being too rich for my taste. So good-thanks for posting this recipe!

  8. Elisa says

    I cook something vegan from Minimalist Baker at least once a week and sometimes even two or three times. It’s about time I left some reviews! This was terrific. I ate three-fourths of it on my own (!) with brown rice, for dinner. That little bit of coconut milk at the end does the trick.

    I used spring/new onions and a smaller amount of full fat coconut milk but otherwise followed the recipe to a tee.

    Thanks for all the healthy and tasty recipes. I always direct people here when they tell me they want to eat more plant-based foods.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, we’re so glad you enjoy our recipes, Elisa! Thanks so much for the lovely review!

  9. Crazy Daisy says

    I made this just as written, other than I had no kale, so I used only collard greens fresh from the garden. Absolutely delicious! I could eat this every day!

  10. Sarah says

    Only had kale and normal white sugar, but it worked just fine – the flavours were so so good. Can’t wait to make this again and again!

  11. Jane says

    Outstanding! I was hungry for Indian food but didn’t want to go out for carry out due to Covid 19.

    This definitely satisfied my craving. I substituted the coconut sugar with regular, the shallots with red onion and the only greens I used were kale. I also made curried shrimp and served it all over basmati rice, with a lime wedge and perfectly ripe mango on the side.

    Thank you so much for this recipe. You ARE a life saver. ?

  12. Teresa says

    I bookmarked this recipe awhile ago but didn’t get around to making it. Recently saw it on Erin Ireland’s stories so reminded me To buy collards and came back to it. It is soooo good! I used reg white sugar because I don’t have coconut sugar. Had a half block of tofu to use and some leftover rice in the fridge so threw it all in the pan to make it a meal. Definitely coming back to this again. Thank you!

      • Stacie says

        Made this several times and its fool-proof. I always do extra garlic and ginger and I pulse it in a jar with a hand blender with the oil to avoid chopping (lazy!). Can do whatever veggies you have. Also was amazing with broccoli.
        Perfect and so so fast.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Ooo – such a great idea! Thanks for the great review, Stacie, we’re so glad you enjoyed! xo

  13. Tina Saravia says

    Hi Dana,

    I made this without the kale, because I didn’t have enough to harvest and I had loads of freshly harvested collards. It was delicious, although I made some substitutions. I made the curry powder without the powdered mustard as I didn’t have any and cut the cayenne pepper to half. I didn’t have coconut sugar so I added evaporated cane sugar instead. It was a little sweet for our health, still taste good. We had it for lunch with some Irish soda bread. Yum!

    I wanted another recipe for collards and will be coming back to this again. Thank you. You’ve been my go to internet recipe guru since I found your vegan Parmesan cheese a while back.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Tina. We are so glad you enjoyed it and were able to modify with what you had! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  14. Amber says

    The best greens I’ve ever had…and I make greens almost daily. Even my boyfriend who won’t touch kale ate it up! Made it to serve with the curried lentil sweet potato bowl and it was fantastic!
    Definitely bookmarking this one.

  15. Advita says

    I loved this recipe. This is the second time I am doing. Very nice way to make kale taste delicious. I did it with only kale because this was what I had now.

  16. Daria says

    So glad i’ve made this recipe! It became a foundation of a few meals a week for me- i add different veggies to the greens( love with broccoli c with cauliflower) and lately started adding nutritional yeast- yuum! Thank you, this recipe gets my toddler ask for seconds.

  17. Brooklyn says

    Another awesome recipe! Even my husband whose favorite food group is bacon LOVED this dish. Served with your chana masala recipe.

  18. Danielle says

    We had turnip greens not collard and made the fish per recipe. It was perfect as it is! Best greens I’ve ever had!

  19. Amanda B says

    Such a seemingly simple recipe FULL of FLAVOR! I have sauteed kale a few different ways but the coconut flavor complements the rich curry flavor swimmingly. It was so fast, so easy and so yummy! Great way to use collard greens and extra coconut milk!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Amanda. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  20. Michele says

    I left out the sugar as I’m not a fan of my meals tasting sweet and it was Absolutely Delicious!!!! Thank you for a new idea in cooking greens!

  21. Atia Sattar says

    This was amazing! We have so many collards and broccoli greens in our vegetable garden, and I always feel like they’re too bitter. This was perfect :)

  22. Mindy says

    I used swiss chard stems instead of collards and swiss chard leaves instead of kale. Also added paneer and extra coconut milk. So good! Froze it and it defrosted great.

  23. Claudia Marieb says

    rave: this was so simple and good. To make it a meal instead of a side, I cooked red lentils (they cook up so fast) in another pot while I was making the coconut collards, and doubled the onion, garlic, ginger, curry, and used a whole can of coconut mile – because I knew I’d be adding the lentils and would need this to retain the flavor. Yum! I also threw in some cashews for fun.
    my only complaint is that there are so many comments and ratings from people who never made the dish – it makes it hard to get a sense of how it really is, instead of how people will think it will. I appreciate the guidance you give to commenters and hopefully people will read that.
    Thanks!

  24. Ben Carver says

    I’m very naturally aligned with your cooking approach. I’ve been looking to expand my plant-based repertoire (eating a LOT of quinoa, broccoli, black beans, and walnuts with some soy sauce and hot sauce this winter) and just went to the store about bought stuff in prep for making coconut curry collard greens since I love Indian food. I choose collards because they have the best calcium/phosphorous ratio out there and have a lot of magnesium like all dark leafy greens. So I just googled and there you were as the first response. I’d already been subscribed to your mailing list from first looking for better minimalist plant based recipes a few months ago and was surprised to find you again from a totally random recipe search based on my own desires. Haven’t made it yet, but I know it will be good. But first it’s time for another round of madras curry sauce nachos since I have vegan cheese this time. Best tasting nachos I ever made last time but they fell apart, now they shall achieve ultimate nacho status with the “cheese” binder. Last time I used a lot of parsley but forgot to get that this time, some diced collards will be a nice fresh addition but definitely saving most of them for this recipe. Hmm, maybe even combine the two recipes, coconut curry greens on nachos with other stuff! Nom NOM!!!!. Nachos are the best, you can throw almost anything on them. Even better would be to make my own chips, especially with glass gem or painted mountain corn from the garden. That’d be almost ridiculous :) Thanks for the wonderful info you give out. I’m seriously considering buying your book, it’s nice to have something to look at that doesn’t require power. Peace, Ben

  25. Andrea says

    I will admit that I made this tonight and ate the whole pan and had to make more for lunches this week. So, the second time I made it with purple cabbage and it was still F*cking delicious.

  26. Ally says

    I made this twice. I followed the directions exactly the first time and, as I suspected, the curry tasted a bit harsh. The second time, I bloomed the spices with the onions so the flavors would come out a bit more and not be so harsh.

  27. Jonette says

    oh, my goodness! I made this for dinner tonight. I quadrupled the recipe, because I didn’t know what to do with the other three quarters of a can of coconut. I used only kale, and it nearly cooked down to nothing. It is awesome! I love coconut anyway, and I love greens. Who would have thought that kale, coconut milk, and coconut sugar would be so stinkin good!

  28. gina says

    I don’t have collards or kale on hand but I do have frozen spinach (always on hand!) so I plan on making this tonight with that and see how it goes. Thanks!

  29. Swati says

    Would it be okay to replace coconut sugar with brown sugar? I don’t want to purchase coconut sugar since I don’t anticipate using it much :(

    Also, unrelated question/request. I recently, on an impulse, purchased a bag of coconut flour (from Trader Joes). I don’t eat eggs, but haven’t been able to find a single egg-free baking recipe with coconut flour. Please would you be able give something? Thanks so much for your recipes!

    Swati

  30. Jayde Johnson says

    I was wondering what you do with the leftover coconut milk? Does it store well? I would like to make the recipe, but I would hate to waste most of a can.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi! Leftover coconut milk will last up to a week in the fridge with no depreciation in quality. You can also use coconut milk in many of our other recipes, so if you plan your meals accordingly – one can will go a long way across multiple meals! Happy Cooking!

  31. elizabeth joseph says

    well once again, I follow the recipe. But there was no large kale or collard greens at my store or farmer’s market; I went to a place called Price Rite and bought to 1lb bag of each. By the time I was rid of the stalks, it was about 1 and 1/2 lb combined. The Kale was not baby and it took about 20 minutes to cook and the collard took just as long. I am assuming it was a double batch so I added a 3/4 can of light coconut milk with a little water. It worked. The spices were good, but I added garam masala and some chili powder. It is to die for.

    • kungaa joseph says

      update; I let it sit for an hour (was too early to eat dinner); maybe it was the powder curry but all I could taste was powder. the whole thing was thrown out. I think next time I will make it without curry powder; maybe use a paste. Or it could of been the vegetables; I don’t know what went wrong but it wasn’t for me.

  32. missmariannaf says

    looks delish! the coconut-vegetable combo reminds me of Keralite thorans (i think you would enjoy that style of cooking vegetables- you can google it, typical of the Kerala region). Caribbeans also tend to cook leafy greens in coconut milk :) big fan of your recipes

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi! Are you thinking in place of coconut milk? Yeah, I’m afraid that would be too thick! Happy cooking!

      • Magpie says

        Woops I totally forgot a word there! I meant regular non-light coconut MILK, not a full coconut.

        A full coconut would definitely thicken the mixture up a bit ahaha

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Phew!:) Regular coconut milk should work just fine! You might find that it might be a little thicker? But let me know how it goes!

          • Magpie says

            Definitely a thicker consistency, but still enough to coat the greens nicely! Delicious recipe!

  33. Carolyn says

    Thank you for this recipe!!! I just ate this and had to stop myself from eating ALL of it. I only had tuscan kale on hand, but any hearty green would work. My toddler liked it too. I will be making this one again and again.

  34. Jen says

    Best greens I have EVER had!!! So much yummy umami flavor from greens-unbelievable! Thank you for coming up with such healthy, tasty recipes. My diet has become way more plant-based mostly because of you! My body and heart thank you ?

  35. Katherine Cross says

    Made this for dinner last night for my hubby and myself. I had mixed greens and spinach on hand so used them. I had to use vegetable broth since I forgot that I had already used my coconut milk for another recipe. This was amazing! We loved it and can’t wait to try it with coconut milk since that is my favorite flavor with curry. Thank you for sharing this recipe, it will be a regular addition to our weekly menu.

  36. Michelle says

    fantastic! I used all the bits of greens I had in the fridge (asian greens, baby bok choy, swiss chard and a head of kale), some on their last legs, and it still turned out wonderfully. Super delicious! Thanks!

  37. schuyler says

    Made this last night, with silverbeet and kale as it was all I could find in the shop greens-wise. I will without a doubt be putting this one in the “Favourites” file.
    It might be gilding the lily, but I’m thinking maybe adding chickpeas, your new tofu cubes recipe or paneer next time for a one-dish meal?

  38. Maddie says

    I absolutely love collard greens and think they are overshadowed by kale. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us! Love the curry infusion :)

  39. Kayla says

    Honestly this turned out way better than I was even expecting. We ate it with yellow jasmine rice. Amazing recipe!!!!!

  40. Megan at Lush to Blush says

    These sound SO delish! I love coconut milk and greens are ALWAYS a good idea. Thank you!!

    Xo,

    Megan

  41. Laurie says

    OMG! Another winner! We had this for dinner this evening and it was SO GOOD! I chopped up 3 small onions before I looked at the menu again and saw that it was “supposed” to be shallots so I just dropped those but added the garlic and everything else as listed. It was out of this world. THANK YOU Dana!

  42. Maria says

    I love steeping greens in all kinds of things too – coconut milk and curry are brilliant options. I know that this option is vegan, but I sometimes add a poached or fried on top of these types of dishes for some added texture and creaminess from the yolk. I think I might try that with this recipe:)

  43. Sabrina B says

    what an inspired set of ingredients! Love these flavors, I’m burned out on my sauteed spinach, etc, etc so this is very timely! Thank you for sharing this!

  44. RunningPathES says

    This is kind of annoying question, but is there any way you can estimate about how many cups a large bunch of greens chops up to? I buy huge bags of chopped greens rather than bunches. I would wing it like I usually do when I’m cooking greens with veggie broth, but I’d rather measure out the coconut milk to try to get the ratio you used, which looks delicious!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Not annoying! I’d say the chopped collard greens was 5 cups, and the kale was 4-5 cups (loosely packed). The good thing about this recipe is the amounts are flexible. If it’s tasting too strong, add more greens. If the flavor isn’t prominent enough, add more salt / curry powder!

  45. Kati | black.white.vivid. says

    This recipe is amazing, perfect for those days when I had too many Christmas cookies and cake. I’d probably add a few pieces of fried tofu to make it a main.

  46. Taste of France says

    I’ve done spinach (from the garden, not the flimsy baby stuff in a bag) with onions and regular coconut milk, but I’ll have to try with your addition of curry spices. Do you really need sugar? I have never even seen coconut sugar. The ginger also is a great idea.
    After the greens have wilted, I cook them a while with the lid off to work off the liquid, then add the coconut milk just long enough to get hot, so it doesn’t turn out too watery.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      You don’t, it just balances the flavors. You could sub stevia if you’re trying to avoid sugar.

  47. Casey the College Celiac says

    What a unique use for curry powder! I bet this recipe could get most people to eat their greens ;)

  48. Erica says

    I made this tonight and loooove it!!! I think I ate half of the end product BY Itself, as an impromptu snack, it was so yummy. I used full fat coconut milk, as I love the creaminess of it, and I was not at all disappointed. Definitely to be repeated, and I kinda hope my partner doesn’t eat any of it so I can have the rest tomorrow!

  49. maggie hergenrother says

    Love at first read. Had this for dinner tonight and my husband & I died and went to heaven! Yes, please! Unbelievable! Best ever.

  50. Jasmin says

    I am eating this right now! At first glance I knew I would make this recipe tonight. It’s winter on the Canadian prairies so our organic veg choices are a tad limited. I used broccoli and spinach. I came across a Cha’s Organics coconut milk flavoured with lemongrass and ginger that I had not seen before and decided to give it a go. I also added a quarter cup cooked organic french lentils to make it my full meal for supper. You totally made this blustery Monday much warmer. Stoked to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Thank you. I just recently discovered this site and my cookbook arrives tomorrow from Amazon.

  51. arlene kohler says

    I love that you have a printer friendly version as with my printer I can not select just page 1-3 for ex. and the recipes are insanely delish!!

  52. Lisa says

    I’m on such a collard kick, must try these immediately. Also, just wanted to say that your blog is one of my very favorites. Thank you for making such beautiful and delicious content!

  53. Allyson (Considering The Radish) says

    Ugh, this looks like the kind of dish I want to have on hand at all times so I can eat it whenever I want. Seriously, this looks amazing. I’m taking it as a sign that I need a break from the kale/olive oil/garlic/lemon/chili flakes rotation I’ve been on for months.

  54. dixya @food, pleasure, and health says

    i have a thing for curry powder too…i have yet to try it on greens but my latest one has been with homemade noodle soup.

    • Laura @ Raise Your Garden says

      Never even tried curry powder! I’m not intimidated by it, like it something only restaurants can use. Okay, time to try it and step up my A-game! This looks scrumptious and healthy.

  55. Sarah | Well and Full says

    #CURRYPARTY!! These greens look amazing, Dana… they look insanely flavorful but I love that they’re healthy too! :) Cheers!

  56. Rhian @ Rhian's Recipes says

    Wow this is such a good idea to cook greens in coconut milk, I’m sure they taste amazing! Will definitely be trying these out soon!