The Comforting Canned Vegetable That Transforms Basic Rice Into A Southern Side Dish

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No matter the main, sides are a specialty unto themselves when it comes to Southern food. Carb-forward staples like soul-satisfying macaroni and cheese or a toothsome skillet cornbread are often crowd pleasers, but vegetables sometimes get short shrift. This may be because Southern vegetables shine with a low and slow stewing process that takes hours to perfect. For a quicker route to a memorable meal accompaniment, look no further than canned collard greens, which readily combine with rice to form an entirely new take on familiar earthy flavors.

While rice is enjoyable on its own and is certainly a welcome foil for other southern favorites like swavory baked beans, it can read boring. By adding canned collard greens to the mix, you bring another layer of flavor and depth that instantly turn plain rice into a dish rather than an afterthought. Plus, you get the health benefits that collards bring to the party like vitamins A, K, B-6, and C, as well as calcium, iron, and magnesium. It's also a cheeky way to get another serving of vegetables.

To create a lively Southern side anchored by canned collard greens and rice, start with a few simple ingredients that will lift the overall flavors and remove any hesitation that your dish will taste like it came from a can. Depending on your dietary preferences, first gently melt some onions or render chopped bacon (or both) on the stovetop. Then add some broth of your choice for depth. And, here's the best part: you can toss in freshly cooked rice or re-purpose servings of leftover rice, cover and let steam for a few minutes. From there, all that's left to do is fold in the canned collard greens and season to taste.

If you like your collards with kick, you can add hot sauce to your greens for a flavor boost or if you want to correct for any lingering bitterness, feel free to sweeten with a splash of orange juice. Or, buy seasoned canned collard greens if you want to make it super easy on yourself. To level up on texture, scatter the finished dish with more crumbled bacon. And, voilà a starch and a vegetable all in one flavor-packed Southern side. It's enough to make you realize you should keep canned collard greens on hand to round out many a meal.