Keto Collard Greens and Ground Beef

Here is my favorite collard greens and ground beef recipe, with warm spices like cumin, coriander, and cinnamon, fresh tomatoes and jalapeno, and a bright squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

This dish has become our go-to weeknight dinner when I need something healthy and satisfying on the table fast. My kids actually ask for their greens when I make it this way, which feels like a parenting win!

What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For this recipe, 90% lean ground beef hits the sweet spot between flavor and health. It has just enough fat to keep the dish moist and tasty without making it greasy, which is important since you’re mixing it with the collard greens. If you can only find 85% lean, that’ll work too – you might just want to drain off a bit of the excess fat after browning. On the flip side, if you go with 93% lean or higher, the dish might turn out a little dry, so consider adding a splash of broth or water while cooking to keep everything nice and tender.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so feel free to work with what you have:

• Ground beef: You can easily swap ground beef for ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground lamb. If using leaner meats like turkey or chicken, you might want to add a touch more oil to keep things from sticking.
• Collard greens: Kale, Swiss chard, or mustard greens all work well here. Keep in mind that kale cooks faster than collard greens, so adjust your cooking time accordingly – it’ll need about 5 minutes less.
• Jalapeno: If you don’t have jalapenos, try a serrano pepper for similar heat, or use red pepper flakes (start with 1/4 teaspoon). You can also skip it entirely if you prefer a milder dish.
• Grape tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes work just as well, or you can use one regular tomato diced up. Canned diced tomatoes (about 1/2 cup, drained) will also do the trick.
• Spices: While this spice blend gives the dish its character, you can use what you have. Missing one or two spices won’t ruin the dish – just adjust the others slightly to make up for it.
• Lemon juice: Lime juice or a splash of apple cider vinegar will give you that same bright, acidic finish.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when cooking collard greens is not removing the tough stems completely – they stay chewy no matter how long you cook them, so take the extra minute to strip the leaves from the center rib before slicing.

Another common error is adding all the spices at once without letting them bloom with the meat, which can leave you with a dull flavor instead of a rich, aromatic dish – make sure the beef is fully cooked with the seasonings before adding the greens.

Don’t overcrowd the pan or cook the collard greens too long, as they only need about 4 minutes to wilt and turn tender while keeping a slight bite.

For even better results, add the lemon juice at the very end right before serving so its bright flavor doesn’t cook off, and taste before adding extra salt since the beef and seasonings already pack plenty of flavor.

What to Serve With Collard Greens and Ground Beef?

This dish has such warm, earthy spices that it pairs beautifully with something simple to soak up all those flavors. I love serving it over fluffy white rice or quinoa, which helps balance out the spices and makes it a complete meal. If you want to keep things low-carb, cauliflower rice works great too, or you could even scoop it up with warm pita bread or naan. A dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream on top adds a nice cooling contrast to the cumin and coriander, and if you’re still hungry, a side of roasted sweet potatoes rounds everything out nicely.

Storage Instructions

Store: This dish keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually get better as they sit together, so it’s great for meal prep. I like to portion it out into individual containers for easy grab-and-go lunches throughout the week.

Freeze: You can freeze this for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers or bags. Just let it cool completely first, and try to remove as much air as possible before sealing. The collard greens might be a bit softer after freezing, but the taste is still there.

Reheat: Warm it up in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water to keep it from drying out, or microwave it in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between. If you froze it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating for the best results.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 900-1050
• Protein: 65-75 g
• Fat: 45-55 g
• Carbohydrates: 35-45 g

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 lb ground beef (I use 85/15 blend)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 8 collard green leaves (roughly chopped)
• 1 tsp lemon juice (fresh squeezed for best flavor)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 white onion (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 jalapeno (seeded and finely diced)
• 15 grape tomatoes (halved)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 garlic cloves (freshly minced)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp black pepper (freshly ground preferred)
• 1 tsp ground cumin

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Toast Spices

• 1/2 white onion
• 1 jalapeno
• 2 garlic cloves
• 15 grape tomatoes
• 8 collard green leaves
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Dice the white onion into 1/4-inch pieces, seed and finely mince the jalapeño, mince the garlic cloves, halve the grape tomatoes, and roughly chop the collard greens.

In a small bowl, combine the ground ginger, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, turmeric, ground cumin, kosher salt, and black pepper.

I like to toast my spices together in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds before adding them to the meat—this blooms their flavors and makes them more vibrant in the final dish.

Step 2: Build the Flavor Base with Aromatics

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute.

Add the diced onion and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and translucent.

Add the minced garlic and diced jalapeño, stirring constantly for 1 minute to release their aromatic oils without burning them.

Step 3: Cook the Seasoned Ground Beef

• 1 lb ground beef
• spice mixture from Step 1

Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

Immediately add the spice mixture from Step 1, stirring constantly to distribute the seasonings evenly throughout the meat.

Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the beef is browned and no longer pink.

I find that letting the meat sit undisturbed for 30 seconds between stirs helps develop better browning and deeper flavor.

Step 4: Add Greens and Tomatoes to Build the Dish

• 8 collard green leaves, roughly chopped
• 15 grape tomatoes, halved
• cooked beef mixture from Step 3

Add the roughly chopped collard greens and halved grape tomatoes to the skillet, stirring gently to combine with the cooked beef and aromatics.

The greens will begin to wilt from the heat of the pan.

Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the collard greens are tender and the tomatoes have softened slightly.

Step 5: Finish with Acid and Serve

• 1 tsp lemon juice, fresh squeezed
• completed dish from Step 4

Remove the skillet from heat and drizzle the fresh lemon juice over the entire dish.

Stir gently one final time to distribute the lemon juice evenly and brighten all the flavors.

The dish is ready to serve immediately while it’s warm.

Keto Collard Greens and Ground Beef

Delicious Keto Collard Greens and Ground Beef recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 975 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 lb ground beef (I use 85/15 blend)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 8 collard green leaves (roughly chopped)
• 1 tsp lemon juice (fresh squeezed for best flavor)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 white onion (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 jalapeno (seeded and finely diced)
• 15 grape tomatoes (halved)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 garlic cloves (freshly minced)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp black pepper (freshly ground preferred)
• 1 tsp ground cumin

Instructions

 

• Dice the white onion into 1/4-inch pieces, seed and finely mince the jalapeño, mince the garlic cloves, halve the grape tomatoes, and roughly chop the collard greens. In a small bowl, combine the ground ginger, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, turmeric, ground cumin, kosher salt, and black pepper. I like to toast my spices together in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds before adding them to the meat—this blooms their flavors and makes them more vibrant in the final dish.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the diced onion and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and diced jalapeño, stirring constantly for 1 minute to release their aromatic oils without burning them.
• Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Immediately add the spice mixture from Step 1, stirring constantly to distribute the seasonings evenly throughout the meat. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the beef is browned and no longer pink. I find that letting the meat sit undisturbed for 30 seconds between stirs helps develop better browning and deeper flavor.
• Add the roughly chopped collard greens and halved grape tomatoes to the skillet, stirring gently to combine with the cooked beef and aromatics. The greens will begin to wilt from the heat of the pan. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the collard greens are tender and the tomatoes have softened slightly.
• Remove the skillet from heat and drizzle the fresh lemon juice over the entire dish. Stir gently one final time to distribute the lemon juice evenly and brighten all the flavors. The dish is ready to serve immediately while it's warm.