Pot Likker Soup Recipe (2024)

Pot Likker Soup makes a delicious and filling meal. Made of pot likker (or pot liquor), the cooking liquid from collards or turnip greens, along with other vegetables and ham. This soup is Southern comfort all the way!

Pot Likker Soup Recipe (1)

Okay, the name of this recipe may have thrown you off just a touch, but please stay with me.

This Pot Likker Soup Recipe is really, really one you should give a try. It makes a great soup recipe to throw together on the stove with any leftovers from your New Year’s Day meal of baked ham, turnip, mustard or collard greens, and just a few more additions to the soup pot.

And just to tell you, we love Pot Likker Soup so much that we don’t even wait for New Year’s to enjoy it.

Pot Likker Soup Recipe

If you’ve never heard the term pot likker before, it is the liquid left over after you’ve cooked collard, turnip or mustard greens. Sometimes it is spelled as pot liquor soup, potlikker, or – the way I spell it – pot likker. Pot Likker is packed with iron and vitamins C and K and is one of the most revered liquids in Southern cooking around my house.

Pot Likker Soup Recipe (2)

I probably get my affiinity for a big pot of greens with pot likker from my Grandmother who would have had a fit at the thought of pouring out the liquid from cooking her greens.

Since she cooked greens regularly, the left over liquid would become a meal in and of itself.

Sometimes, it was as simple as warming a piping hot bowl of pot likker on the stove and making a fresh skillet of corn bread to go along with it for a simple and warm lunch during the cool winter months.

Pot Likker Soup Recipe (3)

Now, I add a few more ingredients turning that simple broth from the greens into a hearty soup.

My Pot Likker Soup recipe included below gives you instructions for cooking the collard, mustard, or turnip greens along with leftover ham.

If you don’t have a leftover ham, you can always substitute slices of salt pork or thick-sliced bacon.

Also, if you happen to have leftover collard, mustard, or turnip greens, you’ll reduce the cooking time to about 15 minutes total.

You’ll want to add more water to any pot likker that you have from your leftover greens to make it equal about 6 cups total.

You can play with the broths to find the flavor profile you prefer, you may prefer to use 1/2 chicken broth and 1/2 vegetable broth, either will work well.

Here’s my Pot Likker Soup recipe.

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Pot Likker Soup Recipe (8)

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Pot Likker Soup Recipe

Robyn Stone

4.91 from 10 votes

Pot Likker Soup makes a delicious, hearty soup using the broth of collard, mustard, or turnip greens and additional vegetables.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 5 slices baked ham, chopped (about 1-1/2 pounds)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, chopped
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 cups chicken stock or broth
  • 2 cups collard greens, mustard, or turnip greens, washed with hard stems removed
  • 8 cups water
  • pinch red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

  • Add chopped ham to a Dutch oven over medium heat. Heat for about 2-3 minutes and then add olive oil, onion and carrots. Saute until becomes tender, about 2 more minutes. Then add in garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Pour in chicken broth and cook until has reduced by about ½.

  • Add greens and water. Boil over medium heat for about 45 minutes until greens are extremely tender.

Nutrition

Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 453mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 4275IU | Vitamin C: 9.9mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Pot Likker Soup Recipe (9)

From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2012.

Categorized as:All Recipes, By Special Diets, Cooking, Dinner Recipes, Egg-Free Recipes, Holiday and Occasion Recipes, Lunch, New Year Recipes, One Dish Meal Recipes, Pork Recipes, Recipes, , Soup and Stew Recipes, Southern Favorites

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Pot Likker Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is pot likker healthy? ›

Pot liquor contains high amounts of essential vitamins and minerals including iron, vitamin A and vitamin C. Especially important is that it contains high amounts of vitamin K, which aids in blood clotting. Another term is collard liquor.

What is pot likker meaning? ›

Southerners know the truth—potlikker is the best part of a pot of greens. Lots of folks—nearly everyone on the internet—define potlikker as the liquid that is "left behind" from cooking a pot of greens, be they collard, turnip, mustard, or a mix of all three.

How to use pot likker? ›

A take on the classic Country Ham Potlikker becomes the base of a luscious gravy for smothered pork chops and a zippy vinaigrette for a sweet and savory apple and bean salad. A rich Smoked Paprika and Sun-Dried-Tomato Potlikker buoys brothy orecchiette with savory-sweet turnips and braises hearty chicken thighs.

What to do with leftover potlikker? ›

Since she cooked greens regularly, the left over liquid would become a meal in and of itself. Sometimes, it was as simple as warming a piping hot bowl of pot likker on the stove and making a fresh skillet of corn bread to go along with it for a simple and warm lunch during the cool winter months.

Can you freeze pot likker? ›

They freeze nicely. I always make a bunch just so I will be able to freeze some for the time when they aren't available at the produce stand. I freeze pot likker and all. I usually just pop the contents into a pot, but I see no reason why they wouldn't microwave fine.

Is collard greens broth good for you? ›

From kale to collards to turnips, we've learned to embrace their nutrient-packed bitterness. So here's a tip: When you're cooking up a big pot of greens, don't toss out what may be the most nutritious part — the brothy water that's left in the pot. Lots of the beneficial nutrients cook out of the greens.

What are the benefits of Potlikkers? ›

But, like the leafy greens that give this broth its dark green color, pot liquor is rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin A and iron. And while old-timers used to chug it as a tonic, some of today's modern Southern chefs use pot liquor to elevate the flavors of other dishes.

How long are cooked collard greens good for in the refrigerator? ›

How long can cooked collard greens last? Cooked collard greens last up to a week when you keep them in the fridge. No more than 3 to 4 days is preferable.

What is Potlicker in Southern food? ›

Potlikker is a term used in Southern cuisine to refer to the nutrient-rich and delicious liquid left over after cooking collard, turnip, or mustard greens, ham hocks, or other smoked meats. Potlikker has a history rooted in the experience of slavery in the American South.

Can you drink collard green juice? ›

Although juicing collard greens is not super popular, raw collard greens are a great addition to any juice. They are full of calcium, and folate, and are a good source of vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin A. Cruciferous vegetables like collards are also known for their anticancer effects.

What is the history of Potlikkers? ›

It was a staple food eaten by enslaved people in the South, often eaten along with baked or fried cornbread either dipped or crumbled into the potlikker. By the early 1850s, potlikker was a mainstay in Southern diets.

Can you freeze cooked collard greens and ham hocks? ›

You can also freeze cooked collard greens, including ham hocks and any broth or other ingredients you used to cook them.

Are collard greens healthy for you? ›

Rich in dietary fiber and potassium, collard greens help enhance good HDL levels and diminish bad LDL cholesterols, averting plaque and fatty deposits in heart vessels and improving cardiac muscle function and heart health. Boosts Gut Health. Regularly eating collard greens increases your fiber intake.

Does cooking collard greens remove nutrients? ›

Cooking may reduce levels of nutrients and bioactive compounds in vegetables, particularly those that are heat-sensitive and water-soluble.

Can you eat collard green stems? ›

Why: Most collard recipes call to discard the stems because they're so fibrous, but if you chop them small, they will cook just like the leafy greens. The finished dish is just as delicious and a lot thriftier than traditional collard greens, and the pleasantly-supple stems give these greens a distinctive bite.

What is the healthiest option for smoking pot? ›

Be sure you know where and when it is safe to use. Avoid cannabis smoke if possible. Cannabis smoke contains tar and toxins. The safest choice is to use a vaporizer—it delivers the THC in mist form instead of smoke.

Is pot heart healthy? ›

Research has scientifically proven that using cannabis can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks. Cannabis contains certain chemicals that research links to an increase in the risk of heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and heart attacks.

References

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