Why This Recipe Works

Deep flavor in under 90 minutes: Smoked turkey wings give the classic ham-hock depth without the wait.
Two textures of greens: Silky ribbons melt into the broth while a handful added at the end stays bright.
One-pot noodles: Cooking pasta directly in the potlikker releases starch for naturally creamy body.
Make-ahead friendly: Flavor improves overnight; noodles can be cooked separately and added when serving.
Budget hero: Feeds eight for about ten dollars, honoring Dr. King’s commitment to economic justice.
Collard stems = zero waste: Dice them for mirepoix; the ribs add gentle sweetness and reduce food waste.
Vegan-adaptable: Swap turkey for liquid smoke + kombu and still achieve crave-worthy umami.

Ingredients You'll Need

Great collard greens start at the market. Look for bunches with firm, vibrantly colored leaves and no yellowing edges. If the stems snap cleanly like fresh asparagus, you’ve found young greens that will cook quickly. Older greens are still delicious—just extend simmering time and add a pinch of baking soda to soften tougher cellulose. Smoked turkey wings are my shortcut; they’re widely available, relatively inexpensive, and the collagen-rich joints release enough gelatin to give the potlikker that lip-smacking silkiness traditionally achieved with a whole ham hock.

Collard Greens: One large bunch (about 1 ½ lb) yields roughly 12 cups once stemmed and chopped. Substitute turnip, mustard, or beet greens if that’s what your garden offers; reduce cooking time by 10 minutes for the more delicate leaves.

Smoked Turkey Wings: Two wings (about 1 ½ lb total) provide smoky depth plus body. If you only have smoked turkey drumsticks, use one large and halve the quantity of water; they’re denser and saltier. Vegetarians can replace with 2 Tbsp olive oil sautéed with 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, and a 4-inch strip of dried kombu.

Egg Noodles: Wide ribbons echo the shape of hand-cut dumplings historically served in the rural South. Use gluten-free noodles if needed, but cook them separately and rinse so they don’t cloud the broth.

Apple Cider Vinegar: A final splash brightens iron-rich greens and balances the noodles’ starch. Lemon juice works, yet lacks the fruity complexity that marries with smoked turkey.

Hot Sauce: Louisiana-style, vinegary, and not too hot. I keep a communal bottle on the table so each guest can calibrate their own heat level—an echo of the “build your own” condiment trays at Southern meat-and-threes.

How to Make Martin Luther King Jr Day Collard Greens Potlikker Noodle Soup

Prepare the greens

Fill a clean sink with cold water and swish the collards to loosen grit. Lift greens out, drain water, and repeat until no sand remains. Strip leaves from stems; reserve stems. Stack leaves, roll like cigars, and slice into ½-inch ribbons. Dice stems into ¼-inch pieces to yield about 1 cup; set aside separately.

Build the base

Heat 2 Tbsp neutral oil in a heavy 7-quart Dutch oven over medium. Add diced onion, collard stems, and ½ tsp kosher salt; sauté 6 minutes until translucent and fragrant. Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 tsp crushed red pepper; cook 60 seconds. You’re looking for the vegetables to sweat, not brown, so adjust heat as needed.

Bloom the seasonings

Sprinkle 1 tsp dried thyme, ½ tsp smoked paprika, and 2 bay leaves into the pot; toss until the spices coat the vegetables and become aromatic—about 30 seconds. Blooming in oil extracts fat-soluble flavor compounds and prevents a dusty, raw-spice taste in the final broth.

Add turkey and water

Nestle smoked turkey wings among the vegetables. Pour in 8 cups cold water, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook 45 minutes. The liquid will reduce slightly and turn a deep golden color as collagen and smoke infuse every drop.

Shred the meat

Transfer wings to a platter; cool 5 minutes. Pull meat into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and cartilage. You should have about 1 ½ cups. If the turkey tastes overly salty, give it a quick dunk in warm water, then drain well.

Simmer the greens

Return the shredded turkey to the pot along with all but 2 cups of the collard ribbons. Simmer 20 minutes until silky. Reserve the remaining 2 cups for a fresh pop of color and texture.

Cook noodles in potlikker

Bring soup to a lively simmer. Add 8 oz wide egg noodles directly into the broth, stirring for the first minute to prevent sticking. Cook 7–8 minutes until al dente; the broth will thicken to a light stew consistency. If you prefer a brothy soup, boil noodles separately in salted water, then add.

Finish with brightness

Stir in the reserved 2 cups fresh collards, 1 Tbsp apple-cider vinegar, and ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Cook 2 minutes more—just until the greens turn electric green. Taste; add salt only if needed (smoked turkey varies in saltiness).

Serve with soul

Ladle into warm bowls, making sure each portion gets a mix of noodles, greens, and turkey. Pass hot sauce and extra vinegar at the table. Leftovers reheat beautifully; thin with water or broth as the noodles will continue to absorb liquid.

Expert Tips

Deglaze with coffee

For deeper complexity, replace ½ cup water with cold brew coffee. It echoes the earthy bitterness of the greens while adding roasted notes.

Chop stems super-fine

Aim for ⅛-inch dice so they dissolve into the mirepoix and thicken the broth naturally—no flour needed.

Freeze noodle-free

Soups with pasta get mushy in the freezer. Ladle out portions before adding noodles, freeze, then cook fresh noodles when reheating.

Use a parmesan rind

Toss one in with the turkey for a stealth umami boost. Remove before serving; it melts and seasons without overt Italian character.

Control heat with sugar

If you overspice, stir in ½ tsp brown sugar. Sweetness tames capsaicin without diluting the broth.

Finish with citrus zest

A whisper of orange zest right before serving lifts the whole bowl and pays homage to Southern love of orange-glazed yams.

Variations to Try

Black-Eyed Pea & Greens: Swap noodles for 1 ½ cups cooked black-eyed peas for extra luck on New Year’s Day. Add during the final simmer so they stay intact.
Spicy Tomato Version: Stir in 1 cup crushed tomatoes and ½ tsp chipotle powder with the broth for a crimson hue and smoky-sweet heat.
Seafood Friday: Omit turkey; simmer broth with kombu. Add 8 oz peeled shrimp and 6 oz lump crab during the last 3 minutes for a coastal twist perfect for Lent.
Grains instead of noodles: Use ¾ cup pearled farro or quick-cooking barley. They’ll absorb more liquid, so add an extra cup of water.
Creamy Southern-Italian Mash-up: Stir in ½ cup heavy cream and ¼ cup grated Parm after removing from heat; finish with nutmeg for unexpected warmth.
Cookout Leftovers: Fold in chopped barbecued chicken or pulled pork instead of turkey for a smoky-sweet layer that stretches holiday leftovers.

Storage Tips

Refrigerator: Cool soup completely, transfer to airtight containers, and refrigerate up to 4 days. Keep noodles separate if you dislike bloat, or store together for deeper flavor at the cost of texture.

Freezer: Ladle soup (minus noodles) into quart-size freezer bags, lay flat to freeze, and store up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then simmer and add fresh noodles.

Make-Ahead for Entertaining: Prepare through Step 6 up to two days ahead. Refrigerate components separately. Reheat broth, add noodles, and finish with fresh collards just before guests arrive so the colors stay vibrant.

Revive Leftovers: Add a splash of water or low-sodium broth while reheating; the noodles keep drinking. A squeeze of lemon reawakens flavors that dull in storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, but rinse them anyway—grit hides in the curled edges. Bagged greens are also older, so shorten simmering time by 5 minutes and taste for tenderness.

Soak the wings in cold water for 30 minutes before cooking, or use low-sodium broth and adjust salt only at the end. A small peeled potato simmered with the soup will also absorb excess salt; discard it before serving.

Absolutely. Sauté aromatics on the stove, then transfer everything except noodles and final fresh collards to a slow cooker. Cook on LOW 6 hours, add noodles, cook HIGH 15 minutes, then stir in reserved greens and vinegar.

Yes—just spelling variations for the mineral-rich broth left after cooking greens. Older Southern cookbooks use “liquor,” while modern food writers favor “likker” to evoke the spirited, almost addictive quality of the liquid.

A dry Chenin Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay complements the greens’ slight bitterness and the broth’s saltiness. Prefer red? Reach for a Cru Beaujolais—light body, bright acidity, and a hint of earthiness echo the smoky turkey.

Yes, provided your pot holds at least 10 quarts. Double all ingredients except start with 14 cups water; you can thin later. When adding noodles, work in two batches so the temperature doesn’t drop drastically, which causes gummy pasta.