Kale has gained popularity in recent years due to its impressive nutritional profile and versatility in cooking. If you’re new to this superfood, it’s a great time to give it a try. This leafy green vegetable, part of the cabbage family, is an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin K, folate, calcium, fiber, and antioxidants.
These nutrients have been linked to various health benefits, including reduced cholesterol levels, enhanced immunity, improved digestion, and a lower risk of cancer. With so many ways to prepare kale, you can easily incorporate it into your diet. For inspiration, explore these 32 recipes from around the web to get started on your kale culinary journey.
Cheesy Kale And Mushroom Strata
Conveniently, these strata can be prepared ahead of time, allowing for easy transport to work or school for a quick lunch solution. Alternatively, you could prepare the ingredients the night before and simply pop the dish into the oven first thing in the morning. With an assembly time of under 30 minutes, this recipe is perfect for busy individuals who still crave a satisfying meal.
Collard Greens And Kale Pesto
Combining the earthy flavors of collard greens and kale with the vibrant taste of pesto sauce creates a truly delightful culinary experience. The robust nature of collard greens makes them an excellent choice for pairing with rich and savory sauces like pesto, where they can hold their own without overpowering. What’s more, the stems of these leafy greens add a welcome depth to the dish, making it a satisfying and nutritious meal option that serves four people.
Oven Risotto With Kale Pesto
In just 30 minutes, you can create this mouth-watering risotto recipe without breaking a sweat or stirring a pan. The secret lies in adding ingredients one by one, allowing each component to cook and meld together harmoniously. As the rice absorbs the vibrant flavors of the pesto and kale, the end result is a dish that’s as effortless as it is delicious.
Garlic Kale Chips
Kale’s impressive nutritional profile has earned it a spot as one of the world’s top superfoods, boasting an abundance of essential vitamins and minerals like fiber, vitamin A, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, folate, copper, protein, and vitamins B6 and C. But what sets kale apart from other leafy greens is its impressive antioxidant content. These powerful compounds play a crucial role in protecting cells from free radical damage by neutralizing their effects.
Sautéed Kale
This versatile recipe has become a staple in our household due to its lightning-fast preparation time and impressive nutritional profile. We often enjoy it served atop a bed of fluffy pasta or aromatic rice, yet it also shines as a standalone side dish, perfect for accompanying a variety of meals.
Kale Pesto Pizza Recipe
To bring this delicious dish to life, you’ll need a medley of fresh flavors. Combine 2 cups of chopped kale leaves with 1 cup of fragrant basil leaves, 3 cloves of pungent garlic, and a pinch of seasoning – ¼ teaspoon of salt, ½ tablespoon of spicy red pepper flakes, and a light dusting of black pepper. As you prepare the ingredients, don’t forget to include olive oil and water in your mix.
Once you’ve chopped everything up to your liking, blend the pesto sauce with the crust, spreading it evenly across the surface.
Garlic Parmesan Kale Pasta
Combining two beloved ingredients – garlic and cheese – this recipe is a match made in heaven. With its convenience-driven design, it’s the perfect solution for those nights when cooking just seems like too much effort. One of the best parts? You can prepare it ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to three days. When you’re ready to indulge, simply reheat it in the microwave – a process that takes mere minutes, leaving you with an equally impressive taste experience.
Kale Hummus Dip
Crafting a delicious kale hummus is an effortless endeavor, ideal for gatherings and celebrations alike, as it caters to various dietary restrictions, including veganism and gluten-free requirements. With preparation time clocked in under 10 minutes, this recipe presents itself as a convenient and tasty option, suitable for serving warm or chilled. Feel free to experiment with different types of beans; we opted for black beans, yet white beans also yield fantastic results.
Simply ensure you steer clear of chickpeas to uncover the true flavor profile.
Kale Lasagna With Cottage Cheese
Savor the flavors of a wholesome meal with this delectable vegan lasagna recipe. A symphony of colors and textures awaits, as layers of sautéed spinach, sweet peas, rich tomato sauce, creamy ricotta cheese, and al dente pasta come together to create a truly satisfying culinary experience. Treat your taste buds to this delightful dish tonight!
Sausage White Bean And Kale Stew
As the mercury drops during those chilly winter days, there’s nothing quite like a warm, comforting bowl of stew to thaw your insides. This particular recipe is a masterclass in layering flavors and textures, with juicy sausage, creamy white beans, and tender kale stems all swimming together in a rich, satisfying broth. And the best part? It’s ridiculously easy to customize – serve it over a bed of fluffy rice or pasta, or simply dig in straight from the pot.
Whatever your preference, this hearty stew is sure to hit the spot.
Kale Smoothie
Kale, a nutrient-rich superfood, often falls short of its culinary potential due to our limited understanding of how to fully appreciate its unique flavor profile. However, when prepared raw, kale’s subtle bitterness can be beautifully balanced by clever combinations of ingredients and techniques. This refreshing recipe takes advantage of this fact, transforming the humble green into a revitalizing beverage that will leave you questioning why you ever settled for cooked kale in the first place.
Kale Soup
Kale’s versatility in the kitchen is one of its most appealing aspects. Whether you’re working with homegrown produce or sourcing it from your local market, this superfood offers a multitude of culinary possibilities. From sautéing to steaming, roasting to soup-making, kale’s adaptability knows no bounds. However, our go-to method for cooking this nutritious gem is by slow-cooking it to perfection.
Vegan Kale Nachos
Looking for a snack that’s both delicious and nutritious? Look no further than crispy kale chips! Not only do they offer a satisfying crunch, but they’re also packed with an impressive array of nutrients. With high levels of fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and even protein, you can feel good about what you’re putting in your body. And the best part? They’re surprisingly low in calories and fat, making them a guilt-free indulgence.
Twice-Baked Potatoes With Kale
Transforming the humble baked potato into a show-stopping main course, this twice-baked delight boasts an unexpected twist: a vibrant kale filling that elevates the classic comfort food to new heights. The perfect accompaniment to heartwarming soups and stews, this innovative recipe cleverly combines the best of both worlds – the traditional baked potato and the indulgent twice-baking process – into one mouthwatering masterpiece.
Kale Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Kale’s polarizing reputation is a mere facade, as this superfood offers an array of culinary possibilities. Whether you’re in the mood for soups, salads, stir-fries, stews, or even a pizza twist, kale’s adaptability knows no bounds. This recipe leverages its distinctive flavor profile to create something truly innovative, defying conventional expectations and inviting experimentation.
Coconut Kale Green Muffins
Indulge in the wholesome delight of coconut kale muffins, boasting an impressive array of essential nutrients including fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese, copper, selenium, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and biotin. What’s more, these scrumptious treats are free from detrimental trans fats and cholesterol, making them an guilt-free indulgence. Treat yourself to a delicious muffin today!
Garlic Bacon Kale
Savory flavors abound in this irresistible side dish, where sweet and salty applewood-smoked bacon tenderly wilted kale creates the perfect harmony with heartier ingredients like sausage, chicken, and beef, making it a match made in culinary heaven.
Vegan Chickpea, Sweet Potato, And Kale Curry
Our go-to curry recipe, Kale Chickpea Sweet Potato Curry, is a staple in our household. What we love most about this dish is its effortless preparation – no need to laboriously cook lentils separately like some recipes demand. Instead, the sweet potatoes and chickpeas absorb all the flavorful spices, including the star of the show: garam masala. This aromatic blend can be easily sourced online or in Indian grocery stores, making it a cinch to get your hands on.
Simply head to our recipe page to dive into the full cooking process.
White Beans On Toast
While cheesy, bacon-topped toast may be a staple in American cuisine, a new twist on this classic has emerged: white bean and kale toast. This comforting breakfast creation has won our hearts – and stomachs – with its delightful combination of flavors and textures.
Chipotle Marinated Kale And Mushroom Tacos
Taco Tuesday’s popularity is undeniable, with many households making it a regular occurrence. However, there’s always room for innovation and improvement. A perfect example of this are the kale and mushroom tacos, which boast an impressive trifecta of flavors from mushrooms, kale, and garlic powder. By combining these three ingredients, you’ll create a dish that impresses without overwhelming the palate.
Savory Oats
Oats have earned a special place in our hearts as a go-to breakfast option. Their impressive nutritional profile is one of the main reasons we’re hooked – they’re an excellent source of protein, fiber, and various essential vitamins and minerals. Additionally, oats are packed with powerful antioxidants, phytochemicals, and polyphenols that provide numerous health benefits.
Chicken Stew With Kale Recipe
Inspired by a friend’s go-to recipe, we’ve adapted this dish using leftover chicken bones from Sunday dinner. The idea is to reduce food waste and create something delicious from what would otherwise be discarded. We took it a step further by adding some nutritious kale for an added health boost.
Winter Crunch Salad
Indulge in the delightful Winter Crunch Salad, a symphony of textures and flavors that will elevate any holiday gathering. This vibrant side dish brings together shredded Brussels sprouts, curly kale, crisp apples, crunchy walnuts, crumbly feta cheese, and juicy pomegranate seeds, all united by a tangy vinaigrette dressing. To prepare this show-stopper, combine the kale, Brussels sprouts, apples, and walnuts in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper to create the perfect harmony of flavors. Pour the dressing over the vegetable medley and toss gently to ensure each ingredient is coated evenly. Allow the salad to stand for 10 minutes before serving, allowing the flavors to meld together in perfect harmony.
Winter Greens Gratin
To begin this recipe, you’ll need three large bunches of your preferred leafy green – kale, chard, collards, or any other variety that suits your taste. The total weight should be around 2 pounds, with one bunch allocated per person. Start by rinsing the leaves thoroughly, removing the stems, and tearing them into bite-sized pieces. Then, submerge the greens in boiling water for exactly 5 minutes before draining and drying them properly.
Next, prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish by dividing the kale mixture evenly across the bottom. Top this layer with half of the cheese mixture, followed by a repeat of these layers. Finally, pour the remaining cream mixture over the top, cover the dish tightly with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover the dish and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes to achieve a golden-brown crust. Serve the finished dish immediately.
Kale Pesto With Pasta Recipe
Pesto’s versatility is truly remarkable. This culinary delight can be used as a dip, a pasta sauce, or even transformed into a salad dressing. What sets this recipe apart is its clever incorporation of one of our favorite ingredients: kale. If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of trying kale pesto, we highly recommend giving it a go today.
Chickpea Pancakes With Kale And Fennel
Socca, a popular Mediterranean dish, is often met with strong opinions – either you adore its unique texture or find it unappealingly dense and dry. Our team falls into the latter category, but we’ve recently discovered a game-changing hack that elevates this breakfast staple to new heights.
The key lies in substituting traditional wheat flour with chickpea flour, which yields a lighter, airier batter.
By topping this revised socca with nutritious kale and fennel, you’ll be enjoying a satisfyingly savory morning meal.
Charred Kale With Citrus And Green Tahini
To prepare this recipe, you’ll need just one essential tool: a scorching hot cast iron pan. If you don’t have one at your disposal, consider alternatives like a grill or stove-top burner set to high heat. Begin by starting with a substantial quantity of kale – roughly four bunches’ worth will do. Allow the leaves to cook down until they’re well-wilted. Next, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of zest to the pan, followed by a liberal drizzle of olive oil.
Stir the mixture thoroughly to ensure everything is well-coated. Season with salt and pepper according to your personal taste preferences. Once the kale has reached the perfect level of tenderness, transfer it to a serving platter and garnish with chopped parsley for added visual appeal.
Turmeric Fried Eggs And Kale Breakfast Bowl
The star of this breakfast bowl is a harmonious blend of eggs, kale, yogurt, and crispy bacon, all brought together by the warm, golden hue of turmeric. This prized spice boasts impressive health credentials, boasting anti-inflammatory properties and potent antioxidant effects. A pinch of turmeric powder lends its signature color to the dish, but feel free to swap it out for regular powdered turmeric or even ground ginger or curry powder if you don’t have it on hand.
Fried Brown Rice With Kale
Indulge in the delightful fusion of flavors with this fried brown rice recipe, elevated by the addition of kale and turmeric. This nutritious dish is a go-to solution for those days when cooking seems like too much effort, offering a deliciously satisfying meal that’s as easy to prepare as it is to devour. Feel free to experiment with different types of rice, such as jasmine, basmati, short grain brown or even wild rice, to find your perfect match.
Soba Noodles With Crispy Kale
Indulge in these satisfying soba noodles, topped with crispy kale and smothered in a rich tahini-honey-soya dressing. This vegetarian delight is perfect for busy weekdays or as a make-ahead lunch option that’s just as flavorful when reheated. The best part? It’s incredibly easy to prepare ahead of time, ensuring a quick and satisfying meal even on the most hectic workdays.
Kale And Cucumber Salad With Roasted Ginger Dressing
This delectable salad is an ideal choice for a quick lunch or satisfying dinner option. Its versatility allows it to be enjoyed in various ways – as a bed of greens, served over pasta, or even paired with crusty bread. The best part? It’s incredibly easy to prepare and can be made ahead of time. Simply combine the kale, cucumbers, and olive oil in a large bowl, gently tossing to coat. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients and stirring to combine.
For added convenience, you can store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Serve immediately or whenever suits your schedule.
Spicy Tuscan Kale And Ricotta Grandma Pie
Indulge in the comforting flavors of grandma’s cooking with this hearty pie, bursting with fresh kale and subtle nuances. The inspiration behind this recipe was finding creative ways to use leftover greens, and we’re thrilled with the result. This warm and satisfying dish is perfect for a chilly winter afternoon, and you can easily substitute spinach or chard if kale isn’t your preference.
For an added touch of elegance, consider pairing it with a simple arugula salad, topped with shaved Parmesan cheese.
Roasted Eggplant And Crispy Kale With Yogurt
Eggplant is a versatile ingredient that can be used in various dishes, making it an excellent addition to many meals. Its affordability and ease of preparation make it a popular choice for side dishes and appetizers. This recipe showcases the simplicity of cooking eggplant by combining two methods: roasting and slicing. To begin, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cut off the stem end of the eggplant and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Brush the surface with olive oil and sprinkle salt over the top to enhance its natural flavor. Then, bake for approximately 40 minutes, flipping the eggplant halfway through the cooking time. Once cooked, allow it to cool completely before slicing it into thin strips, perfect for using in a variety of dishes.
Spaghetti Aglio E Olio With Lots Of Kale
Despite its reputation for being an ingredient-heavy dish, this Italian recipe is actually quite straightforward. The kale, often a source of concern for home cooks, surprisingly reduces significantly once it’s submerged in boiling water. Meanwhile, the garlic and olive oil add depth to the dish without overpowering it. Feel free to adjust the amount of these ingredients to suit your taste preferences.
Final Thoughts
As we conclude our exploration of kale’s impressive attributes, it’s clear this remarkable vegetable has earned its place in the spotlight.
The perfect fusion of flavor and nutrition is just one of the many reasons to fall in love with kale – and who can resist a recipe that seamlessly blends their favorite tastes with a nutritious twist?
Barbara is an enthusiastic food-exploring person that goes through different culinary experiences. She got inspired by creating a pizza blog post after she tasted one of the best-selling pizzas in Toledo.