Get Your Green on With These 20 Tasty Kale Recipes (2024)

So long orange, because green is the new black now. And if you’re not wearing it on your nails, dipping your chips in it or hacking your favorite breakfast item with it, then you’re seriously missing out. Get your green on, from breakfast to dinner, with some fresh, leafy kale. We’ve rounded up 20 of the best kale recipes out there to help make your mealtime a little more green.

1. Sweet Potato Kale Pizza With Rosemary + Red Onion: As if using sweet potato on pizza didn’t excite us enough, this recipe also combines several of our other favorite flavors and some crispy green kale for a pop of color. (via Two Peas and Their Pod)

2. Chicken and Kale Hand Pies With Cheddar Crust: Hand pies. They’re cute, they’re fun and now they come with added greens! (via Martha Stewart)

3. Green Kale Salad: We already love kale salads as a side dish, but this bowl of green goodness deserves to be the star of any meal. (via iFood Real)

4. Kale and Quinoa Minestrone: A hearty pot of deliciousness, this soup is vegan, gluten-free and makes standing over a hot stove completely worthwhile. (via Cooking Classy)

6. Blueberry Peach Kale Smoothie: It may not look like a green smoothie, but we assure you that it’s just as healthy and scrumptious. Cool down on a hot day with this creamy blueberry, peach and kale smoothie. (via Snack Rules)

7. Sweet Potato, Kale and Sausage Bake With White Cheese Sauce: Anything with “bake” in the title is usually guaranteed to be cheesily awesome, and this recipe is no exception. This bake contains lots of vegetable goodness to make you feel a whole lot better about eating it. (via Pinch of Yum)

8. Toasted Kale and Pan Fried Chickpea Salad: This bowl of green just screams summer, and we love the crunchy texture of a toasted concoction. (via A House In The Hills)

9. Kale Collins: Happy Hour just became Healthy Hour with this delectable co*cktail made from kale juice. (via Serious Eats)

10. Sea Salt and Vinegar Kale Chips: Modernizing the way we snack, these crispy kale chips give us every excuse to spoil our appetite before dinner. (via Gimme Some Oven)

11. Kale Pesto and Goat Cheese Pizza: Using kale as the base for a wonderfully rich pesto, this simple homemade pizza is a healthy option to choose instead of your usual pie delivery. (via Heather Christo)

12. Kale, Spinach and Goat Cheese Pasta: We’ve already declared our love for one-pot meals. This pasta dish is easy to put together and tastes just as good as any restaurant entree. (via Fork Knife Swoon)

13. Kale, Mushroom + Sun-Dried Tomato Lasagna Rolls: A vegetarian lasagna with a twist (literally), this recipe offers a taste of the Mediterranean without having to leave home. (via Cookin’ Canuck)

14. Jerusalem Artichoke Gnocchi With Sautéed Kale: Proving how versatile kale is, this dish pairs it with a beautifully simple plate of artichoke gnocchi to just let the flavors shine. (via Brooklyn Supper)

15. Kale + Quinoa Salad With Dates, Almonds and Citrus Dressing: Offering a Middle Eastern twist on a summer salad, the kale and quinoa base in this recipe makes it a whole meal in itself. (via The Kitchn)

16. Kale and Feta Galette: Galettes are totally in this season, and this savory one features melted feta cheese and kale in a golden crust. “Yum” is the only word we can think of… (via Naturally Ella)

17. Caramelized Butternut, Crispy Kale and Fontina Pizza: Once again proving how awesome the leafy green is as a pizza topping, this pizza is like a burst of color on your plate. It combines sweet and savory flavors for a delicious midweek dinner. (via Half-Baked Harvest)

18. 30-Minute Sweet Potato and Kale Coconut Curry: We all love a good curry, but don’t always love the guilt associated with eating it. This dish is vegan, gluten-free and is bursting with vegetables to ease your conscience. (via Tasty Yummies)

19. Seared Scallops With Fettuccine and Kale: A restaurant-quality dish that is super simple to whip up at home, this pick combines soft and salty scallops with sautéed garlic kale. (via A Thought for Food)

20. “Cheezy” Broccoli + Kale Soup: A vegan take on your favorite bakery-style broccoli and cheese soup, this healthy but hearty bowl of goodness features broccoli, kale and almond milk. (via Blissful Basil)

How do you like to get your kale fix? Do you blitz it in your morning smoothie or smother it on your pizza? Tell us how you use this versatile veggie in the comments below.

Julia Evans

Julia Evans is a travel, lifestyle and food blogger from England who has an insatiable love of chocolate, historical fiction and funny dog memes. When Julia isn't traveling the world, she can usually be found experimenting in the kitchen or attempting to create cute crafts she found on the web.

Get Your Green on With These 20 Tasty Kale Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the most delicious way to eat kale? ›

  1. 01 of 10. Add It to Homemade Hummus. Jennifer Causey. ...
  2. 02 of 10. Stir It Into Soups. ...
  3. 03 of 10. Sneak It Into Pesto. ...
  4. 04 of 10. Blend It Into a Smoothie. ...
  5. 05 of 10. Bake Some Crispy Kale Chips. ...
  6. 06 of 10. Fold It Into Eggs, Quiches, and Frittatas. ...
  7. 07 of 10. Sprinkle It on Pizza. ...
  8. 08 of 10. Wilt It Down for a Steak-House-Worthy Side.
Jul 20, 2023

How do you make kale taste better? ›

Massaging Kale – massaging kale with a little oil and/or lemon juice for just a few minutes makes it more tender and easier to chew. Plus, it adds an extra boost of flavor.

What can I do with too much fresh kale? ›

Freezing kale is another easy way to preserve your extra kale leaves. I like to freeze my kale in 1/2 cup portions that can be quickly and easily added to soups, stews, quiches, and so much more.

How do I substitute frozen kale for fresh? ›

If you're making salads, kale chips, or other recipes where a crunchy texture is called for, frozen kale will not work. However, in smoothies, or soups and other cooked dishes, frozen kale can be a great resource — and freezing kale is a good way to keep an overlarge stock from going to waste.

Why do I feel better after eating kale? ›

Kale can be good for adding fiber and antioxidants to the diet in many savory dishes, salads, and smoothies. Various health benefits include managing blood pressure and boosting digestive health. Kale is a leafy green cruciferous vegetable that is rich in nutrients.

What is the best way to eat kale raw or cooked? ›

Raw kale can be hard to digest. Kale's fibrous cell walls may prevent your body from absorbing nutrients, but cooking kale can reduce its antioxidant content. Nutrition experts say steaming kale is a good way to make it easier to digest while preserving most of the nutrients.

What can I add to kale to make it less bitter? ›

Adding salt and squeezing lemon make a big difference by removing bitterness. Adding some spicy or sweet flavors may help tame the strong flavor of bitter kale.

How do you cook kale so it is tender? ›

Sauté Only

Stir for 1 minute. Add 3 tightly packed cups of de-stemmed, roughly chopped lacinato kale. Stir until the kale begins to wilt. Partially cover and cook, stirring every now and then, for about 5 minutes, until the greens are tender.

Why does my kale taste weird? ›

Additionally, overcooking kale can cause it to become mushy and lose its texture, making it less enjoyable to eat. Another reason why kale can taste bad when cooked is that it contains sulfur compounds that are released when it is cooked. These compounds can create a bitter taste that some people find unpleasant.

What to avoid with kale? ›

People who may need to avoid or limit kale intake are those who form oxalate-containing kidney stones or take the blood thinners Coumadin or warfarin. Be sure to check with your health care professional or dietitian if you have questions.

How many times a week is it safe to eat kale? ›

Manganiello says you can eat kale every day, just don't overdo it.

Is kale better for you than spinach? ›

"However, if you are looking for a food that is particularly high in fiber, vitamins K and C, kale is a better choice," she said. "If you are looking for a food that is particularly high in folate and a source of iron, and vitamins A and E, then spinach is a better choice."

What happens if you don't blanch kale before freezing? ›

Kale can be frozen without blanching but should be used within 4 weeks. Blanching greens before freezing stops the naturally-occurring ripening enzymes in the leaves. This will ensure that the leaves taste fresh and will not develop a bitter taste.

How long does kale last in fridge? ›

Typical shelf life: Generally, kale can last in the fridge for about five to seven days. The key is to store it correctly to maintain its crispness and nutrients. Impact of temperature and humidity: Kale prefers a cool and slightly humid environment, so the crisper drawer in your fridge is ideal.

Can dogs eat kale? ›

While dogs can eat kale cooked and raw, cooked kale is much easier for them to digest. When it comes to switching things up and adding more fibre to your dog's diet, it's a good idea to avoid making any sudden changes – unless, of course, they suffer with a food allergy or intolerance.

Is it better to steam or boil kale? ›

Kale is great as a side dish or in a smoothie, and you can't go wrong with steaming it. Steamed kale retains important nutrients, such as calcium, that are important for you to have. Luckily, steaming kale can be as easy as chopping it and putting it in a steamer or microwave.

How do you prepare kale for eating? ›

Instructions
  1. Submerge kale in a large bowl of water, swishing leaves to remove dirt.
  2. Rinse kale under fresh water.
  3. Dry kale on cloth towels.
  4. Chop kale into 1-inch wide strips.
  5. Discard bottom of the stems, do not remove ribs.
  6. Place chopped kale in a cloth or paper towel and in a ziploc bag.
Aug 28, 2020

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