22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (2024)

Kale is packed with vitamin K, high in vitamins A and C, and rich in fiber, too. So whether you enjoy this leafy green in a kale salad, a kale smoothie, kale soup, or one of our many other kale recipes, you'll score great taste and a windfall of nutrients in one fabulous dish.

01of 22

Chicken, Chickpea, and Kale Buddha Bowls

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (1)

All kinds of colorful ingredients, including roasted squash, green beans, chicken, and crunchy chickpeas, morph this kale salad into an immensely satisfying meal in a bowl.

  • Best-ever meals in a bowl that are NOT soup.

02of 22

Peppered Kale Chips

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (2)

Looking for a snack that's as satisfying as a potato chip but with one-third the calories? Try this baked kale chips recipe. They're seasoned with a touch of cayenne and ready in a snap.

  • See more healthy snack recipes here!

03of 22

How to Make Kale Chips and How to Cook Kale

Watch as we show you the simple steps to make crispy kale chips, as well as an easy way to turn kale into a side dish.

04of 22

Kale, Chorizo, and Red Bean Brunch Casserole

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (3)

From breakfast and brunch to lunch and dinner, we enjoy kale recipes all day! Here, sun-dried tomatoes and spicy chorizo give the bread-based morning bake a burst of flavor, while kale and red beans add great nutrition.

05of 22

Power Kale Salad

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (4)

Serve your favorite nutrient-rich green in this main-dish kale salad recipe. Not only does it boast a smorgasbord of delicious ingredients (kale, chicken, citrus, and pear) but it also has a whopping 35 grams of protein per serving.

Danish Green Kale Soup

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (5)

Colorful, healthy, and loaded with chunks of ham and bright green kale, this simple slow cooker kale soup recipe offers a lot to love.

  • Our top soup recipes -- at a glance.

07of 22

Garlic Pork with Sauteed Kale and Walnut Barley

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (6)

Sauteed kale is even better when a little bacon gets in on the action! Add some barley, and you've got a wholesome (and wholly delicious) side dish to a spice-rub roasted pork tenderloin.

08of 22

Crunchy Kale Salad with Creamy Tomato-Garlic Dressing

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (7)

Roasted garlic, buttermilk, and sun-dried tomatoes are the secrets to the fabulous salad dressing in this colorful kale recipe.

09of 22

Roasted Kale and Red Onions

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (8)

Sure, sauteed kale is great, but try roasted kale, too! It makes a deeply flavored, beautifully colored side dish, especially when studded with balsamic-glazed onions.

10of 22

Winter Slaw with Kale and Cabbage

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (9)

Many salad recipes with kale call for rubbing the leafy green with your hands. This helps soften the kale leaves while brightening their color. That's the case in this trendy (and tasty) coleslaw update.

11of 22

Warm Eggplant and Kale Panzanella Salad

View Recipe

A kale salad from your slow cooker? You bet! Both kale and eggplant benefit from the hassle-free heat. After simmering with tomatoes, sweet peppers, and onion, the vegetables are tossed with bread cubes and shredded Parmesan for a new twist on classic panzanella.

12of 22

Sausage and Kale Soup with White Beans

Watch as chef Scott Peaco*ck shows you how to prepare a kale and white bean soup with sausage. It's one of the most sought-after kale recipes ever.

  • Sausage and Kale Soup with White Beans recipe

13of 22

One-Pot Ham and Kale Pasta

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (11)

Turn sauteed kale into a main dish with ham, orechiette pasta, and Asiago cheese. Garlic and blackened seasoning flavor-charge the easy kale recipe.

14of 22

Holiday Kale Salad

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (12)

Brighten your table for the holidays (or any day) with a crisp and colorful kale salad. Fennel, walnuts, cranberries, and wild rice make great go-alongs, and a lemon-Dijon dressing adds spark.

15of 22

Sweet Beets and Greens Smoothies

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (13)

How about a kale smoothie in an unexpected color? Lush berries, beets, and pomegranate juice add all-natural sweetness and a deep purple hue to this vitamin A- and C-packed recipe.

16of 22

Trendspotting with BHG: Kale

What's so great about kale? One of our food editors shares her insights.

17of 22

Market Stand Pasta Salad with Garlic and Shallot Dressing

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (14)

Head to your local grocery store produce section for the fresh market vegetables in this pasta salad. Baby kale, tomatoes, and noodles accompany your veggie finds in our easy kale recipe.

18of 22

Creamed Kale

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (15)

Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses are the secrets to the creaminess of this easy kale recipe. Keep the rich-tasting recipe on hand to add a little opulence to any meal.

  • How to cook kale—the basics.

19of 22

Wild Mushroom and Kale Ravioli Skillet Lasagna

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (16)

Looking for kale recipes that are fast and healthful, too? This one's got you covered! It starts with refrigerated wild-mushroom ravioli to keep it quick and calls on low-fat cheese to keep it on the light side.

20of 22

Macaroni Alfredo with Pumpkin and Kale

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (17)

Indulge your macaroni and cheese craving and skip the calorie overload with our quick pumpkin-and-kale pasta pleaser. This rich, creamy, and easy kale recipe results in a can't-miss comfort food.

  • See more ideas for macaroni and cheese.

21of 22

Mediterranean Kale and Cannellini Stew with Farro

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (18)

Here's another entry for your list of great soup recipes with kale! Easy, healthy, and layered with irresistible ingredients, the veggie-packed dish is perfect for pairing with a thick slice of crusty bread.

22of 22

Vegetable-Loaded Pasta Bake

View Recipe

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (19)

Sauteed kale stars alongside cauliflower, carrots, and corn in our top-rated vegetarian casserole. It's a crowd-pleaser that works for meatless Monday or any other day of the week.

22 Delicious Kale Recipes Our Editors Recommend (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to eat kale? ›

Often labeled as a superfood, kale is one of the healthiest and most nutrient-dense foods you can eat. This leafy green comes in a variety of colors, shapes, and textures. It's often eaten raw in salads and smoothies but can also be enjoyed steamed, sautéed, boiled, or baked.

How do you cook sweet kale? ›

Heat 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil in a skillet until hot. Remove toppings and dressings from the salad kit. Pour greens into skillet over medium heat and sautée until greens have softened and become fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and place in a serving dish.

Should you soak kale before eating? ›

Giving the kale leaves a post-chop soak will rinse them of some of the bitter-tasting compounds found in cruciferous vegetables after they're cut up. The result is a milder and more pleasant kale taste.

Can you eat kale every day? ›

Manganiello says you can eat kale every day, just don't overdo it. She recommends one to two servings maximum of kale per day, leaving room for other healthy foods that provide an assortment of nutrients.

What illnesses does kale treat? ›

Possible health benefits of kale include lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, protecting against heart disease, and helping prevent constipation. Kale may also improve bone, skin, and hair health. Kale is a healthful addition to a varied diet, and people can use it in numerous ways.

What are the enemies of kale? ›

Aphids, flea beetles, and cabbage worms (from those white butterflies you see flying around the garden) are a few annoying pests that can put a serious dent in your kale harvest.

What is not compatible with kale? ›

Companion planting kale will repel some of the common pests that affect the plants. However, for some reason, kale does not enjoy the companionship of basil. The kale will do well with potatoes but will not get along well tomatoes. Additionally,kale will not do well with strawberries.

What takes bitterness out of cooked kale? ›

Adding salt and squeezing lemon make a big difference by removing bitterness.

Is 3 cups of kale a day too much? ›

Eating too much kale can have some unpleasant side effects, such as digestive problems, nutrient deficiencies, and even kidney stones. Digestive Problems Eating a lot of kale can cause digestive issues, including gas, bloating, and constipation.

Why shouldn't you boil kale? ›

“If you were to boil kale, you're going to have heat, and heat will denature the antioxidants, so vitamin C will get destroyed.

Can you overcook kale? ›

To preserve nutrients, don't cook kale for more than 10 minutes over high heat (in a skillet or oven at 400°F). Limit baking kale to 25 to 30 minutes at 350°F. Don't prewash kale before using, it can wilt the leaves quickly. Don't toss out wilted kale — simply slice it up, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

How do you cook kale so it is not chewy? ›

Instead, after you've washed the leaves, leave them damp. The water that clings to the leaves will create steam when you toss them in the hot skillet. As the kale cooks, you'll cover the skillet for a few minutes; that steam will help wilt and break down the kale perfectly.

Does kale get bitter when you cook it? ›

Much like in onions and garlic, kale's bitterness is only formed when the vegetable is sliced, chopped, massaged, or chewed. When cells in a leaf of kale are intact, an enzyme called myrosinase and sulfur-containing compound glucosinolate are separated from one another.

Is it better to eat kale cooked or raw? ›

“Cancer studies seem to show that raw kale is more beneficial than cooked, while cholesterol studies seem to show that steamed kale is more beneficial than raw,” says Harris, who recommends a bit of both in your diet. But whatever you do, don't boil, saute or stir-fry the veggie too long or with too much added liquid.

Is it better to eat kale and spinach raw or cooked? ›

The primary difference is that you can consume more spinach or kale in their cooked versus raw form simply because there is less volume. This also means you'll get more nutrients per serving in cooked versus raw leafy greens. Nutritionally, leafy greens have much to offer regardless of whether they are raw or cooked.

Is kale healthier fresh or cooked? ›

According to the Food Revolution Network, raw kale may contain more vitamin C, yet steaming or roasting this nutritious green indirectly increases your consumption of vitamins A and K.

How do I prepare kale to eat? ›

Cut the kale as you want to serve it, set it in a colander or steamer over a pot of boiling shallow water, cover and cook until the kale is tender (about 5 to 10 minutes). Allow the kale to cool until you can handle it, then squeeze out as much water as you can. Serve steamed kale warm or at room temperature.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Foster Heidenreich CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 5783

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (76 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Foster Heidenreich CPA

Birthday: 1995-01-14

Address: 55021 Usha Garden, North Larisa, DE 19209

Phone: +6812240846623

Job: Corporate Healthcare Strategist

Hobby: Singing, Listening to music, Rafting, LARPing, Gardening, Quilting, Rappelling

Introduction: My name is Foster Heidenreich CPA, I am a delightful, quaint, glorious, quaint, faithful, enchanting, fine person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.