It doesn’t have to be kale chips every single time. Try these kale recipes and learn to really love all the different sides of kale.
Kale. We can debate if it is a power food, a trend food or a food that is on its way out, but regardless of its category, I love the stuff. Any vegetable that can be anything from a chip to the base of a salad to a great participant in a hearty winter soup is A-okay by me.
I almost always buy kale when I go to the store. The trick is to wash it right away so that it’s ready to use. There’s no excuses then.
I can’t wait to try all these great recipes. Which one are you going to start with?
How to Prep kale
Fill up a very large bowl or your clean sink with fresh cold water.
Cut off the thick middle stems or remove the stems by running your hands down the stem, tearing the leafy part off as you go.
Place the kale leaves in the water and swish them around. All the dirt will fall off the leaves and sink to the bottom of your bowl or sink.
Remove leaves from water and dry well. A salad spinner works great for this! If you don’t have one, lay the kale out on paper towels or a lint-free towel and dry thoroughly.
Store in an airtight container with a paper towel. The paper towel absorbs any extra moisture and helps keep the kale fresh.
Different Varieties of Kale
Buying kale can be a little confusing! Here’s an overview of common types of kale. There are also many other, less common, types of kale, but these are the three that you’ll see most often in grocery stores.
Curly Kale
This is the one you’ll most often see in stores. As its name describes, its leaves have curly edges. It is also typically one of the tougher varieties. We recommend either chopping it quite small, or if you’re using it in a salad, massage the leaves with the dressing you’re using to soften the leaves.
Lacinato Kale
Lacinato kale is sometimes also know as Tuscan Kale or Dinosaur Kale. It is typically darker green than curly kale and slightly more tender. The leaves are flatter and smaller than curly kale.
Baby Kale
Often sold with the pre-packaged salad greens, baby kale features smaller, more tender leaves. It’s great for a quick salad because the leaves are tender and small.
20 Kale Recipes
Slow Cooker Chicken Kale Soup
Stuffed Butternut Squash (Quinoa, Kale & Bacon)
One Pan Gnocchi with Kale, Sundried Tomatoes, and Mushrooms
Kale and Pear Salad with Yogurt Dressing
Creamy Kale Bruschetta
Sweet Kale Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
One Pot Green Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Kale
Kale Salad with Apples and Golden Raisins
Italian Sausage Stew with White Beans and Kale
Sun-Dried Tomato, Kale and Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts
One Pan Quinoa with Ground Turkey, Kale, Mushrooms, Tomatoes
White Bean Soup
Chicken Tortellini Soup with Kale and Pesto
Zuppa Toscana
Embrace is right!!!!! I feel healthier just reading this list, lol. Thanks for including my recipe!
What a great roundup! I love kale, but I usually make it the same way every time (sauteed with garlic) so this will be super useful to try some new preparation methods. Thanks!
What a great roundup! Thanks for including my kale recipes!
What a great collection, and thanks for including me. I’m a bit of a Kaleaholic!
Kale is such a versatile and delicious ingredient, all of these recipes look fantastic. Hope you have a great weekend :)
Happy Blogging!
You’re not going to believe this, but I finally JUST bought kale for the first time last week. And I’ve been putting it in EVERYTHING. I have no idea why I waited so long, but it will definitely be a staple from now on! Love this roundup!
Yay! What a great list! I cannot get enough of kale right now, and now I have some new recipes to try out! Kale is so nutritious and I try to consume lots of it to give me an abundance of nutrients for my training to be the best it can be, now I can change up the recipes even more! Thank you!
Thank you for including my recipes!!! I am on such a kale kick lately!
i want ALL of these!! thanks for the link, friend :)
I’ve been on a huge kale kick lately – my favorite quick dinner has been to saute sweet potatoes with shallots, garlic, and kale and once it’s finish top it with globs of Sriracha! Love all of these new ideas too…thanks for including my kale stuffed acorn squash!