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.

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Chicken, Chickpea, and Kale Buddha Bowls

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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.

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Peppered Kale Chips

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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!

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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.

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Kale, Chorizo, and Red Bean Brunch Casserole

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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.

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Power Kale Salad

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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

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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.

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Garlic Pork with Sauteed Kale and Walnut Barley

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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.

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Crunchy Kale Salad with Creamy Tomato-Garlic Dressing

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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.

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Roasted Kale and Red Onions

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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.

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Winter Slaw with Kale and Cabbage

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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.

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Warm Eggplant and Kale Panzanella Salad

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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.

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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

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One-Pot Ham and Kale Pasta

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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.

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Holiday Kale Salad

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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.

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Sweet Beets and Greens Smoothies

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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.

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Trendspotting with BHG: Kale

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

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Market Stand Pasta Salad with Garlic and Shallot Dressing

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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.

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Creamed Kale

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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.

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Wild Mushroom and Kale Ravioli Skillet Lasagna

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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.

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Macaroni Alfredo with Pumpkin and Kale

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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.

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Mediterranean Kale and Cannellini Stew with Farro

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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.

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Vegetable-Loaded Pasta Bake

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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

How to 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.

Can you eat kale raw in a salad? ›

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.

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.

Why do I feel so good after eating kale? ›

Kale is a nutritious food rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, and beta-carotene. It also contains nutrients that can support eye health, weight management, heart health, and more. Loaded with important micronutrients and antioxidants, kale is one of the most nutritious leafy greens available.

Why does my kale taste bad? ›

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.

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.

Do you eat kale stems? ›

Cutting the stems crossways shortens the fibres, much as with a tough steak, making them perfectly edible and preventing waste. Cut this way, the stems can be cooked in the same way as the rest of the leaf: sauteed, boiled or steamed.

Is spinach healthier than kale? ›

"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."

How long does kale last in the 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 I 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 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.

What are the downsides of eating too much kale? ›

And people on certain blood thinners need to avoid eating too much kale. (More on that later.) Let's start with digestive issues. Kale is loaded with soluble fiber that can cause nausea and insoluble fiber that can cause diarrhea.

Can you freeze kale for later use? ›

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. Blanched kale will last up to 1 year in the freezer.

Is it better to eat kale cooked or raw? ›

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.

Why does massaging kale make it taste better? ›

Kale is fibrous and can be difficult to munch compared to other greens like romaine lettuce or spinach. The rubbing, kneading motion helps to tenderize the veg and make it easier to chew and digest. Try this for raw kale you are going to be serving or eating right away.

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