In this collection of 15 easy kale recipes, we’ve collected our best dishes that showcase kale’s unique flavors.
From vibrant salads to savory soups, this list has something to satisfy every palate and dietary preference.
Get ready to discover the delicious and nutritious world of kale with these diverse and easy recipes.
Kale is a versatile autumn and winter leafy green vegetable with a bitter-sweet flavor and many health benefits.
Whether you’re looking for a hearty dinner, a nutritious lunch, or a flavorful side dish, kale has got you covered.
Our best kale recipes
1. Sauteed kale
The first recipe on our list is this 10–minute vegetable side dish; sauteed kale is super easy to make at home.
Pair it with olive oil, garlic, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for an aromatic, bright, and healthy side dish.
2. Crispy kale chips
Crispy, healthy, and a green alternative to crisps, these bright green kale chips are lovely as an appetizer, side dish, or snack.
These chips also add flavorful addition to salads; add them as a fun topping to butternut squash salad or avocado salad.
3. Kale salad
It’s a perfect wholesome side dish, colorful appetizer, or a healthy lunch and dinner idea.
It’s even better as a make-ahead meal since it stores great in the fridge for several days. It is handy for putlocks and as a lunchbox meal as well.
4. Quinoa kale salad
This kale and quinoa salad is a tasty, nutritious, and colorful recipe excellent as a healthy make-ahead lunch or dinner and for meal prepping.
Serve it as a wholesome dinner or vibrant lunch, and confidently store it in the fridge as it keeps well for several days.
5. Kale pesto
Easy, tasty, and vibrant, this kale pesto recipe is ready in 5 minutes and made with simple ingredients.
Use it in sandwiches, pasta, and crostini as an appetizer – the serving options are endless.
6. Creamy kale pasta
A quick and easy dinner, ready in just the time to cook the pasta.
It’s super easy to make vegetarian or vegan by subbing your favorite dairy-free cheese alternatives, and it’s a great way to use kale leftovers.
8. Kale soup
Kale is perfect in soups and stews, especially with a rich tomato sauce.
This creamy and comforting kale soup is a 30-minute recipe filled to the brim with beans, veggies, and tomato flavor.
7. Easy kale pesto pasta
This 20-minute creamy kale pesto pasta is a fall and winter dinner favorite.
Make it with our tasty kale pesto for a wholesome and quick meal that kids and adults will love.
9. Tuscan white bean soup
Rich, rustic, and packed with fiber-rich leafy greens.
You can expect a wholesome and comforting meal to feed your whole family, excellent for cold winter days and perfect to make ahead.
10. Lentil soup
Here’s an Italian–inspired soup with plenty of kale and wholesome greens.
This lentil soup is an excellent everyday dinner and make-ahead meal, as you can store it for up to 5 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.
11. Savory mushroom crepes
Gluten–free and delicious, these savory chickpea crepes are perfect for a special dinner.
They are wholesome, nutritious, stuffed with a mushroom and kale filling, and garnished with a quick and tasty white sauce.
12. Curry lentil soup
lentils and potatoes are a great match with kale as you pair leafy greens and potassium–rich carrots.
This soup is warming, nourishing, and family–friendly, and it is a reader favorite for pairing kale and legumes in an easy meal.
13. Chickpea soup
This chickpea soup is a warming, wholesome, and colorful stew.
Make it extra nutritious by adding fresh or frozen leafy greens such as kale, spinach, baby spinach, chard, and broccoli rabe.
14. Easy chickpea curry
Creamy, rich, and with a perfect Indian spice mix, this chickpea curry is an excellent weeknight-dinner idea.
Make it green by adding spinach or kale, either fresh or frozen. Add them in 10 minutes before the curry is ready, and enjoy with a serving of white rice.
15. Sweet potato chickpea stew
Make this creamy chickpea stew even more colorful and nutritious by adding spinach or kale just 5 minutes before the chickpea stew is ready.
Stir them in, allow them to wilt – it takes about 5 minutes – then serve the curry with your favorite grain or bread for a comforting yet healthy dinner.
How to get the bitterness out of kale
Massaging kale is an efficient step to soften its texture, making it less demanding, more accessible to eat, tastier, and less bitter.
We find that this step is useful and makes the kale more tender when you want to consume raw kale.
- Chop the kale leaves into bite-size pieces and add them to a large bowl.
- Add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice (about one tablespoon), then pinch or massage the kale with your fingertips until you can feel it softer (about 30 seconds).
You should feel some of the fiber break off. Don’t over-massage. We don’t want flimsy kale.
The lemon and salt help us break down some more rigid kale fiber.
Dinner ideas that pair well with kale
Try these flavor-packed and veggie–rich dinner ideas; they’re easy to make at home and family-friendly:
- Lentil curry (lentils, coconut milk, diced tomatoes, cumin, turmeric, curry, garam masala).
- Spaghetti aglio e olio (spaghetti, garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes, olive oil).
- Red lentil soup (split red lentils, canned tomatoes, garlic, onion, rosemary).
- Cherry tomato pasta (cherry tomatoes, spaghetti, fresh basil, parmesan, etc.)
- Whole roasted cauliflower (cauliflower, harissa, tahini sauce, chimichurri).
- Stuffed eggplant (eggplant, cherry tomatoes, basil, green pesto).
For many more 30-minute meal ideas, check out our 30-minute meal category page.
15 Easy Kale Recipes
Ingredients
- 1 pound kale any, we use dinosaur or Tuscan kale
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Optional Garnish
- freshly squeezed lemon juice or shaved parmesan
Instructions
- Rinse and shake the water off the kale leaves, then separate the leaves from the woody stems.To do so, hold the thickest part of the stem with one hand and run the other along the stem to tear the leaf off.Tip: you can blend the stems into soups if you don't want to discard them.
- Put the leaves together then chop them into bite-size pieces.
- To a large skillet, add extra virgin olive oil, crushed garlic, and red pepper flakes. Fry on medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add kale, season with salt, stir and cook on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until you reach your desired texture. Add some water if the pan gets dry.
- Transfer sautéed kale onto a serving platter. You can serve as is, or with a squeeze of lemon juice and shaved parmesan on top.
Video
Notes
- Reheat: you can reheat the kale in the microwave for 2 minutes or on a pan with oil or water.
Nutrition
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Hi! We are Nico & Louise
Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with easy, tasty, and wholesome recipes.
Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.
Easy right?