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 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

Sauteed kale on a white platter

The first recipe on our list is this 10minute 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

Kale chips with red pepper flakes

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

Kale salad recipe with green apple and red cabbage

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

kale and quinoa salad with roasted pumpkin

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

Kale Pesto with silver spoon

Easytasty, 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

Creamy Kale Pasta in a white bowl with lemon

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 soup in a bowl with spoon

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

Kale pasta and lemons

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

Tuscan white bean soup with silver spoon and fresh herbs on the side

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

Lentil soup with spoon and bread

Here’s an Italianinspired 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

savory crepes on a plate

Glutenfree and delicious, these savory chickpea crepes are perfect for a special dinner.

They are wholesomenutritious, stuffed with a mushroom and kale filling, and garnished with a quick and tasty white sauce.

12. Curry lentil soup

curry lentil soup with garlic, turmeric and lime wedges

lentils and potatoes are a great match with kale as you pair leafy greens and potassiumrich carrots.

This soup is warming, nourishing, and familyfriendly, and it is a reader favorite for pairing kale and legumes in an easy meal.

13. Chickpea soup

Chickpea soup with spinach

This chickpea soup is a warming, wholesome, and colorful stew.

Make it extra nutritious by adding fresh or frozen leafy greens such as kalespinach, baby spinach, chard, and broccoli rabe.

14. Easy chickpea curry

creamy bowl of chickpea curry with spinach and basmati rice

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

Chickpea Stew with spinach

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.

  1. Chop the kale leaves into bite-size pieces and add them to a large bowl.
  2. 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).
Massage the kale

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 veggierich dinner ideas; they’re easy to make at home and family-friendly:

For many more 30-minute meal ideas, check out our 30-minute meal category page.

kale recipes with soups and salads

15 Easy Kale Recipes

By: Nico Pallotta
5 from 2 votes
This 15-minute garlic-flavored sautéed kale is one of the easiest way to cook kale on a stovetop. Serve it as an easy side dish, add it to pasta, or to upgrade your salad with extra greens.
It's a super easy and quick way to add leafy greens to your meals or use those kale leftovers from your fridge.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 – 6 people
Course: Side dish
Cuisine: American

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
  • 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.
    hands and kale leaves
  • Put the leaves together then chop them into bite-size pieces.
    chopping the kale leaves
  • To a large skillet, add extra virgin olive oil, crushed garlic, and red pepper flakes. Fry on medium heat for 1 minute.
    oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a skillet
  • 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.
    kale leaves in a skillet
  • Transfer sautéed kale onto a serving platter. You can serve as is, or with a squeeze of lemon juice and shaved parmesan on top.
    Sauteed kale on a white platter

Video

Creamy Kale Pasta in 20 minutes

Notes

Nutritional information is for one serving of sautéed kale out of four servings.
SUBSTITUTIONS
– Kale: you can use any kale including curly kale, red kale, lacinato kale, dinosaur kale, and Tuscan kale.
– Garlic: substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic powder for 2 crushed garlic cloves.
– Red pepper flakes: substitute black pepper.
– Olive oil: you can make sautéed kale with butter or dairy-free butter, but extra virgin olive oil is a lot healthier and tastes delicious so we recommend using that.
MAKE AHEAD & STORAGE
– Make Ahead: sautéed kale is an excellent recipe to make ahead as it keeps well in the fridge or freezer for several days.
– Refrigerator: let the kale cool down at room temperature, then transfer it into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
– Freezer: let the kale cool down completely, then transfer it into a freezer-friendly bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
– Thaw: defrost frozen sautéed kale in the fridge over several hours or overnight. Alternatively, thaw in the microwave. You can also thaw it directly on a pan, on the stovetop, on medium-low heat, with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, or with a dash of water, stirring it often.
  • Reheat: you can reheat the kale in the microwave for 2 minutes or on a pan with oil or water.

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Potassium: 402mg, Dietary Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 11347IU, Vitamin B6: 0.2mg, Vitamin C: 106mg, Vitamin E: 2mg, Vitamin K: 447µg, Calcium: 291mg, Folate: 70µg, Iron: 2mg, Manganese: 1mg, Magnesium: 38mg, Zinc: 0.5mg
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Nico and Louise in the kitchen

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?

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