35 Kale Recipes That Make the Absolute Most of the Leafy Green
You traded in iceberg lettuce for kale ages ago—but have you done anything with this superfood besides toss it in a bowl with some salad dressing and call it day? We have much more exciting ideas that run the gamut from salad to quiche to pizza. Read on for 35 of our favorite kale recipes that put the leafy green on the throne it deserves.
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1. Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Salads don’t need a million toppings to be exciting, and this protein-rich gem is proof. Reserve some lemony spiced chickpeas for snacking.
2. Bacon, Kale and Egg Grandma Pie
Sweet dreams are made of this. Store-bought pizza dough makes the brunch (or dinner) delicacy a breeze to prepare.
3. Skillet Kale and Fontina Fondue
To no one’s surprise, kale is most delicious when it’s swimming in a skillet of molten cheese. Serve it with plenty of bread, crackers, veggies and sliced green apples for dunking.
4. One-Pan Steak with Beets and Crispy Kale
Trust us: This sheet pan recipe for beef tenderloin is essentially foolproof, no matter how much cooking steak intimidates you.
5. Leek, Kale and Goat Cheese Strata
A strata is basically a bread casserole, meaning your brunch guests are bound to adore it. Be sure to leave time for the bread to soak up the custard overnight.
6. Kale Minestrone
This cozy soup doubles as a warm blanket in our book. Finish it off with a dollop of store-bought pesto and all the grated Parm.
7. 30-Minute Breakfast Hash with Kale and Sweet Potatoes
So much better than a granola bar from the bottom of your purse, but almost as easy to eat on the go. (FYI, we wouldn’t complain if someone added a little cheddar cheese or crumbled bacon to the mix.)
8. White Risotto with Corn, Carrots and Kale
This creamy, dreamy dish is decidedly non-fussy. The kale is quickly sautéed in oil and butter until wilted to make it flavorful and tender.
9. Kale Quiche with a Cheddar-Rice Crust
Healthy, filling and gluten-free, this masterpiece is destined for your breakfast table.
10. Easy Pesto, Three Ways
Take your pick of peppery arugula, earthy kale or bitter broccoli rabe for this simple pasta sauce. Feel free to substitute pine nuts or pistachios for almonds too.
11. Kale and Brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw
Serve it as a side salad, a steak sandwich topper or under a fried egg. (Oh, and this is the easiest way to shred Brussels sprouts, BTW.)
12. The Ultimate Quinoa-Avocado Bowl
Starring spicy shrimp, sliced avocado, watermelon radish and crispy salt-and-pepper kale. Yeah, it’ll be your favorite lunch at first bite.
13. Baked Feta with Garlicky Kale and Chickpeas
Way better than TikTok feta pasta, promise. Pop the skillet under the broiler to brown the cheese if desired and serve with warm pita points.
14. Warm Ginger-Scallion Pork and Kale Salad
All kale needs to be its best is a little TLC. Here, that means wilting it on the stovetop in a zingy honey-rice vinegar dressing.
15. Cheesy Kale Farfalle Pasta
Dinner is only six ingredients and 35 minutes away, people.
16. Sweet Potato, Tomato, Kale and Halloumi Sheet Tray
All the ingredients’ juices get to know each other on the pan, creating a pseudo sauce that tastes divine when soaked into quinoa, rice or crusty bread.
17. Kale Salad with Persimmons, Crispy Chickpeas and Fried Shallots
Not only is it satisfying and nutritious, but this salad is begging for some Instagram love too. The kale is tossed in citrusy Dijon dressing for good measure.
18. Kale and Cheddar Cheese Galette
Hello, gorgeous. This beauty is so fancy and elegant that no one at the dinner party will suspect you started with store-bought pie crust.
19. Keto Instant Pot Sausage-Kale Soup
Consider this dish an edible choose-your-own-adventure book. You can use any type of sausage (kielbasa! chorizo! Italian!), swap in any greens and substitute regular rice for cauliflower rice (unless you’re on keto).
20. Buddha Bowl with Kale, Avocado, Orange and Wild Rice
For the uninitiated, a Buddha bowl is basically a grain bowl piled high with fresh ingredients, like vinaigrette-dressed kale, pomegranate arils, pepitas and herbs.
21. Meal-Prep Creamy Kale Caesar Salad
Even your picky kids can get behind this 15-minute lunch, and the leftovers will last in the fridge for days to boot.
22. Quiche with Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Crust
This keto-friendly main is equal parts soft egg, gooey cheese and crispy spuds. Even veggie haters will barely notice the greens.
23. Keto Pasta with Lemon-Kale Chicken
Attention pasta lovers: Tofu shirataki noodles are loaded with protein and on your low-carb diet.
24. Roasted Squash and Farro Salad with Avocado Dressing
Delicata squash doesn’t need much zhuzhing, since it’s naturally gorgeous on its own. (But we’re not complaining about the tarragon-spiked vinaigrette.)
25. Kale Caesar Salad
Aka old reliable. All its flavor lies in the classic dressing that pulls out all the stops, anchovies included.
26. Creamy Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Kale
A decadent vegetarian gem that even carnivores will be psyched about. Choose between Gruyère and white cheddar cheeses (or better yet, go ahead and use both).
27. Veggie Rainbow Sushi Rolls with Tamari-Almond Butter Sauce
The rolls are positively packed with cabbage, kale and more veggies. And thanks to white miso paste, the sauce is bursting with savory umami.
28. Garlic Bacon Kale
This 20-minute, five-ingredient side is tasty enough to convert any kale skeptic for good.
29. Roasted Kale and Fennel Salad with Avocado Caesar Dressing
Roasted almonds, crumbled feta cheese and shredded rotisserie chicken make this light dish extra hearty.
30. Kale Artichoke Dip with Cilantro Lime Pork Rinds
This 20-minute crowd-pleaser proves that spinach has been in the limelight too long. It pairs just as well with pretzel crisps, pita chips and potato chips if pork rinds aren’t your thing.
31. Kale Smoothie
Here’s one smoothie that’s actually worth getting out of bed for. Banana, honey and pineapple cut through the kale’s earthiness like a charm.
32. Avocado Green Curry Noodles
Complete with coconut flakes, cashews, flax seeds and kale. Choose between nutty soba noodles and chewy udon noodles.
33. Mushroom and Kale Grilled Cheese
Because bread, cheese and butter make getting our daily greens a total cinch. Serve this sammy with cream of mushroom soup.
34. Sausage, Kale and Potato Skillet Dinner
Pair it with rice or pasta, or pile it onto a sturdy hoagie roll. Either way, this 20-minute, one-pan meal is sure to earn a spot in your weekly rotation.
35. Kale Chips
Behold: the recipe that started the kale craze over a decade ago. The leafy green may not be as trendy as it was back in 2011, but we’ll never get sick of this iconic snack.
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For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.
