15 Unbeatable Kale Recipes

Friday, August 17, 2012

Although kale has gotten downright trendy of late, I suspect many of you may experience a mild sense of dread upon spying yet another bunch of this gorgeous green (or purple) stuff in your CSA box at this point in the summer. And those of you who grow your own may feel just a tad overwhelmed by the sheer volume of this superfood your garden is churning out on a seemingly daily basis. I know I do...

First kale harvest by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

In order to prevent a case of "too much of a good thing", I find it helps tremendously to have a large pool of inspiring recipes to draw from. And the good news is that there is no shortage of delicious ways to prepare kale - this god-sent green that is so packed with good things and flavor. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy this superfood.



Kale Chips, Eight Ways
Whenever I ask people what their favorite kale recipes are, kale chips top the list! Roasting brings out the sweetness and deepens the flavors and also turns the greens into a deliciously crispy treat that is tossed with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. I've made them many, many ways including sea salt and sesame, maple balsamic, lime and chili, and garlic and oregano - all of them good.

Maple balsamic kale chips by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

Nutty Forbidden Rice, Roasted Beet & Kale Salad
This is a gem of a salad. Forbidden rice is a special dark purple - almost black variety that was apparently so nutritious and tasty that it was reserved for royalty only in the not-so-distant past. Loaded with antioxidants it has a lovely, nutty flavor and a toothsome, slightly chewy texture. Sweet roasted beets and fresh, mineral-tasting kale are tossed in a simple dressing of garlic, apple cider vinegar, olive oil and whole grain mustard and topped with some crunchy toasted pecans.

Forbidden rice, kale & beet salad with pecans by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

Brussels Sprouts & Kale Salad With Toasted Almonds & Parmesan 
This is one of my very favorite salads -- a highly addictive mix of flavors that can be enjoyed all year long. It looks like a whole lotta roughage and tastes like a salty, garlicky, cheesy, crunchy, savory slice of heaven. I learned about it from our friend, Polly who brought it to a potluck a few years back.

Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad With Toasted Almonds & Pecorino by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

Citrus-Massaged Kale Salad with Parmesan, Toasted Nuts & Dried Cherries
This is my go-to kale salad because it is both blissfully tasty and also very quick to throw together. Massaging the chopped kale leaves with lemon juice makes them wonderfully tender. Then I toss with a dash of maple syrup and some sea salt before topping with the salty grated cheese, toasted nuts )almonds, pecans or pine nuts are my favorite choices) and sweet, chewy dried cherries.

Massaged kale salad with homemade dried cherries, toasted almonds and Parmesan cheese by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2013

Lemony Kale Salad with Coconut Avocado Dressing
This salad hits all the right notes - tart lemon, creamy avocado, spicy garlic, sweet coconut and fresh kale. It also happens to be really good for you. Top with toasted pepitas for a little crunch.

Avocado, coconut oil, garlic and kale by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

The World's Best Rice Bowl
If I happen to have any of the warm kale in the recipe below left over, I make this wonderful rice bowl. Pair some nutty brown rice with the warm tahini-ginger kale, some pickled daikon, slices of ripe avocado and a hard boiled egg. The flavors and textures are so good together and it is one of the most satisfying meals I've ever eaten.

Warm rice bowl with ginger-tamari kale, avocado, pickled daikon and carrot, avocado and hard-boiled egg by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

Warm Kale Salad with Tahini Ginger Dressing & Avocado
Blanching the kale leaves before you toss them in the tahini ginger dressing leaves them tender and delightfully warm. Topped with slices of perfectly ripe, creamy avocado and a sprinkling of sesame seeds and you're in business!

Warm kale salad with tahini ginger sesame dressing and avocado by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

Winter Greens, White Bean & Sausage Soup
Kale and cannellini beens are a match made in heaven. A rich, tomato-ey, Parmesan-scented, herb-flecked broth makes for a hearty, savory soup. I use chard and kale interchangeably in this recipe and am always very happy when I have some Parmesan rinds on hand to throw in while it's cooking - it takes the flavor up yet another notch. Eats like a meal.

Chard, sausage and white bean soup by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

Grilled Coconut Kale
Marinating kale in coconut milk spiked with lime juice and spices and then grilling it yields a pile of slightly charred greens with a smoky, rich, slightly sweet flavor. I also recommend that you save the marinade for something else as it's mighty tasty.

Grilled Coconut Kale by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

Wilted Russian Kale Salad With Balsamic Vinegar & Orange Zest
This is a delicious mix of mellow and sweet flavors - caramelized onions and garlic, balsamic vinegar and orange zest. Mighty purty, too.

Wilted kale salad with balsamic vinegar, caramelized onions and orange zest

Curried Kale Cakes
These are highly addictive. Each bite is savory, moist and spiced with garam masala. Topped with a little dilled yogurt, they make a great lunch. I like to scoop them out onto a paper grocery bag - much more absorbent and less wasteful than using paper towels.

Curried kale cakes by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

Zingy Sautéed Kale with Bacon & Onion
Mellow, sweet onions, salty bacon and a splash of vinegar make the perfect companions for kale in this quick sauté.

Kale with bacon and vinegar by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

Dinosaur Kale With Cherry Tomatoes & Garlic
I love the simplicity and the savory and sweet mix of this recipe - it's best made with really sweet cherry tomatoes. Very Christmasy-looking! Please forgive the crummy photo - this was one of the first recipes I ever posted - before I'd learned anything about photographing food :)

Dinosaur kale with cherry tomatoes and garlic

Sweet Potatoes with Winter Greens 
Inspired by a recipe from the Obama's White House chef - kale (or any other winter green) is a great pairing for sweet potatoes and a mix of garlic, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, cinnamon and maple syrup turn it into a true treat. The photo really does not do it justice, trust me...

Sweet Potatoes & Winter Greens by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

Stir-Fried Winter Greens With Garlic Shrimp & Rice
Another dish that can be enjoyed all year long. You certainly don't need to use shrimp if you'd prefer just the stir-fry or you could substitute meat or tofu, too.

Stir-Fried Winter Greens With Garlic Shrimp

That's all for now. But before you get cooking, I'd like to introduce you to a tool I recently discovered - the kale stripper! This little gadget is a great way to quickly separate kale and chard greens from their tough center ribs.

You might also like:
Want even more recipes, photos, giveaways, and food-related inspiration? "Like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter or Pinterest.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

I already loved KALE, but now I love it 14 times more. Thanks Garden of Eating! Once again, you read my mind (stomach).
-jojo

Eve Fox said...

aww, glad to hear it, JoJo! Stomach reading, I like the sound of it...

Mordechai said...

We grow six types of kale in our backyard. Your recipes look amazing, can't wait to try them out. My favorite kale recipe is traditional Irish colcanon.

Jac said...

The kale with smoked paprika and white beans is delicious; we had it with wild rice. This dish is a much better alternative to pasta with passata. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

What a lot of delicious recipes. I'll be book marking your blog to refer back to!

Anonymous said...

I am really tring to like kale.. So I am excited to give these a try.

Anonymous said...

I added strips of raw kale to my homemade pizza.

Anonymous said...

Great Recipes!

Unknown said...

Hi Eve,
What great recipes! I shared them on Facebook...
Thanks!
Loretta

Friday, August 17, 2012

15 Unbeatable Kale Recipes

Although kale has gotten downright trendy of late, I suspect many of you may experience a mild sense of dread upon spying yet another bunch of this gorgeous green (or purple) stuff in your CSA box at this point in the summer. And those of you who grow your own may feel just a tad overwhelmed by the sheer volume of this superfood your garden is churning out on a seemingly daily basis. I know I do...

First kale harvest by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

In order to prevent a case of "too much of a good thing", I find it helps tremendously to have a large pool of inspiring recipes to draw from. And the good news is that there is no shortage of delicious ways to prepare kale - this god-sent green that is so packed with good things and flavor. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy this superfood.



Kale Chips, Eight Ways
Whenever I ask people what their favorite kale recipes are, kale chips top the list! Roasting brings out the sweetness and deepens the flavors and also turns the greens into a deliciously crispy treat that is tossed with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. I've made them many, many ways including sea salt and sesame, maple balsamic, lime and chili, and garlic and oregano - all of them good.

Maple balsamic kale chips by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

Nutty Forbidden Rice, Roasted Beet & Kale Salad
This is a gem of a salad. Forbidden rice is a special dark purple - almost black variety that was apparently so nutritious and tasty that it was reserved for royalty only in the not-so-distant past. Loaded with antioxidants it has a lovely, nutty flavor and a toothsome, slightly chewy texture. Sweet roasted beets and fresh, mineral-tasting kale are tossed in a simple dressing of garlic, apple cider vinegar, olive oil and whole grain mustard and topped with some crunchy toasted pecans.

Forbidden rice, kale & beet salad with pecans by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

Brussels Sprouts & Kale Salad With Toasted Almonds & Parmesan 
This is one of my very favorite salads -- a highly addictive mix of flavors that can be enjoyed all year long. It looks like a whole lotta roughage and tastes like a salty, garlicky, cheesy, crunchy, savory slice of heaven. I learned about it from our friend, Polly who brought it to a potluck a few years back.

Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad With Toasted Almonds & Pecorino by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

Citrus-Massaged Kale Salad with Parmesan, Toasted Nuts & Dried Cherries
This is my go-to kale salad because it is both blissfully tasty and also very quick to throw together. Massaging the chopped kale leaves with lemon juice makes them wonderfully tender. Then I toss with a dash of maple syrup and some sea salt before topping with the salty grated cheese, toasted nuts )almonds, pecans or pine nuts are my favorite choices) and sweet, chewy dried cherries.

Massaged kale salad with homemade dried cherries, toasted almonds and Parmesan cheese by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2013

Lemony Kale Salad with Coconut Avocado Dressing
This salad hits all the right notes - tart lemon, creamy avocado, spicy garlic, sweet coconut and fresh kale. It also happens to be really good for you. Top with toasted pepitas for a little crunch.

Avocado, coconut oil, garlic and kale by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

The World's Best Rice Bowl
If I happen to have any of the warm kale in the recipe below left over, I make this wonderful rice bowl. Pair some nutty brown rice with the warm tahini-ginger kale, some pickled daikon, slices of ripe avocado and a hard boiled egg. The flavors and textures are so good together and it is one of the most satisfying meals I've ever eaten.

Warm rice bowl with ginger-tamari kale, avocado, pickled daikon and carrot, avocado and hard-boiled egg by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

Warm Kale Salad with Tahini Ginger Dressing & Avocado
Blanching the kale leaves before you toss them in the tahini ginger dressing leaves them tender and delightfully warm. Topped with slices of perfectly ripe, creamy avocado and a sprinkling of sesame seeds and you're in business!

Warm kale salad with tahini ginger sesame dressing and avocado by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

Winter Greens, White Bean & Sausage Soup
Kale and cannellini beens are a match made in heaven. A rich, tomato-ey, Parmesan-scented, herb-flecked broth makes for a hearty, savory soup. I use chard and kale interchangeably in this recipe and am always very happy when I have some Parmesan rinds on hand to throw in while it's cooking - it takes the flavor up yet another notch. Eats like a meal.

Chard, sausage and white bean soup by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

Grilled Coconut Kale
Marinating kale in coconut milk spiked with lime juice and spices and then grilling it yields a pile of slightly charred greens with a smoky, rich, slightly sweet flavor. I also recommend that you save the marinade for something else as it's mighty tasty.

Grilled Coconut Kale by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

Wilted Russian Kale Salad With Balsamic Vinegar & Orange Zest
This is a delicious mix of mellow and sweet flavors - caramelized onions and garlic, balsamic vinegar and orange zest. Mighty purty, too.

Wilted kale salad with balsamic vinegar, caramelized onions and orange zest

Curried Kale Cakes
These are highly addictive. Each bite is savory, moist and spiced with garam masala. Topped with a little dilled yogurt, they make a great lunch. I like to scoop them out onto a paper grocery bag - much more absorbent and less wasteful than using paper towels.

Curried kale cakes by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

Zingy Sautéed Kale with Bacon & Onion
Mellow, sweet onions, salty bacon and a splash of vinegar make the perfect companions for kale in this quick sauté.

Kale with bacon and vinegar by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

Dinosaur Kale With Cherry Tomatoes & Garlic
I love the simplicity and the savory and sweet mix of this recipe - it's best made with really sweet cherry tomatoes. Very Christmasy-looking! Please forgive the crummy photo - this was one of the first recipes I ever posted - before I'd learned anything about photographing food :)

Dinosaur kale with cherry tomatoes and garlic

Sweet Potatoes with Winter Greens 
Inspired by a recipe from the Obama's White House chef - kale (or any other winter green) is a great pairing for sweet potatoes and a mix of garlic, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, cinnamon and maple syrup turn it into a true treat. The photo really does not do it justice, trust me...

Sweet Potatoes & Winter Greens by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

Stir-Fried Winter Greens With Garlic Shrimp & Rice
Another dish that can be enjoyed all year long. You certainly don't need to use shrimp if you'd prefer just the stir-fry or you could substitute meat or tofu, too.

Stir-Fried Winter Greens With Garlic Shrimp

That's all for now. But before you get cooking, I'd like to introduce you to a tool I recently discovered - the kale stripper! This little gadget is a great way to quickly separate kale and chard greens from their tough center ribs.

You might also like:
Want even more recipes, photos, giveaways, and food-related inspiration? "Like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter or Pinterest.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

I already loved KALE, but now I love it 14 times more. Thanks Garden of Eating! Once again, you read my mind (stomach).
-jojo

Eve Fox said...

aww, glad to hear it, JoJo! Stomach reading, I like the sound of it...

Mordechai said...

We grow six types of kale in our backyard. Your recipes look amazing, can't wait to try them out. My favorite kale recipe is traditional Irish colcanon.

Jac said...

The kale with smoked paprika and white beans is delicious; we had it with wild rice. This dish is a much better alternative to pasta with passata. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

What a lot of delicious recipes. I'll be book marking your blog to refer back to!

Anonymous said...

I am really tring to like kale.. So I am excited to give these a try.

Anonymous said...

I added strips of raw kale to my homemade pizza.

Anonymous said...

Great Recipes!

Unknown said...

Hi Eve,
What great recipes! I shared them on Facebook...
Thanks!
Loretta