Recipes

30 Healthy Kale Recipes That Are Anything But Basic

The smoothies, soups, and, yes, salads, that make kale a star
how to cook brown rice
Alex Lau

Before there was the rainbow bagel, the unicorn latte, or any other Instagram food trend, there was kale. And, honestly, it was kind of a miracle. Kale—delicious but fairly tough and super fibrous— was a Thing. It was the Beatles meets Mr. Rogers, a legitimate icon of pop culture that also managed to be, well, good for you.

Today, in an era of ubiquitous kale salads and "Don't Kale My Vibe" graphic tees, kale may not be as cool, but it's definitely still a nutritional superstar, packed full of vitamins and hearty enough to hang out in our fridge for days on end. Yes, it's great in salads, but it's also delicious in smoothies, soups, and sturdy grain bowls. Here are some of our favorite ways to use kale.

  • Charred Kale With Citrus and Green Tahini recipe
    Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova
    1/30

    Charred Kale With Citrus and Green Tahini

    No more free massages for stubbornly tough greens. Here, a quick char in a hot skillet tempers the raw edge of kale and balances its vegetal flavor.

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  • Image may contain Food and Plant
    Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio
    2/30

    Kale Pesto With Whole Wheat Pasta

    This kale pesto inspired us to keep spreading the word that there is still no better or more delicious way to eat your greens.

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  • This image may contain Food Roast Meal and Pork
    Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li
    3/30

    Chicken with Schmaltzy Rice and Kale

    The scallion-ginger oil served alongside the chicken and rice puts this recipe over the top.

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  • Image may contain Burger Food and Sandwich
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle
    4/30

    Kale Reuben

    Skipping the corned beef in a cooked greens-packed Reuben shouldn’t feel (or taste) like a bummer. Happy to say this one doesn’t.

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  • This image may contain Food Meal Dish Plant Vegetation Outdoors Nature Land and Bowl
    Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Ayesha Patel
    7/30

    Quick-Cooked Kale

    This method of quickly cooking and then lightly dressing greens is borrowed from a popular Korean banchan. Try it with spinach, Swiss chard, or mustard greens as a quick weeknight side dish.

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  • Image may contain Plant Dish Food Meal Bowl Cutlery Spoon Spinach Vegetable and Seasoning
    Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou
    8/30

    Coconut Curry Greens with Runny Eggs

    This shakshuka-inspired dish is green because it forgoes the traditional tomatoes and red peppers for spinach and kale.

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  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal Lunch Plant Produce and Vegetable
    Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
    9/30

    Roasted Winter Squash with Kale Pipian

    This bright green style of mole is made by blending pumpkin seeds into a smooth paste (kind of like how pine nuts work in pesto). The oil in the seeds adds body and rich flavor to the sauce.

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  • Chickpea Pancakes with Kale and Fennel recipe
    Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski
    10/30

    Chickpea Pancakes With Kale and Fennel

    Savory chickpea flour pancakes, also known as socca, require just four ingredients (including water).

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  • A tangle of seared oyster mushrooms and kale set on a bean pure and dusted with sesame seeds.
    Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    11/30

    Crispy Mushrooms With Creamy White Beans and Kale

    If you’ve ever tried maitake mushrooms, then you already know this, but they have an unbelievably rich flavor and aroma of piney forest floor and fresh fallen leaves. This recipe celebrates everything we love about them.

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  • Image may contain Cutlery Fork Plant Food Noodle Pasta and Produce
    Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton
    12/30

    Soba Noodles With Crispy Kale

    These soba noodles with crispy kale chips and a nutty tahini-honey-soy dressing are a hearty vegetarian weeknight dinner—or make-ahead lunch.

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  • kale minestrone with pistou
    Christopher Testani
    21/30

    Kale Minestrone With Pistou

    This rave-worthy soup is all about layering powerful flavor-enhancers that you probably already have on hand—tomato paste, herbs, Parm, and, of course, kosher salt.

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  • Image may contain Plant Food Vegetable Pizza Produce Dish and Meal
    Peden + Munk
    22/30

    Kale and Celery Tiger Salad

    Loaded with fresh herbs and sturdy kale and then set off by a bright and spicy dressing, this salad from Hot Joy is an ideal counterpoint to the more decadent dishes on the table.

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