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17 Kale Recipes That Will Make You Fall in Love with This Leafy Green

17 Kale Recipes That Will Make You Fall in Love with This Leafy Green

By Kelly Vaughan

Updated August 08, 2020

From vegan soups to comforting baked pasta dishes, our kale recipes are versatile and absolutely delicious.

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Looking for new ways to incorporate kale into your everyday meals? We have inspired and delicious recipes that make use of the dark, leafy green. Kale is loaded with nutrients, and these recipes give you plenty of ways to incorporate it into breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Whether you're adding kale to a salad or turning it into a fabulous sheet pan dinner, such as our Roasted Chicken with Kale and Tomato Panzanella, these recipes offer something for everyone and every occasion.

Kale becomes sweeter when grown in cold weather, so it's best to purchase between mid-fall through early spring. When shopping for kale, look for firm, deep-green leaves, and avoid any that are wilted or have yellow spots. To store, keep kale in the coldest part of your refrigerator, loosely wrapped in beeswax paper (plastic-free!). Though it seems like a sturdy vegetable, kale will quickly wilt and turn bitter, so use it quickly.

Kale is spectacular in so many recipes beyond just a sautéed vegetable side dish or as the base for a crunchy salad (though we certainly love it there, too). Take Sausage-and-Kale Stuffed Shells, for example—who knew that kale was what we were missing in a hearty baked pasta dish? It's the ultimate comfort food that we'll have on repeat all winter long.

Another great way to use kale is in soup. Its study leaves hold up well to the broth and hearty ingredients. Kale, White Bean, and Farro Soup is a delicious vegan recipe to enjoy when the weather gets cooler. Stracciatella Soup with Kale and Lemon updates the classic egg-based Italian soup by adding in leafy kale—and the best part is that this tasty soup comes together in just 35 minutes.

Grab a bundle, strip the leaves, and get to work. Our delicious kale recipes are just around the corner.

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Sausage-and-Kale Stuffed Shells

Justin Walker

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Kale isn't just for salads and smoothies. Here, our favorite dark, leafy green stars in this comforting and hearty baked pasta dish.

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Kale, White Bean, and Farro Soup

Kate Mathis

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Chock-full of nutrient-rich vegetables, dark leafy greens, farro, and white beans, this healthy soup will soothe your body and soul—and it also happens to be vegan.

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Roasted Chicken with Kale and Tomato Panzanella

Justin Walker

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Sheet-pan suppers are popular because they're easy to prepare, quick to clean up, and absolutely delicious. Roast chicken thighs and drumsticks with kale, tomatoes, croutons, and garlic for a nourishing meal.

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Kale and Roasted-Potato Salad

Yunhee Kim

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Kale salads have been popular for years, but we're always looking for ways to upgrade them. Adding roasted potatoes to hearty green leaves creates an instant, satisfying side dish.

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Lentil Soup with Crispy Kale

Armando Rafael

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A spiced lentil soup—made with chili powder, tomato paste, brown lentils, and red-wine vinegar—is hearty and flavorful. Crisp kale is the perfect crunch on top of the stew.

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Julienned-Carrot and Kale Salad

Mikkel Vang

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Thinly sliced kale and julienned carrots are the colorful, crispy base of this salad. The dressing is a classic vinaigrette—lemon juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

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Sea Bass with Kale and Cannellini Beans

Armando Rafael

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Buttery, flaky sea bass is paired with kale and white beans in this impressive main course. A bright and tangy vinaigrette made from orange juice, red-wine vinegar, sliced red onions, and Kalamata olives is a burst of flavor that elevates each and every ingredient.

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Kale Caesar Salad with Rye Croutons

Lennart Weibull

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Upgrade a basic Caesar salad in a spectacular way with wholesome croutons and a rich, tangy, salty, and totally delicious dressing—the end result is everything you've ever wanted a Caesar salad to be.

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Stracciatella Soup with Kale and Lemon

Lennart Weibull

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We can't get enough of this creamy soup made with just a handful of flavorful ingredients—chicken broth, kale, eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Serve with crusty bread to soak up every last bit.

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Kale, Corn, and Jalapeño Muffins

Lennart Weibull

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Basic corn muffins just got so much better—whole corn kernels, diced jalapeños, honey, and kale add texture and flavor to a classic batter. Eat them any time of day—we have a feeling you'll be making these again and again.

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Kale Pesto

Aaron Dyer

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Substitute basil for kale, and blanched almonds in place of pine nuts, in this totally unique pesto. From here, the pesto-bilities are endless; swirl it into pasta, spread it on a turkey sandwich, or smear it on roasted vegetables.

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Kale and Farro Salad with Feta

Ryan Liebe

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Warm farro tossed with torn kale leaves, diced red onions, mint leaves, and crumbled feta is one of our favorite grain salads. It's the perfect dish to bring to a summertime potluck.

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Kale and Lentil Bowl with Avocado Dressing

Bryan Gardner

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Healthy and hearty, those are the two words to describe this bowl (oh, and delicious, too!). Whether you have it for lunch or dinner, you're guaranteed to feel good after eating it.

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Squash Hash with Kale and Baked Eggs

David Prince

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In between a breakfast hash and a shakshuka is this baked egg dish. The recipe calls for butternut or acorn squash, which makes it a fabulous fall recipe.

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Freekeh with Roasted Butternut Squash, Seared Kale, and Caramelized Onion Jam

Con Poulos

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This dish is so versatile—serve it as a hearty lunch or an all-in-one side dish (veggies and grains together!).

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Kale-and-Avocado Salad with Dates

Marcus Nilsson

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In just 10 minutes, you can create a spectacular green salad topped with big shavings of Parmesan cheese and slivers of dates. It looks gorgeous and tastes even better.

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Kale Lemonade

Gentl and Hyers

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All you need for this nutritious beverage is a juicer plus three ingredients—kale, apples, and lemon. Sip it whenever you want a boost of nutrients or a refreshing beverage.

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