Incredible Kale Recipes

Tomatoes need a little extra love during winter. This pasta uses them in two ways: first melted into the pancetta drippings for a saucy base, then sautéed until gently blistered with the kale and garlic. Vary the green depending on what you have on hand; shredded Brussels sprouts, chard, or spinach would work. Orecchiette ("little ears" in Italian) have a catcher’s mitt shape that’s ideal for holding the crispy bits of pancetta. You could also use whole-grain shell pasta or rotini.

Not just for stuffing, pitas are an instant pizza base and your all-purpose bread for breadcrumbs. For a satisfying vegetarian main, omit the bacon; instead, sauté the vegetables in 2 teaspoons olive oil, and sprinkle pizzas with 1 ounce shaved Parmesan cheese for a hit of salty, savory flavor.

Cooking pizza in a skillet is a revelation: guaranteed dough success for even the most timid pie makers—just pat the dough out to size, and the pan shapes it into a perfect circle. 

You'll have plenty of smoky romesco sauce—enough for a generous dollop on top. Meaty, no-prep mushrooms add richness and earthiness to gravies, sautés, and stir-fries.

Making pesto out of leafy greens is a great way to pack lots of veggies into each serving of pasta. Baby kale is your all-purpose green. It's tender enough for salad and sturdy enough for wilting and blending, with zero prep.

Few things beat a steaming bowl of veggie-packed chicken soup on a crisp autumn evening, and this one happens to be a perfect potion for the seasonal chills. You can leave the thyme sprigs in the broth (just ladle around them) so they'll keep releasing herbaceous goodness into any leftovers.

One egg adds 6g protein to this vegetarian plate; the yolk is also a creamy dressing.

Settle in tonight for a cozy, comforting dinner. The pork is wonderfully tender and the kale-apple mixture provides the perfect complement to this meal.

Massage the hearty kale with olive oil and a little salt and then let it stand for up to an hour to soften and make it tender yet crisp.

Leftovers from this one-dish hit make for an easy, delicious breakfast—simply reheat and top with an over-easy egg.

Lacinato kale, also called Tuscan or dinosaur kale, is the easiest variety to stuff because of its long, pliable, flat leaves. Say goodbye to boring, sad vegetable wraps, as these rolls are packed with creamy, nutty goodness and hearty whole grains. Even the pickiest of eaters might have to confess that this is one of their favorite dinner options.

Pack in the protein with white bean and kale to make a heart-healthy salad. Top it off with seasonal cranberries and crumbled goat cheese. Orange rinds and dried cranberries bring bright, fresh flavors to this perfect fall salad. The best part? It gets better with age, so don't be afraid to make a big bowl of it tonight and eat the rest with lunch tomorrow.

Nutrient-rich kale has a mild flavor and becomes tender very quickly, making it a snap to add to speedy meals like this one. Mix and match those greens and grains! Sub farro or quinoa for brown rice, and spinach, chard, or cabbage for kale.

Mashing half of the beans provides creamy texture and helps to seal the quesadillas.

Lacinato kale, often called dinosaur kale because of its crinkled, bumpy texture, grows year-round in the Pacific Northwest. Massaging the leaves with your hands tenderizes them and tones down their bitter edge, which is a little more pronounced with summer harvests.

Perk up your spuds with kale, creamy ricotta, and a hit of smoky goodness. These hearty cakes pack twice the potassium of a banana. Fill out the plate with a simple, crisp green salad.

We’ve turned a classic dish into a perfectly clean brunch option that the whole family will love. The crunchy quinoa crust gives heartiness to the light and fluffy quiche inside. Swap out canola oil for coconut, almond, avocado, or olive oil, and look for organic eggs and dairy products.

Using short-grain brown rice instead of Arborio gives the risotto a pleasant heartiness and a dose of whole grains without losing the creamy goodness of the classic dish.

Fresh tomatoes and an avocado cream offer a bright finish. It's a crisp, flavor-packed wrap of veggies, meat, and cheese for less than 300 calories.

Serve a delicious and healthy side dish made with kale, radicchio, and garlic.

Need a last minute side to complete your favorite main dish? This cheesy kale salad comes together in just two simple steps.

Flatiron steaks are cuts from the top blade with the shoulder tendon removed. We encourage cooking with local grass-fed beef, but grain-fed beef will also work in this dish.

A small amount of pancetta adds richness and depth to the mushroom mixture; feel free to omit it—and swap in vegetable stock for beef—for a vegetarian version.

Lacinato kale ups the green in this green curry dish, providing a delightful textural contrast to the tender rice noodles.

This salad incorporates bacon, onions, white beans, and kale for a sweet-and-salty side the whole family will enjoy.

Since falling in love with very smoky Tennessee bacon (Benton's), I've moved to using it as a flavor agent; I almost never eat it on its own. Any very smoky bacon will do. This is a hearty winter dish, layering potatoes with kale and crisp-skinned roasted salmon.

Fresh artichoke leaves make the best earth-friendly disposable utensils: Their shape is perfect for scooping up dip, and after you nibble the tasty meat from the base of the leaf, you can toss it out guilt-free. Cook the artichokes and kale up to two days ahead—it will be a time-saver during the last-minute rush of putting on a party.

The classic delight of sweet apples and extra-sharp white cheddar cheese meet in this kale salad to give the vitamin-enriched green an extra boost of flavor.