Skip to content

Top Navigation

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Recipes
  • Cooking 101
  • Eating Smart
  • Healthy Living
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Email Preferences

Manage Your Subscription

  • All Access Subscribers
  • Magazine Subscribers
  • Cooking Light Diet Subscribers
Login
Logout
SUBSCRIBE
Pin FB

Explore Cooking Light

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 31-Day Healthy Meal Plan

      Our 31-day calendar of meals and tips shows you how to cook more and love it with fun, family-friendly meals that come together quickly and deliciously. Read More
    • Dinner Tonight: Quick and Healthy Menus in 45 Minutes (or Less)

      Hundreds of delicious recipes, paired with simple sides, that can be on your table in 45 minutes or less. Read More
    • Our Favorite Healthy Air Fryer Recipes

      Who ever said that chicken wings, doughnuts, and pizza couldn't be healthy? Read More
  • Recipes

    Recipes

    See All Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Recipe Makeovers
    • Quick & Healthy
    • Diabetic
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegetarian
    • Cooking Light Live
  • Cooking 101

    Cooking 101

    See All Cooking 101
    • Essential Ingredients
    • Cooking Techniques
    • Meet the Chef
    • Cooking Resources
    • Budget Friendly
    • Smart Choices
  • Eating Smart
  • Healthy Living

    Healthy Living

    See All Healthy Living
    • Weight-Loss
    • Health
    • Fitness
    • Home
    • Travel
    • Nutrition 101
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Email Preferences

Manage Your Subscription

  • All Access Subscribers
  • Magazine Subscribers
  • Cooking Light Diet Subscribers
Login
Logout
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Recipes
  3. Types of Kale

Types of Kale

November 16, 2016
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock
Although some varieties of kale are available year-round, cooler months are the best time to enjoy the leafy winter green at its sweetest, most flavorful peak. Who knew there were so many different types of kale? As kale grows more popular with healthy eaters or just eaters with an eye toward healthier foods, the number of kale types available in grocery stores will likely continue to grow. This guide to the many different varieties of kale will help you decide which is best for the dish you're planning to prepare.
Start Slideshow

1 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Kale Yeah!

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch

Kale frequently tops the list of the most nutritious foods on the planet. While it didn't make our superfood list, experts tell us not to be discouraged by the haters. It's still one of the most nutrient-dense greens readily available at the supermarket—just one cup contains 14% of your daily calcium, 659% of your daily vitamin A, and 900% of your daily vitamin K requirement, according to an article on Time.com. And the list of varietals and the ways you can prepare it are long. Whether you blend it, sauté it, bake it, or eat it raw, kale remains a trending food with a nutritional value that continues to shine, despite its numerous competitors. Get to know these types of kale and delicious options for weeknight meals.

1 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Red Kale

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch
View Recipe: Lamb Meatballs with Kale, Cumin Yogurt, and Carolina Gold Rice

Hearty, with a mildly sweet, nutty flavor and purple-red stems. Sauté or braise to cook the somewhat tough leaves.

2 of 8

3 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Baby Kale

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch
View Recipe: Cherry and Sunflower Seed Kale Salad

Young leaves have a mild flavor and are tender enough to eat raw, yet hearty enough to stand up to a quick stir-fry or sauté. Stems are soft and don’t need to be trimmed.

3 of 8

Advertisement

4 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

White Flowering Kale

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch
View Recipe: Lemony Kale Salad

Leaves have a peppery, cabbage-forward flavor. Great in braises and soups.

4 of 8

5 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Purple Flowering Kale

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch
View Recipe: Marinated Kale Salad

Sweet, cabbage-like leaves are tasty raw in salads or lightly cooked. Stems tend to be bitter.

5 of 8

6 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Curly Kale

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch
View Recipe: Sausage and Kale Pesto Pizza

The most common variety, with a lightly bitter flavor. The stem is woody, so strip and use just the leaves.

6 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Lacinato Kale

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch
View Recipe: Onion, Kale, and Chickpea Soup

Also called dinosaur or Tuscan kale. Tender leaves have a mild, earthy flavor and are delicious raw, wilted, or sautéed.

7 of 8

8 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Kale, Jicama, and Orange Salad

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock
View Recipe: Kale, Jicama, and Orange Salad

Now that you know which kale is right for your recipe, browse our extensive collection of kale recipes and kale salads to find even more delicious inspiration for winter salads.

Here's an idea to get you started. This Kale, Jicama, and Orange Salad pops with color and texture from juicy citrus, creamy avocado, and crisp jicama. Dark, bumpy kale fits the mood, but you can substitute any lettuce you like. We love the pink hue of Cara Cara oranges in the salad, but regular navel or even blood oranges (in keeping with the spooky theme) would also work. Sturdy lacinato kale will become perfectly tender when dressed and left to stand at room temperature. Coating the avocado in the dressing first will keep it from browning while you're out having fun.

8 of 8

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 8 Kale Yeah!
    2 of 8 Red Kale
    3 of 8 Baby Kale
    4 of 8 White Flowering Kale
    5 of 8 Purple Flowering Kale
    6 of 8 Curly Kale
    7 of 8 Lacinato Kale
    8 of 8 Kale, Jicama, and Orange Salad

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Cooking Light

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    MeredithCooking Light is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Cooking Light may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Cooking Light. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.cookinglight.com

    View image

    Types of Kale
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.