23 Kale Recipes That Will Make You Fall in Love with This Leafy Green (2024)

Looking for new ways to incorporate kale into your everyday meals? We have a variety of 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 and early spring. When shopping for kale, look for firm, deep-green leaves, and avoid any that are wilted or have yellow spots. To store your kale, keep it 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 and our Stracciatella Soup with Kale and Lemon updates the classic egg-based Italian soup by adding in leafy kale (plus, it 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.

Whole-Wheat Tagliatelle with Creamy White-Bean and Kale Sauce

Our favorite new healthy pasta, this weeknight dish pairs kale with creamy white beans for a blended sauce to coat whole wheat noodles. We're betting you'll be adding this recipe to your regular rotation.

Kale Salad with Fried Capers and Golden Raisins

There are so many delicious ways to make a kale salad but this sweet and salty version is our all-time favorite.

Kale, White Bean, and Farro Soup

Packed with nutrient-rich vegetables, dark leafy greens, farro, and white beans, this healthy soup will soothe your body and soul. The fact that it happens to be vegan is an added bonus.

Spaghetti with Shrimp, Kale, and Burst Tomatoes

Kale stars with shrimp and cherry tomatoes in this quick and easy weeknight pasta. It's ready in just 35 minutes and is so delicious.

Kale and Roasted-Potato Salad

Roasted potatoes and hearty kale come together to form a satisfying side dish that you can enjoy with just about any main.

Lentil Soup with Crispy Kale

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

Julienned-Carrot and Kale Salad

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.

Roasted Chicken with Kale and Tomato Panzanella

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

Kale Caesar Salad with Rye Croutons

This riff on Caesar salad features kale, which stands up well to the rich, tangy, salty, and totally delicious Caesar dressing. Garlicky rye croutons are a fabulous finishing touch.

Stracciatella Soup with Kale and Lemon

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 it with crusty bread to soak up every last bit of broth.

Sea Bass with Kale and Cannellini Beans

Buttery, flaky sea bass is paired with kale and white beans in this impressive yet easy 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 part of the meal.

Kale, Corn, and Jalapeño Muffins

Basic corn muffins just got so much better—whole corn kernels, diced jalapeños, honey, and kale add texture and flavor to a classic batter.

Sausage-and-Kale Stuffed Shells

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

Kale Pesto

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

Kale and Farro Salad with Feta

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.

Kale and Lentil Bowl with Avocado Dressing

Healthy and hearty 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.

Roasted Portobellos with Kale

Portobello mushrooms and kale are an inspired pairing and make a fast and satisfying meatless main.

Squash Hash with Kale and Baked Eggs

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.

Cheese-and-Kale Soufflé

Forget spinach! Next time you want to make a soufflé you should definitely reach for the kale instead. This beautifully browned cheese-and-kale soufflé was baked with a parchment "collar" wrapped around the dish which encouraged it to rise sky-high.

Kale-and-Avocado Salad with Dates

It takes just ten minutes to create this spectacular green salad topped with big shavings of Parmesan cheese and slivers of dates. It looks gorgeous and tastes even better.

Sesame-Kale Crisps

If you're a fan of kale chips, we know that you'll love this recipe. If you haven't gotten on the kale chips trend yet, give them a try—make this recipe and let us know if you're a fan (we are!).

Kale Lemonade

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.

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

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