Our favourite kale recipes
Kale is a favourite ingredient among the health set - but what can you make with it?
Kale can be a divisive green but it adds flavour and colour to so many dishes that it's one of our favourite ingredients. When it comes to cooking kale, it can be, shredded and easily added to soups or warming one-pan midweek meals or make-ahead creamy gratins for Sunday roasts.
Kale is in season from June to February and is at its tastiest in winter months. One of the easiest ways to cook with kale is to make kale crisps. Remove the tough stalks from the kale and then shred the leaves, massage with oil and sprinkle with salt before cooking in the oven 200°C (180°C fan) for 10min. They can be eaten as an alternative to crisps or used to top any main meal for extra flavour and texture.
Given kale can survive the cold winter months, it's understandably a tough green at times - with strong stems and almost rubbery leaves. However, preparation is key, and if you find kale too tough for your liking, here's a tip that might change your mind. Massage the leaves with a miso and lime dressing. This will help break down the toughness and adds a depth of flavour.
Sausage, Bean and Kale One-Pot - best kale recipes 2023
This one-pan recipe, with sausage, kale and cannellini beans, is ready in just 30min which makes it the ideal midweek meal.
Recipe: Sausage, Bean and Kale One-Pot
Kale, squash and pomegranate salad - best kale recipes 2023
This kale salad is rich with bright colours and fruity flavours.
Kale, ham and lentil soup - best kale recipes 2023
This filling kale soup is ideal for a winter’s evening, or reheated the next day for a comforting lunch.
Recipe: Kale, ham and lentil soup
Kale, mushroom and walnut pesto pasta - best kale recipes 2023
A winning combination of super-foods make this kale pasta recipe an easy midweek meal.
Kale, anchovy and crispy breadcrumbs with orecchiette - best kale recipes 2023
Our kale pasta comes with an anchovy breadcrumb topping (trust us, it's so tasty).
Recipe: Kale, anchovy and crispy breadcrumbs with orecchiette
Creamy kale - best kale recipes 2023
This creamy kale recipe is a healthy side dish, that works perfectly served alongside casseroles and stews, such as our triple-tested Guinness beef stew.
Recipe: Creamy kale
Baked gnocchi with kale - best kale recipes 2023
This baked gnocchi with kale is a simple and delicious vegetarian recipe.
Recipe: Baked gnocchi with kale
Chorizo and kale risotto - best kale recipes 2023
Just a few ingredients, including chorizo and kale, make this fab risotto which is ready in under 30min.
Recipe: Chorizo and kale risotto
Mackerel and kale salad - best kale recipes 2023
This nourishing salad is full of flavour and texture. Kale and beetroot add colour and flavour.
Recipe: Mackerel and kale salad
Kale, sprout and tofu salad - best kale recipes 2023
The acidic dressing ‘cooks’ the sprouts and kale while maintaining their beautiful green colour. The crunchy tofu adds wonderful texture and is a great source of protein, calcium and iron.
Recipe: Kale, sprout and tofu salad
Kale and squash gratin - best kale recipes 2023
Kale and butternut squash come together to make a tasty and comforting make-ahead side that works with any roast.
Recipe: Kale and squash gratin
Crispy kale with hazelnuts - best kale recipes 2023
Crispy kale makes a great alternative to crisps (trust us - kale crisps, with a sprinkling of salt are incredibly moreish). Simply massage the kale with sunflower oil and cook in the oven 200°C (180°C fan) for 10 - 15min. We've added hazelnuts to this recipe.
Recipe: Crispy kale with hazelnuts
Miso Pork Meatballs with Kale Crisps and Butter Bean Mash - best kale recipes 2023
The miso paste adds umami and depth to these pork meatballs, while the crispy kale gives crunch. The creamy butter bean mash couldn't be easier to make.
Vegan mushroom and kale pot pie - best kale recipes 2023
If you're cutting down on meat this warming vegan mushroom pie with kale is ideal on a chilly night. Use peas if you can’t find edamame beans.
Recipe: Vegan mushroom and kale pot pie
Pork, kale and apple fry - best kale recipes 2023
Trimmed of visible fat, pork loin is rich in protein, naturally low in sodium and a good source of the essential minerals selenium and phosphorous.
Recipe: Pork, kale and apple fry
Braised Garlic Butter Kale - best kale recipes 2023
A recipe that will convert even the most hardened kale-dodgers. Speedy braising helps remove any bitterness and you can use toasted flaked almonds, if you prefer, instead of the hazelnuts.
Recipe: Braised Garlic Butter Kale
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
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