Sautéed Kale
Our Sautéed Kale is quick, healthy, and delicious! This kale side dish pairs so well with everything from grilled or roasted chicken, fish, shellfish, or tofu. It has a garlicky flavor without being overpowering, and a subtly spicy flavor for those that like a bit of a kick in their veggies. Prepped and sautéed in less than 15 minutes, this side dish is a great addition to any weeknight meal. Simple ingredients make this veggie recipe so tasty, plus it is keto, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan!
Our Sautéed Kale is the perfect side dish to serve with our Roasted Salmon with Garlic & Herb Sauce. You can feel good about serving such a healthy and nutritious meal to your family. This vegetable side dish is very customizable, so it can easily be made with or without spicy flavor, parmesan cheese, and/or garlic. To find out how to Pimp Our Recipe, visit our Blog Comments & Tips for details.
Sign up for a free subscription to our monthly newsletter and access to exclusive content.
To browse some of our favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and pantry items, visit our Recommended Products page.
RECIPE
(Check out our Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
Recipe Updated: 3/29/22
SAUTEED KALE
Ingredients
Instructions
- Mince garlic cloves, and set aside. Roughly chop kale (see Note #1), and set aside.
- Heat a large 5 quart nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat until glistening (about 1-2 minutes or so). Add crushed red peppers (optional), and allow to cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes until sizzling. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom with olive oil and pepper mixture, then add minced garlic, stir, and cook for about 30 to 60 seconds, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant (do not brown). Add water and chopped Tuscan kale, and toss with tongs to completely coat kale. Cover pan, raise heat to medium high, and cook undisturbed for 3 to 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.
- Remove lid, add kosher salt, black pepper, and vinegar, and toss to combine. Remove from heat, and serve immediately. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese (optional).
Notes
- Use any variety of kale, packaged or not. Even though we used packaged and chopped kale in this recipe, we prefer to rough chop it so the pieces are smaller (optional). If you are using a fresh bunch of kale, remove the larger stems, and rough chop the leaves.
- Can be enjoyed as is for a vegan or dairy-free option, or sprinkled with 1 tablespoon shaved parmesan cheese (optional) for a vegetarian, keto, and gluten-free option. Serve with our Roasted Salmon with Garlic & Herb Sauce.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
62.24Fat (grams)
4.11Sat. Fat (grams)
0.75Carbs (grams)
5.43Fiber (grams)
1.47Net carbs
3.96Sugar (grams)
1.50Protein (grams)
1.92Sodium (milligrams)
84.69Cholesterol (grams)
1.34Nutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods. Even though the parmesan cheese is an optional ingredient, it is included in the nutritional calculations for this recipe.
Step by Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
STEP 1
Mince 2 fresh garlic cloves, and set aside. With a sharp chef’s knife, roughly chop a 10 ounce package of Tuscan kale (see Note below), and set aside.
Note: Use any variety of kale, packaged or not. Even though we used packaged and chopped kale in this recipe, we prefer to rough chop it so the pieces are smaller (optional). If you are using a fresh bunch of kale, remove the larger stems, and rough chop the leaves.
STEP 2a
Heat a large 5 quart sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and heat until glistening (about 1-2 minutes or so). Add ⅛ teaspoon crushed red peppers (optional), and allow to cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes until sizzling. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom with olive oil and pepper mixture, then add minced garlic, stir, and cook for about 30 to 60 seconds, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant (do not brown).
STEP 2b
Add ½ cup filtered water, and chopped Tuscan kale, and toss with tongs to completely coat kale. Cover pan, raise heat to medium high, and cook undisturbed for 3 to 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.
STEP 3
Remove lid, add ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste), and a pinch of ground black pepper (or to taste), and 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar, and toss to combine. Remove from heat, and serve immediately. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon shaved parmesan cheese (optional).
SERVE!
Can be enjoyed as is for a vegan or dairy-free option, or sprinkled with 1 tablespoon shaved parmesan cheese (optional) for a vegetarian, keto, and gluten-free option.
Serve with our Roasted Salmon with Garlic & Herb Sauce.
VIDEO
How to Make this Quick, Easy, and Tasty Side Dish in Minutes!
Blog Comments & Tips
A quick and easy, healthy side dish!
Our Sautéed Kale is the perfect side dish to serve with our Roasted Salmon with Garlic & Herb Sauce. It makes a quick weeknight meal, and you can feel good about serving such a healthy and nutritious meal to your family. I recently made this for my husband, and the feedback was “Mmmm...this is REALLY good...Mmmm, it’s so delicious!” The combination of this healthy leafy green veggie and the rich roasted salmon, are like a marriage made in heaven.
If you are on a clean eating food regime, then you are likely very familiar with including Kale in your diet. This vegetable is not only super healthy, but it’s quite tasty, especially in this recipe. Our Sautéed Kale recipe combines olive oil, garlic, and a pinch of crushed red peppers, to give this wonderfully healthy vegetable a flavorful and spicy quality. If you don’t like spice, or even garlic, just visit the Pimp Our Recipe section for details on how to customize this recipe.
Here is some history on this green leafy vegetable. Kale is a member of the cabbage family and has been around in Europe and Asia for over 2,000 years. The ancient Greeks first cultivated these leafy greens. According to an article in the New York Times Magazine, “Greeks boiled and ate this vegetable as a cure for drunkenness.” They also report that the nutrients in kale have the ability to make us feel optimistic and ward off depression. Knowing the powers of this leafy green vegetable, it is no wonder that the first National Kale Day was celebrated on October 2, 2013!
Whether you like curly kale or Tuscan kale (our favorite variety), this vegetable is a great source of vitamins A, C, and B6, as well as minerals such as calcium, potassium, copper, manganese, and iron. Just one cup of kale has only 33 calories! This vegetable is great to build a strong immune system, and it is important for eye and bone health.
Now you have the recipe, ingredients, and equipment, but how do you ensure the best results from our recipe?
Our 5 tips to making a great Sautéed Kale:
Use fresh organic Tuscan kale.
Use high quality ingredients - especially for extra virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and spices. There is a big difference in the finished product of your dish when you use fresh spices. To make sure we are using the freshest spices in our recipes, we prefer buying small amounts of spices when we don’t use them often.
Roughly chop your kale, even if you purchased a package of chopped kale. The smaller pieces (about 1 inch in diameter) will yield a better mouthfeel when enjoying.
Do not brown the garlic, and move quickly when making this recipe, so your ingredients don’t burn or become bitter.
Do not skip the white balsamic vinegar. This recipe needs a little acid.
Have any dietary preferences that won’t quite work with our recipe? It’s time to customize and Pimp Our Recipe.
Pimp Our Recipe:
Make it Spicier: Instead of using ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, replace with ¼ teaspoon (or to taste).
Make it Milder: Omit the crushed red pepper flakes.
Make it Vegan and Dairy Free: Omit the shaved parmesan cheese.
Cannot find White Balsamic Vinegar: Just substitute with the same amount of white wine vinegar.
Make it Lemony: Replace the white balsamic vinegar with the same amount of fresh lemon juice, and add ½ teaspoon of lemon zest when serving.
Enjoy and let us know what you think by commenting below, rating our recipes, subscribing, following, and liking us on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Happy Cooking!
Mich
Footnote: Remember not to brown the garlic, so it doesn’t become bitter.
Adapted from the Sauteed Kale recipe by Bobby Flay on FoodNetwork.com, we’ve taken this incredible chef’s simple recipe and switched it up a bit by giving it a little spiciness, and converting it to a clean eating recipe.
Every editorial product is independently selected. We may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you purchase products via our links. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
