Crispy, delicious kale fritters totally hit the spot when you want something delicious and greasy - and they're made with leafy greens! 🥬
Kale is not one of my favorite vegetables. I find its taste bitter, its texture rough. This is one thing where The Picky Eater and I are in complete agreement!
Which is why I'm in love with these delicious kale fritters. Finally, a way to make this vegetable palatable. I think they're my favorite way to eat kale these days. Well, kale chips are excellent too. 😋
Making fried foods a little better
I fully admit it: I love fried foods. There are no excuses, really. I didn't grow up in the American South (but oh, how I love visiting there!).
But I did grow up with an amazing Jewish grandma, whose fried schnitzels and latkes were legendary. Does that count? 😀
It's weird, but a happy weirdness, that grandma made latkes not only on Hanukkah but every Friday.
So every Friday we would visit, and my brother and I would get a plateful of goodies. Golden schnitzels, crispy latkes, and fat, briny cucumber pickles. Not a fresh vegetable in sight! It was perfect.
So maybe that's why I love fried food so much.
These days, I still eat fried food, but I do make an attempt at making it better. It can be as simple as pairing your latkes with some steamed broccoli or a tomato salad.
Or you can make these amazing kale fritters. They are everything that you want in a fritter - delicious, greasy and crispy. But they are made with kale!
Plus, these fritters are fairly easy to make. Some fritters (such as these squash fritters) are delicious but tend to easily fall apart when you flip them. But these are pretty sturdy.
The ingredients needed for this recipe
You'll only need a few ingredients to make these tasty kale fritters (the exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below):
Eggs: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.
Almond flour: An excellent flour substitute. I use blanched almond flour, but almond meal should work too.
Parmesan: Use finely grated cheese, not coarsely shredded.
Garlic: Mince it yourself or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use.
Scallions: They add great flavor to the fritters! You can use both the white and green parts.
Kale leaves: I buy them pre-washed. Makes life easier. Easy is good.
Olive oil: I love cooking with this very flavorful oil. But if you'd rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead.
How to make kale fritters
It's so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Place all the ingredients except for the kale and olive oil in your food processor’s bowl. Process to combine.
Add the kale gradually and process again.
Fry the fritters in olive oil until golden-brown, 4-5 minutes per side.
How to serve kale fritters
They make a great side dish to any main course you can think of. I often serve them with pork rind chicken tenders and with spicy baked chicken thighs.
They are also great with a couple of poached eggs, for a tasty and filling meatless dinner.
Needless to say, if you celebrate Hanukkah, they make the perfect low carb latke alternative.
How to store leftovers
Today I discovered that leftovers are delicious cold, straight out of the fridge! That was some yummy snack I made myself earlier.
You can keep leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for about 4 days. You can certainly reheat them if you prefer, in the microwave on 50% power.
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Kale Fritters
INGREDIENTS
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup blanched finely ground almond flour
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
- 8 oz kale leaves
- ¼ cup olive oil for frying
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
- Place the eggs, almond flour, Parmesan, garlic, kosher salt, black pepper and scallions in your food processor’s bowl. Briefly process to combine.
- Add the kale gradually, about a quarter at a time, and process to combine.
- Heat half the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Using a 4oz ice cream scoop or a ¼ –cup measuring cup, drop the kale fritters into the oil. Fry until golden-brown, 4-5 minutes per side.
- Keep the cooked fritters in the warm oven while you add more oil to the pan and fry another batch.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living.