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    Home » Vegetable Recipes » Sautéed Kale

    Sautéed Kale

    Last updated: Dec 4, 2022 · Recipes developed by Vered DeLeeuw and nutritionally reviewed by Rachel Benight MS, RD · This website generates income via ads and uses cookies.

    Jump to Recipe Card

    Sauteed kale with butter and garlic is wonderful as a side dish, or you can top it with a couple of fried eggs for a quick, filling lunch.

    Ready in just 20 minutes, this easy weeknight side dish pairs well with most meat, poultry, and fish dishes.

    Sauteed kale served in a white bowl.

    Kale can be challenging. Unlike tender spinach leaves, which can taste great - almost sweet - kale has a coarse texture and a slightly bitter flavor. It really does need a little help to make it more palatable.

    This recipe is most definitely an excellent way to do that! The kale is cooked in garlic-infused butter until just tender, then seasoned with salt, pepper, and a splash of lemon juice. It's very easy and oh so tasty!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Expert tip
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Variations
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storing leftovers
    • Related recipes
    • Recipe card

    Ingredients

    You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make sauteed kale. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

    • Butter: It greatly enhances the flavor of the kale and helps mask its bitterness. You can also use olive oil if you wish, but I really think it tastes best when cooked in butter.
    • Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Mincing it yourself is fresher and tastier.
    • Chopped kale: You can chop it yourself, or do the lazy thing and get it bagged and pre-washed.
    • Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should probably reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.
    • Fresh lemon juice: You can also use a bit of vinegar instead - red wine vinegar is good, and so is white wine vinegar.
    The ingredients needed to saute kale.

    Instructions

    Quickly sauteing kale in butter and garlic is one of the best ways of preparing this vegetable. It's very tasty, and it keeps the kale fresh and bright green. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

    • You start by briefly cooking garlic in some butter. You want it golden but not burnt, so keep an eye on it.
    • Next, add the kale. You'll need to add it gradually, in a few batches, as shown in the video below.
    • Cook the kale until it just starts to wilt. Then add salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Stir and serve.
    A six-photo collage showing the steps for sauteing kale in butter and garlic.

    Expert tip

    Make sure to avoid overcooking the kale. You want it to still have some "bite," just like al-dente pasta. You don't want it mushy and limp.

    Frequently asked questions

    How do you get the bitterness out of kale?

    I find that cooking it in generous amounts of butter, garlic, and salt greatly reduces its natural bitterness. The butter slightly caramelizes as it cooks and this imparts a sweet flavor to the dish.

    Are kale and spinach the same?

    Not exactly. Both are green leafy vegetables, but kale comes from the brassica family (like broccoli) while spinach comes from the beet family of plants. Kale is coarser and has more bitterness to it, while spinach is milder.

    What's the tastiest way to eat kale?

    I enjoy kale when I add flavorful ingredients such as olive oil, butter, bacon, or cheese. So sauteing it in butter as we do here is great, but I also like to make it into fritters. Kale chips are truly great - they're probably my favorite way to enjoy this leafy vegetable.

    Variations

    Here are a few ideas for you for varying the basic recipe:

    • As mentioned above, you can use olive oil instead of butter.
    • Use red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice.
    • When the dish is done, off the heat, sprinkle it with grated parmesan.
    • Sprinkle the finished dish with cooked crumbled bacon.

    Serving suggestions

    Sauteed kale makes a wonderful side dish for any meat. I often serve it with baked pork chops or with London broil. It's also excellent with fish - I like it with baked salmon.

    Sometimes I just top this dish with a couple of fried eggs and call it lunch - it's quick, tasty, and very filling.

    Storing leftovers

    You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. They keep pretty well, although they won't be as good as when freshly made. Reheat the leftovers gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.

    Sauteed kale served in a white bowl with a napkin and a fork.

    Related recipes

    • Baked Kale Chips
    • Kale Fritters
    • Sautéed Spinach
    • Steamed Spinach

    Recipe card

    Sauteed Kale.
    4.95 from 75 votes
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    Buttery Sauteed Kale

    A tasty dish of sauteed kale is wonderful as a side dish, or top it with a couple of fried eggs for a quick, tasty lunch.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 140kcal
    Author: Vered DeLeeuw
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    INGREDIENTS

    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
    • 8 oz kale leaves
    • ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

    INSTRUCTIONS

    • Heat the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, for about 2 minutes.
    • Add the garlic and cook it for 30 seconds.
    • Add the kale in batches, as shown in the video below.
    • Stir-fry until the kale is tender and slightly wilted, about 5 minutes.
    • Stir in the salt, black pepper, and lemon juice.
    • Serve immediately.

    WATCH THE VIDEO:

    NOTES

    Make sure to avoid overcooking the kale. You want it to still have some "bite," just like al-dente pasta. You don't want it mushy and limp.
    You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. They keep pretty well, although they won't be as good as when freshly made. Reheat the leftovers gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power.

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    DISCLAIMERSMost of our recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes.

    NUTRITION PER SERVING

    Serving: 0.5recipe | Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 388mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g
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    More Vegetable Recipes

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    About the Author

    Vered Deleeuw 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. Click to learn more about Vered.

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    Healthy Recipes Blog was founded in 2011 by Vered Deleeuw. It features real-food recipes with a focus on low-carb and gluten-free ingredients. All recipes are nutritionally reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. Contact us at HealthyRecipesBlog@gmail.com.


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