Sauteed kale with garlic and olive oil is wonderful as a side dish, or top it with a couple of fried eggs for a quick, filling lunch.
Not everyone likes kale. Unlike tender spinach leaves, which can taste great – almost sweet – kale has a coarse texture and a bitter flavor. It really does need a little help to make it palatable.
This recipe is most definitely an excellent way to do that! The kale is cooked in garlic-infused olive oil until just tender, then seasoned with salt, pepper, and a splash of vinegar. Easy and tasty!
The ingredients you’ll need
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:
Olive oil: I love this tasty oil and cook with it often. If you’d rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil. And another tasty option is butter.
Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Mincing it yourself is probably fresher and tastier, but if you’re lazy like I am, we both know you’re going to reach for that jar. 😂
Chopped kale: You can chop it yourself, or do the lazy thing and get it bagged and pre-washed. I usually buy bagged chopped kale that comes pre-mixed with a small amount of shredded carrots.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.
Red wine vinegar: You can also use apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice. But please don’t use distilled white vinegar – it’s too acidic.
How to cook kale
Quickly sauteing in olive oil 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 the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Cook the kale with some garlic and salt in olive oil until slightly wilted. You don’t want to overcook it.
Stir in the black pepper, and vinegar or lemon juice. Done! See? I told you this was an easy recipe. 🙂
How to serve sauteed kale
It makes a wonderful side dish to 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.
What about 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 the freshly made dish. Reheat the leftovers gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.
More tasty kale recipes
While we’re on the subject of making kale more palatable, sauteed kale isn’t the only way! I have several more recipes for you to try.
These tasty kale fritters are an excellent way to do that! I also love kale chips – they turn this vegetable into a tasty snack. And this ground beef kale casserole is easy to make, delicious, and very filling.
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Sautéed Kale
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 (8 oz) bag pre-cut, pre-washed young kale leaves
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (not fine salt)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic, the kale and the salt and toss to combine.
- Stir-fry about 5 minutes, until kale is tender and slightly wilted.
- Season with black pepper and vinegar. Stir-fry a few more seconds, then serve.
More Recipes to Try:
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, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.