A tasty dish of sauteed kale is wonderful as a side dish, or top it with a couple of fried eggs for a quick, yummy lunch.
Sauteed kale is such a delicious way to enjoy this healthy vegetable! The kale is cooked in garlic-infused olive oil until just tender, then seasoned with salt, pepper and a splash of vinegar.
Kale is not for everyone
Are you familiar with the kale and coconut oil meme? It’s a photo of kale in a frying pan, and the text says:
Pro tip: if you stir coconut oil into your kale, it makes it easier to scrape it into the trash.
Wow, this seriously works!
Admittedly, kale IS problematic. Unlike tender spinach leaves, which can taste great – almost sweet – kale has a coarse texture and a bitter flavor. It really does need help to make it palatable.
This sauteed kale recipe is most definitely an excellent way to make kale more palatable. Another good way is to make these tasty kale fritters.
What is the best way to cook kale?
In my opinion, quickly sauteing kale in olive oil and garlic is the best way of cooking it. It’s very tasty, and it keeps the kale fresh and bright green.
To make life easy when making this recipe, I buy bagged chopped kale that comes pre-mixed with a small amount of shredded carrots. You can obviously buy whole kale and wash and chop it yourself.
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
- Olive oil (a healthy ingredient)
- Minced garlic
- Chopped kale
- Salt and pepper
- Red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
How to make sauteed kale
It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
- Cook the kale with garlic and salt in olive oil until slightly wilted.
- Stir in the black pepper, and vinegar or lemon juice. Done!
Is kale good for you?
Kale is very healthy. There ARE some concerns about its effect on the thyroid, but the Mayo Clinic seems to think these concerns are somewhat exaggerated, as long as you don’t overdo it and eat too much. And the Cleveland Clinic has declared kale as heart-healthy.
How to serve sauteed kale
This sautéed kale makes a wonderful side dish to any meat. I often serve it with baked pork chops or with London broil.
Sometimes I just top it with a couple of fried eggs and call it lunch – quick, tasty and healthy.
What about leftovers?
You can keep leftover sauteed kale in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3 days. Reheat the leftovers in the microwave on 50% power.
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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 coarse 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.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., has been following a healthy real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She has taken 
