I'm a Food Writer & These Are 15 Recipes I Make With Fresh Kale (2024)

When it comes to eating veggies, I'm the type of person that loves adding dark leafy greens into every meal I can. Kale is especially versatile as it complements so many different flavors. Whether I'm making it the base of my salad or adding it to soups, pasta or even breakfast smoothies, fresh kale is a staple ingredient in my household. And once you try recipes like our Kale Salad with Cranberries and Creamy Spinach Pasta with White Beans, you'll start using kale just as much as I do.

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Kale Salad with Cranberries

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This easy holiday salad gets its flavor from a sweet citrus dressing that's infused into the kale by massaging the greens and the dressing together with your hands. We like a mix of kale for this recipe, but any type of kale will work.

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Creamy Spinach Pasta with White Beans

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Here, we whir up fresh spinach and kale with cream cheese and Gruyère for the luscious sauce that highlights this rich pasta dish. Paired with beans, it makes a filling vegetarian meal.

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Vegan Gnocchi Soup

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This Italian-inspired vegetable-packed soup features flavorful herbs, mushrooms, kale and tomatoes. Shelf-stable potato gnocchi are vegan, but if you want to make this soup gluten-free or lower in carbs, try cauliflower gnocchi instead.

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Best Caesar Salad with Crispy Parmesan

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Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale

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This easy one-pan skillet-roasted lemon chicken is perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in the same pan as baby potatoes and kale for a satisfying meal with the added bonus of minimal cleanup.

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Kale & Quinoa Salad with Cranberries

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This autumnal kale-quinoa salad is a delicious mixture of texture and flavor. Celery and walnuts add crunch while dried cranberries and apple add a sweet-tart note. We use blue cheese in this salad, but feta, Parmesan, goat cheese or manchego would be just as tasty.

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Cauliflower & Kale Frittata

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Inspired by traditional Spanish tortillas made with potatoes, this healthy frittata recipe swaps potatoes for low-carb cauliflower. Serve it along with kale (or your favorite greens) for brunch or an easy breakfast-for-dinner.

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Roasted Red Peppers Stuffed with Kale & Rice

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You can vary the filling by substituting robust mustard greens or collards, or milder greens, such as spinach, escarole or Swiss chard. (Cook the greens until just tender in Step 2.)

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Garlicky Grilled Steak & Kale Salad

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A bright lemon, garlic and tarragon vinaigrette coats this salad topped with grilled steak. Since the grill is already fired up, we throw on some bread for homemade croutons.

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Vegetarian Potato-Kale Soup

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This healthy soup recipe has a rich, yet light and velvety texture. Serve with crusty bread and a glass of wine for a cozy meal.

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Kale & Banana Smoothie

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This simple and sweet kale and banana smoothie is also versatile: Use cow's milk for a milkshake-style smoothie, oat milk for more sweetness, or a nut milk for more protein.

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Potato-Kale Salad

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This tangy potato and kale side dish is served warm.

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Baby Kale Breakfast Salad with Quinoa & Strawberries

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Fruit, whole grains and greens for breakfast? Yes! Start your day off right with this breakfast salad recipe and you'll knock out half of your daily veggie quota with the first meal of the day.

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Crispy Chickpea Grain Bowl with Lemon Vinaigrette

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Our favorite part of these vegetarian grain bowls is the tangy lemon vinaigrette, which ties together a satisfying combo of quinoa, toasted pumpkin seeds, and roasted chickpeas and kale. Whip them up for easy meal-prep lunches or a healthy and satisfying dinner.

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One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta

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This one-pot pasta with tangy tomato-basil sauce is a simple, fast and easy weeknight dinner. All of your ingredients go into one pot, and with a bit of stirring and about 25 minutes of cook time, you'll have a healthy dinner the whole family will enjoy.