Best Braised Kale Recipes

BRAISED KALE AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, stir in the onions and saute until softened, about 4 minutes. Toss in the red pepper, garlic, kale and some salt and pepper and continue to cook for 2 more minutes. Pour in the tomatoes and stir to combine, then add the chicken stock. Turn the heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook until the kale is silky and tender, about 15 minutes.

CIDER-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH APPLES AND KALE

Steps:

• Arrange rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 450°F. Season chicken all over with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper, then rub with 1/4 cup mustard, making sure to get mustard under skin.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large heatproof high-sided skillet or heavy braising pan over medium-high. Sear chicken, skin side down, until golden-brown, about 8 minutes. Turn chicken, then arrange apples and onion around chicken. Add wine and 1 cup cider, then transfer to oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/2 cup cider, 1 Tbsp. oil, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a large pot over medium; add kale, cover, and cook until wilted. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, divide kale among plates.
• Transfer chicken, apples, and onion to plates with a slotted spoon. Heat remaining liquid in skillet over high. Add cream and remaining 1 tsp. mustard and bring to a boil. Cook, whisking constantly, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
• Spoon sauce alongside chicken and kale. Garnish with tarragon, if desired.

BRAISED KALE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, kale, and stock and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes; add a splash of cider vinegar in the last minute of cooking. Remove from the heat. Serve immediately.
• In a large stock pot, over high heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours. Remove the stock from the heat and skim off any scum that is on the surface. Strain the stock through a large fine-mesh sieve. Discard the bones and vegetables.

BRAISED KALE AND BEANS

Steps:

• Cut tough stems off kale and discard. Stack leaves, roll tightly and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch strips. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with cold water; swirl to remove grit. Drain in a colander. Clean a second time if water in the bowl looks visibly dirty.
• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown around the edges, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sage; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in vegetable both, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium and add the kale. Season with salt and pepper and stir until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Cover and cook until tender but not soft, about 3 minutes.
• Uncover saucepan; stir in beans and hot sauce. Stir until beans are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

SMOKY BRAISED KALE WITH TOMATO

Steps:

• Place a large, heavy-bottomed, high-sided pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add olive oil. When it shimmers, add onions and garlic and cook until they soften and begin to turn translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add tomato paste and smoked paprika, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste begins to caramelize, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add stock and vinegar, and allow to come to a boil.
• Add half the kale, cover, and cook for a minute or two, until it wilts. Repeat with remaining kale. Stir to incorporate the onion mixture into the soft kale and simmer until tender, 20 to 30 minutes, partly covered. Season to taste with salt and pepper, drizzle with a little more vinegar, and serve.

BRAISED KALE WITH BACON AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Cook kale stems and ribs in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Set aside.
• Cook bacon pieces in heavy large pot over medium heat until brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Add chopped onions and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add kale leaves, ribs and stems and sauté until leaves are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Cover and cook until kale is very tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Cook mixture 2 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

HEALTHY BRAISED LENTILS WITH KALE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 6-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, fennel and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the rosemary and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until very fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, broth, lentils and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring just to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are just tender, about 30 minutes. There will be a good amount of broth left in the pot, which is fine. Turn off heat and stir in the kale and 3 tablespoons of the parsley until the kale is just wilted. Divide the lentil mixture among 4 large bowls and set aside while frying the eggs.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet. Crack the eggs into the skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper; fry 2 minutes for sunny-side up, or longer if firmer yolks are desired. Top each serving of lentils with a fried egg and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

BRAISED KALE WITH BLACK BEANS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Using a sharp paring knife, slice off the hard, central vein of each kale leaf.
• Stacking 3 to 4 leaves at a time, cut them crosswise into half-inch strips.
• Rinse in a colander or sieve and shake well, leaving some moisture clinging to leaves.
• In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat.
• Saute onion until translucent, about 4 minutes.
• Add kale and mix until wilted, about 3 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and garlic.
• Cook, stirring, until tomatoes soften slightly, about 3 minutes.
• Add beans and broth.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until kale is tender, about 30 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve as a side dish or over brown rice for a main course.

BROILED LAMB CHOPS WITH BRAISED ROOT VEGETABLES AND COLCANNON - CREAMY KALE AND POTATOES

Steps:

• For braised vegetables: Heat a skillet with a cover over medium to medium high heat. Add butter, carrots, rutabaga and onion. Cook veggies 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add broth or stock, bring to a simmer, and reduce heat and cover. Cook vegetables 15 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Preheat broiler to high for lamb.
• Boil potatoes for 15 minutes in salted water. Drain potatoes and return them to the hot pot and mash.
• Heat stock or broth to a simmer. Chop kale tops, discarding tough stems. Add kale to broth and cover. Simmer 10 to 12 minutes.
• Place chops about 6 to 8 inches from broiler and cook 5 minutes on each side. Remove from broiler and season chops with salt and pepper on both sides. Let chops rest 3 to 5 minutes.
• In a large skillet over moderate heat melt butter and add milk. Season with nutmeg and thyme and add scallions to the pan. Remove kale from cooking liquid to the milk and butter mixture using a slotted spoon. Stir in 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Add mashed potatoes to milk and kale and stir until combined and creamy, 1 or 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve the chops along with vegetable colcannon. Warm up store-bought Irish soda bread or brown bread with soft, unsweetened butter. The bread makes a nice starter, side or ending to this meal.

BRAISED ROTISSERIE CHICKEN WITH BACON, TOMATOES, AND KALE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet with a lid or braising pan over medium. Cook bacon until fat starts to render, about 5 minutes. Add shallots and cook until shallots are soft and fat is rendered from bacon, 8-10 minutes.
• Increase heat to high and add wine, garlic, and rosemary. Cook, stirring, until wine is reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and nestle chicken pieces, skin side up, in sauce. Top with kale, cover, and cook until kale is wilted, about 6 minutes. Stir kale into sauce and cook, uncovered, until chicken is warmed through, about 5 minutes more. Serve with bread.

BRAISED KALE CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush bread slices with 2 tablespoons olive oil; arrange bread on baking sheet. Bake until beginning to color, about 6 minutes. Rub toasts with halved garlic.
• Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and dried red pepper and stir 30 seconds. Add kale and broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Uncover and continue to simmer until kale is tender and broth has evaporated, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top toasts with kale. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and serve.

BRAISED KALE WITH RED BELL PEPPER AND BACON

Steps:

• Render the bacon until crispy in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Add the onions and bell pepper and sprinkle with salt. Stir to combine and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the kale and red pepper flakes and toss to combine. Allow the kale to wilt, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and toss in the apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

BRAISED TUSCAN KALE WITH PANCETTA AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Cut out a round of parchment paper to fit just inside a 5- to 6-quart heavy ovenproof pot, then set round aside.
• Blanch kale in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water in 2 batches, 2 minutes per batch, transferring with tongs to a colander as blanched, then drain well.
• Warm oil in 5- to 6-quart pot over moderate heat, then add pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer pancetta with a slotted spoon to a plate and reserve, discarding all but 1/4 cup of fat in pot (if necessary).
• Tie thyme, bay leaf, and parsley together with kitchen string to make a bouquet garni and add to pot along with onions and garlic. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Return pancetta to pot then add butter and heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Stir in kale and add enough stock to cover three fourths of kale. Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Cover kale directly with parchment round, then transfer pot to oven and braise, stirring once or twice, until kale is very tender, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer pot to stovetop and discard parchment, then boil mixture, stirring occasionally, until almost all of liquid is evaporated but kale is still moist, about 35 minutes. Discard bouquet garni and garlic and season kale with salt and pepper.

BRAISED KALE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, set aside a large bowl of ice water. Add kale to boiling water, return to a boil, and after 1 minute transfer to ice bath. Drain well, and set aside.
• In a large sauté pan, heat oil over low heat and sauté onion, carrot and celery until just softened. Add sherry vinegar and cook until reduced by two-thirds. Add kale and stir to coat, then add chicken broth, honey, 2 teaspoons salt and the pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, partly covered, until kale is tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Transfer kale leaves to a warm bowl, leaving onion, carrot and celery in broth. Strain broth, discarding solids. If there is more than * cup, it may be boiled in a small saucepan until reduced. Adjust salt and pepper as needed, and pour over kale. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours; gently reheat before serving.

BRAISED KALE WITH BACON

Steps:

• Remove the outer leaves of kale if damaged or discolored. Cut off the bases of the stems, wash the leaves twice in abundant cold water, and drain. Cut the leaves crosswise into 1-inch strips.
• Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium heat. Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and toss the min to the oil. Stir in the bacon and cook, stirring, until the bacon and garlic are light golden, about 4 minutes.
• Stir as many of the kale leaves into the skillet as will fit comfortably. Cook, stirring, until wilted enough to make room for more kale. Continue adding the kale, a handful at a time, until all the kale is in the skillet. Season lightly with salt and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Cover the skillet, lower the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. If all the liquid in the pan evaporates and the greens begin to stick to the pan, sprinkle a tablespoon or two of water over them. Taste the greens and season with additional salt and red pepper if you like. Serve immediately.

BRAISED KALE WITH ANCHOVIES AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Submerge the kale in the boiling water and cook, stirring once or twice, for 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over very low heat. Add the garlic, anchovies, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until the anchovies have disintegrated and the garlic is just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste has turned a deep, brick-red color, about 10 minutes.
• Add the kale and 1/4 cup water to the pot and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the kale and the tomato mixture have fully combined, all of the water has evaporated, and the kale is fully tender, about 10 minutes. If the water evaporates too quickly, add a few extra tablespoons so that the kale has time to cook fully. Serve immediately.

BRAISED KALE

Steps:

• In a very large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, then add the kale in large handfuls, letting it wilt slightly before adding more. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook over moderate heat until the kale is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the lid and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

BRAISED ASIAN KALE IN THE SLOW COOKER

Steps:

• Combine broth, garlic, soy sauce, lemongrass, and ginger in a slow cooker. Heat on High until flavors combine, about 30 minutes. Add kale and stir to coat. Reduce heat to Low and cook for approximately 2 hours. Finish with a splash of rice vinegar before serving.

BRAISED SEITAN WITH BRUSSELS, KALE AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat a large pan over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots and seitan in 2 T olive oil for about 7 minutes, until they have both browned. Add the Brussels sprouts and saute for 3 more minutes, adding a little extra olive oil if need be. Add the garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper, and saute for another minute. Mix in the sun-dried tomatoes.
• Add the vegetable broth and wine. Once the liquid is boiling, add the chopped kale. Stir the kale until it is wilted. Cover the pan, leaving a little room for steam to escape, and lower the heat. Simmer for 5-7 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt, serve immediately,.

BRAISED KALE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chopped pancetta and cook until crispy, 2-3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the greens and wilt them down, tossing frequently. Sprinkle in the sugar, toss, then deglaze the pan with vinegar and add in 1/2 cup stock. Reduce heat to low and let the kale mellow a few minutes.