Kale
Hardy, nutrient-dense leafy greens that thrive in cool weather and get sweeter after frost
Storage
Store unwashed in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer - it'll keep for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, wash thoroughly, dry completely, and freeze in portions. Pro tip: blanch before freezing to preserve color and nutrients.
Keeps For
10-14 days fresh. Less mature leaves don't last as long as more mature ones. Size is usually a decent indication of maturity, but not always.
Flavor Profile
Raw kale is earthy with a slight bitterness that mellows beautifully when cooked. Curly kale has more texture and bite, while lacinato (dinosaur) kale is more tender with a silky feel. Both varieties become sweet and nutty when sautéed or roasted.
How to Prep
When using young tender leaves, no prep is necessary. When using older leaves for raw salads, remove any tough stems, then massage the torn leaves with a pinch of salt and olive oil or lemon juice, until they soften and turn darker green. This breaks down the tough fibers, making it much more pleasant to eat.
Ways to Cook
- 1 Massage with salt and oil for raw salads
- 2 Sauté with garlic and olive oil until wilted
- 3 Roast at high heat until edges are crispy
- 4 Add to soups and stews in the last few minutes
- 5 Blend into smoothies (start with baby kale)
- 6 Make kale chips by baking with oil and salt
- 7 Stir into pasta dishes or grain bowls
- 8 Steam lightly and dress with lemon
Pairs Well With
Good to Know
Summer kale can be tougher and more bitter than spring and fall crops due to heat stress. These leaves are best cooked rather than eaten raw - sautéing or roasting brings out their sweetness. Small holes from flea beetles are purely cosmetic and don't affect taste or quality.
Did You Know?
Kale was the most common green vegetable in Europe until the Middle Ages when cabbage became more popular. During WWII, Britain's 'Dig for Victory' campaign promoted kale as an easy-to-grow superfood that could survive harsh winters when other vegetables failed.
Recipe Inspiration
Common Questions About Kale
Can you eat kale raw?
Totally. If it's tough, it benefits from massaging first. This is particularly common with grocery store kale, which is picked very mature to increase shelf life. Young kale is tender enough to eat straight.
Can you eat kale stems?
Absolutely. Sometimes they're tough as a board, sometimes they're tender—depends on the plant's age and variety. Peeling can help with woody exteriors. Cut them small and cook them longer than the leaves (think soup or braise, not salad). The stems closer to the base tend to be woodiest. If you're buying from a farmer, ask if the stems are tender that week.
Can you freeze kale?
Yes, and it freezes well. Wash it, dry it thoroughly, and pack it into bags or containers. Blanching first (quick dip in boiling water, then ice bath) preserves color and nutrients better, but raw-frozen kale works fine for smoothies and soups. Frozen kale won't work for salads—it gets limp once thawed.
Why is my kale bitter?
Hot weather and plant age are the biggest factors. Summer kale tends to be more bitter than spring or fall harvests. If you're buying local, you know what the weather's been like. Our sweetest kale comes after a frost—cold actually converts starches to sugars. If you got a bitter batch, cooking mellows it out considerably.
How do you massage kale?
Strip leaves from stems, tear into bite-sized pieces, and put in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil or lemon juice. Squeeze and rub the leaves with your hands for 2-3 minutes until they turn darker green and feel softer. You'll notice the volume shrinks. That's when it's ready for dressing.
Does kale make you gassy?
It can, especially raw and in large amounts. Kale is high in fiber and contains raffinose, a sugar that can be hard to digest. Cooking breaks some of this down, making it easier on your gut. If raw kale bothers you, try sautéed or braised—same nutrition, less digestive drama.
Can I substitute kale for spinach?
Yes, with adjustments. Spinach tends to have a slightly more mineral flavor, and kale is a touch more vegetal. Kale is sturdier and more bitter, so it works better in cooked dishes than delicate spinach applications. In soups, braises, and sautés—swap freely. In salads, massage the kale first. Kale won't wilt as fast as spinach when cooked, so give it more time. For smoothies, either works.
What type of kale is best for salads?
Depends. Curly kale does a better job of holding up heavy salad ingredients and holds more dressing. Lacinato (also called dinosaur or Tuscan kale) is more tender than curly kale, with a silkier texture. Unless you're really finicky about your salad, either will work fine.
What type of kale is best for soup?
Either works great. Curly kale holds its texture longer and adds more body to brothy soups. Lacinato melts into the soup more, which some people prefer. Both get sweeter and more tender with simmering. Add kale in the last 10-15 minutes of cooking—it doesn't need long. You can also throw it in a pot and cook for hours if you want it to come out more like well-cooked collards.
Are kale flowers edible?
Yes, and they're delicious. When kale bolts in spring, the yellow flower buds and open flowers are tender and sweet—almost like broccoli raab. Snap off the tender tops and sauté them quickly with garlic and oil. Once the flowers fully open and go to seed, the stems get tough, but the early buds are a treat. You can use them pretty much anywhere you would use broccoli or kale.
How long does kale last in the fridge?
Farm-fresh kale holds 10-14 days in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer—often longer than grocery store kale, which may have been in transit for a week before you bought it. Once leaves start yellowing or going slimy, use quickly or compost. Don't wash until you're ready to use it; wet kale in storage slimes fast.
How do you make kale chips?
Strip leaves off the stems, if the stems are tough, and tear into 2-inch pieces. Wash and dry thoroughly—wet kale steams rather than crisps. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt per bunch. Spread in a single layer on a sheet pan (don't crowd) and bake at 275-300°F for 20-25 minutes, rotating once, until crispy but still green. Watch them closely at the end—they go from perfect to burnt in a minute. The biggest mistake you can make is overcrowding your pan, in which case they steam rather than roast.
What's the difference between curly kale and dinosaur kale?
Different varieties, different textures, similar flavor. Curly kale has tightly ruffled leaves and a more robust, sometimes peppery flavor. Dinosaur kale (also called lacinato or Tuscan kale) has long, flat, dark blue-green leaves with a bumpy texture—it's more tender and slightly milder than curly kale. For raw salads, dinosaur is easier to work with. For soups and sautés, both work; curly holds texture longer.
What does kale taste like?
Earthy, a little bitter, a little peppery—somewhere between cabbage and collard greens with its own mineral edge. Raw kale is assertive and tough; massaging or cooking mellows it out considerably. Kale harvested after a frost is much sweeter than summer kale. Curly kale is sharper; dinosaur kale is milder. The bad reputation kale has is mostly about undercooked, unmassaged, unsalted kale—done right, it's one of the best greens.
Does kale cause kidney stones?
This is a question best left to a nutritionist, but as we understand it, kale contains moderate amounts of oxalates, which, in large quantities, can contribute to calcium oxalate kidney stones in susceptible people. It's lower in oxalates than spinach, chard, or beets. For most people, normal kale consumption isn't an issue. If you have a history of kidney stones, talk to your doctor—cooking reduces oxalate content somewhat, and pairing with dairy (which binds oxalates) can help.
Does kale have more protein than spinach?
Slightly more, but we're talking a gram or two per cup. Both are relatively low-protein greens—if you're trying to hit a protein goal, kale and spinach aren't doing most of the work. They're much better as vehicles for nutrients, fiber, and texture than as protein sources.
Why is my kale turning yellow?
Age, heat exposure, or ethylene gas from nearby fruit in the fridge. Yellowing kale is still safe to eat but has lost most of its peppery character—use it in something cooked where fresh flavor isn't the point (soup, frittata, stew). If it's also slimy or smells off, compost it.
When is kale in season?
Year-round in the Pacific Northwest, but peak quality is fall through early spring. Kale is a cool-weather crop—it actually gets sweeter after a frost because the plant converts starches to sugar as a form of antifreeze. Summer kale tends to be more bitter and tougher from heat stress. If you want the best kale, buy local October through April.
Why is there a white film on my kale?
Usually a natural bloom—a thin waxy coating that some brassicas produce to help shed water and protect the leaves. It washes off easily and is harmless. Less commonly, white powdery patches can be powdery mildew (a fungal issue); that's more common on garden plants than harvested leaves. If the film rinses off with water, it's bloom; if it's fuzzy, it's mildew and the leaves are past prime.
Can you eat kale raw every day?
For most people, yes—but variety is better than monoculture. Raw kale is high in oxalates and goitrogens, which, in very large daily amounts over long periods, can affect mineral absorption and thyroid function. Normal consumption (a salad a day, a handful in a smoothie) isn't a problem for most people. Rotate with other greens and don't eat it raw exclusively. When in doubt, ask a doctor.
What are kale microgreens?
Kale harvested at the seedling stage, about 7-14 days after germination, with just the first set of true leaves. They taste like concentrated kale—intense, slightly peppery, a little sweet. Great on sandwiches, salads, and as a garnish. They're a different product from adult kale, not just smaller leaves.
Is baby kale the same as kale?
Same plant, different harvest stage. Baby kale is tender, small leaves harvested young—mild enough to eat without massaging or cooking. Mature kale is the full-grown leaves we usually see in bunches, which need more prep to be pleasant raw. Baby kale is the default for salads and quick greens; mature kale is better for soups, sautés, braises, and kale chips.
How do you soften kale without massaging?
First off, buy better kale. If that's not an option: - For cooking, heat and time. Boil the piss out of it and all but the woodiest kale will succumb. - For raw, two tricks. First, chop or shred kale very finely—thin ribbons are easier to chew than big leaves. Second, let the kale sit in dressing for 20-30 minutes before serving; acid and salt from the dressing break down the fibers the same way massaging does, just more slowly. Hot oil or broth poured over kale also wilts it enough for most uses.