Wondering what's the best way to use kale? Discover these easy and tasty vegan kale recipes. From main dishes, salads, sides and smoothies there are lots of delicious ways to use this healthy leafy green.
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I thought I would never like kale - overcooked, soggy kale and slightly bitter, chewy kale leaves in salads put me off.
But then I discovered the magic of how to use kale to make it delicious!
The secret in salads is to gently massage the kale to make it tender and use salt or olive oil to help draw out the bitterness. I know massaging kale sounds odd, but trust me - it works wonders!
And when cooking with kale, I prefer to keep it on the more al dente side of done, so that it still has a little bit of texture and freshness to it.
Combining kale with garlic and lemon is the best way to flavour it - and many of these vegan kale recipes feature this delicious trio of ingredients!
- For more super yummy kale flavour pairings be sure to read our guide on What Goes Well With Kale.
Kale main dishes
Kale & Mushroom Pasta
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Vegan Kale & White Bean Soup
A creamy vegan kale and white bean soup that's ready in 30 minutes. Full of plant-based protein, this recipe makes a comforting and cosy meal for those chilly evenings.
Lemony Lentil Stew With Kale
A steaming bowl of this kale lentil stew is just what you need on a cold winter evening. With the fresh tang of lemon, and a hint of heat from red pepper flakes, this nourishing meal is packed full of flavour and veggies.
Easy Kale Curry with Potatoes
This Sri Lankan inspired curry is ready in under 30 minutes and has just 12 ingredients. It's spicy, fragrant and a delicious way to cook kale.
Roasted Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa and Kale
In this acorn squash recipe, kale is combined with quinoa and pine nuts to make a herby stuffing. Topped with a balsamic glaze for extra yum!
Butternut Squash Curry with Kale
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Avocado Kale Florentine with Smoked Paprika Hollandaise
Kale + Black Bean Burrito Bowl
Kale salads
Kale Apple Salad
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Easy Kale and Quinoa Tabouli Salad
This twist on Tabouli Salad, features super-healthy kale and gluten-free quinoa! This recipe is great for making a big batch and enjoying over a few days.
Vegan Winter Kale Salad
This kale salad is packed with nourishing ingredients - oranges, pomegranate seeds, pecans, arugula, tomatoes and vegan feta. A simple balsamic dressing brings it all together.
Vegan Kale Caesar Salad
This Vegan Kale Caesar Salad has crunchy croutons made from chickpeas and flavourful pickled onions for a twist on the classic dish! Ready in 15 minutes.
Healthy Kale and Beet Salad Recipe
For a colourful winter salad, give this kale and beet salad a try! Packed with veggies and a homemade walnut dressing (make sure to use maple syrup or vegan honey to keep it vegan).
Kale sides
Kale Chip Nachos
Ready in under 30 minutes these vegan 'nachos' use kale chips as their crunchy base. Topped with avocado, sweet potato, cilantro and spicy black beans for a tasty side dish.
Kale Chips
This step by step guide will show you how to make crispy kale chips in the oven. Simple and satisfying!
Vegan Kale Pesto Sauce
A quick and easy recipe for kale pesto sauce made with avocado and cashews. Great to make a healthy pasta dinner or swirled into vegan yogurt to create a creamy dip.
Sauteed Kale with Cider Vinegar
This simple sauteed kale is seasoned with cider vinegar to make an easy and quick side dish.
Colcannon Recipe
This vegan colcannon features fluffy mashed potatoes with kale and green onions. The perfect side dish for St Patricks Day!
Kale smoothies
Vegan Kale Smoothie
Start your day with this dairy free green smoothie. Frozen banana makes it creamy, and orange and coconut water make it delighfully refreshing.
Nutritious Green Smoothie
This green smoothie is packed broccoli, kale, apple, pineapple, spirulina, ginger, avocado and more to make a nutrient packed and tasty drink to start your day.
Kale Spinach Smoothie
This protein packed smoothie is a great way to add more healthy greens like spinach and kale to your diet. With almond milk, almond butter, frozen banana, pineapple or mango.
More ideas for kale
Still looking for more vegan kale recipes or ideas? These are two of our favourite ways to use kale in our kitchen:
- Use chopped kale as a substitute for spinach in our Lentil Potato Dahl. Kale is an ideal alternative to spinach in many recipes - it takes slightly longer to soften and wilt down, but is just as good.
- Saute kale in olive oil in a large frying pan. Keep stirring for 1-2 minutes. When it is soft but still a fresh green colour, add a splash of soy sauce and squeeze of lemon juice. This is one of our favourite kale side dishes.
Kale FAQs
Kale can be bought all year round. It is a cold hardy vegetable, so it's commonly enjoyed in the winter months. In the UK, kale harvest starts in September and carries on into early spring.
There are four main varieties of kale. The most common is curly kale. Then you have the darker, more elongated, lacinato or Tuscan Kale which has thinner stems and a silky texture. Red Russian kale has more flat leaves, with a reddish stem. And baby kale is the smallest and most tender.
Store kale in the fridge, preferably in the crisper or vegetable drawer. Keeping it with a paper towel inside a sealed plastic bag can help it to stay fresher for longer. Don't wash kale before storing, as this can cause it to spoil more easily.
In some varieties of kale, particularly mature curly kale, it is preferable to remove the tough, stringy stems. You can do this by holding the end of the stem with one hand and running your other hand down the stem to strip off the leafy part. You can also cut out the stem with a sharp knife.
Yes, you can freeze kale to store it year round. First, wash it well, and then dry very thoroughly using a salad spinner or towel. Remove the stems and then spread the remaining leaves out on a large baking sheet. Flash freeze for 2-3 hours until solid and then transfer your frozen leaves to a freezer container.
We hope you enjoyed this collection of kale recipes! Be sure to check out our other recipe collections for more inspiration.
Tell us your favourite vegan kale recipes and share your ideas in the comments below.
Loved our recipe? Have a question we can answer? We'd love to hear from you! Sophie and Paul 💚