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large red and white stockpot with braised kale and stainless spoon.
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4.67 from 9 votes

Braised Kale Recipe

This is one of our favorite cooked kale recipes, and it’s very easy to make! Braised kale is delicious and power-packed with protein and calcium.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Course: Kale Salad Recipes
Cuisine: American
Diet: Low Calorie, Low Fat, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 54kcal
Author: Terri Edwards

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chopped kale or fresh from your garden
  • 1 cup onion sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup veggie broth or water
  • 4 Tablespoons soy sauce or Bragg's Aminos
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Begin by washing the kale thoroughly to remove dirt and debris. Don’t skip this because kale can be quite gritty sometimes.
  • You can buy the bags of kale that is already destemmed, but it will have a lot of thick fibrous stems that you’ll need to remove. I prefer to buy fresh kale and remove the stems whole. Destemming is not difficult and doesn’t even require a knife or scissors. See pictures and instructions for destemming above.
  • The kale looks like a tremendous amount, but it will wilt down within minutes to only about 5-6 servings. I usually purchase 1-2 fresh bunches of it. If you have a lot of fresh kale from your garden, even better! Wash and remove the stems from each leaf.
  • Slice the onion and mince the garlic. I like to cut my onions into crescent shapes, but you can really dice them any way that is preferable.
  • In a large stockpot, add veggie broth or water, onion, and minced garlic clove. Allow sautéing for approximately 5 minutes. Add the kale and lemon juice, cover pot, and simmer until wilted–about 5 minutes.
  • Once kale is wilted and reduced dramatically in volume, add the soy sauce and all spices, and cook UNcovered for approximately 5-7 minutes, until tender and most liquid has cooked out.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Pro Tips & Suggestions:
Kale- You can buy pre-cut bags, but you'll need to remove the little pieces of stems because they won't cook to become soft. I prefer to purchase the loose leaf kale instead of using the precut-bagged kale that has stems in it. They are too fibrous and chewy.
Don't overcook- Kale is perfectly cooked for around 5-7 minutes. Don't overcook the kale, because it will turn an ugly brown color and not be the pretty bright green intended.
Storage- Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g