Sautéed Kale

 This easy sautéed kale recipe is healthy, delicious, and versatile. Serve it as a side dish, or add it to grain bowls, pastas, frittatas, and more!

SIDE DISHES / COOKING BASICS — JUMP TO RECIPE

If you’ve never cooked sautéed kale before, now’s the time to try it! It’s a versatile side dish, just as at home alongside a bowl of soup as it is next to a pile of pasta, but it’s also a fantastic cooking component. My recipe calls for 6 ingredients (3 of which are olive oil, salt, and pepper), and it cooks up in under 5 minutes. Because it’s so simple, it’s one of my go-to additions to clear-out-the-fridge frittatas, quick weeknight pastas, improvised grain bowls, and more. As an added bonus, it’s jam-packed with nutrients, and it tastes delicious. Kale may not be as cool as it was 5 years ago, but this sautéed kale recipe will always be a mainstay in my kitchen.

Sautéed Kale Recipe Ingredients

We’ll use 6 simple ingredients in this easy sautéed kale recipe:

• Kale! I love tender lacinato kale, but another variety, such as curly kale, will work here too. Before you cook it, wash and dry the kale and remove any tough stems. Then, tear or chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
• Extra-virgin olive oil – It adds rich flavor and helps the kale soften as it cooks.
• Garlic – It amps up the flavor in this simple dish.
• Lemon juice – It makes the hearty kale nice and bright.
• And sea salt and fresh black pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, chopped kale, salt, and pepper, and cook, tossing, until the kale wilts. Remove from the heat, and squeeze a little lemon juice over the kale. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

That’s it! Change up the seasoning by sprinkling crushed red pepper flakes or everything bagel seasoning over the cooked kale. Enjoy!