Kale raw vs. cooked?

IVMarkIV
IVMarkIV Posts: 116
in Recipes
Anyone try kale cooked? Optimal cooking methods, thoughts, opinions, comparison vs. raw kale?

I'm a huge raw kale fan dressed every which way...Dijon mustard, olive oil, balsamic, avocado/guacamole (personal favorite), etc.

Replies

  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    I used it in soup yesterday, made Italian Meatball Soup....was yummy. I have used it place of spinach in pasta dishes as well, such as Kale Lasagna Rolls, etc...
  • Christine_120
    Christine_120 Posts: 50
    I love fresh and steamed Kale put in everything that isn't just salads. Pasta sauce, soup etc. Tonight I chopped it into turkey meatballs with mushroom sauce. Adds bulk, iron and fibre and few calories. Because my family doesn't want it in everything I just steam in microwave for a minute and add to everything for me.
  • verptwerp
    verptwerp Posts: 3,629 Member
    I like it either way .....

    Add kale to soups and stews ....... or put baby kale in a bowl, ladle soup, stew, or chili on top ...... or add to pasta & sauce .....

    Enjoy :drinker:
  • James_Bergin
    James_Bergin Posts: 84 Member
    I don't eat kale that often, but when I do I blanch it with a bit of ginger and garlic. Sometimes, if the rest of the meal is a bit tame, I'll hop in a red or green chilli or two.

    Basically, what I do is bring a quarter cup of water to the boil in a wide saucepan with a cover ( a pot will do too). While that's heating up I roughly chop about 3 cups worth of kale. When it comes to the boil, I add a teaspoon of sesame oil, and a quarter clove of chopped garlic, and about a have teaspoon of minced ginger and simmer for a minute (if you want, this is also when you would add that hypothetical chilli). Then I throw in the kale, cover, and simmer for 1 - 2 minutes, or until the kale turns a darker shade of green and has just wilted (that way it still has a bit of crunch). Next, drain off the stock water. You can either dispose of it, or keep it as a home made vegetable for making soups. Finally, serve it up however you like, as a hot salad, or as a side with something else; Enjoy!

    PS: Be careful after adding the kale, it takes a bit of care not to over blanch it and turn the kale soft.
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,010 Member
    Sauteed with garlic, olive oil and finished with fresh lemon juice or red chili flakes. I also like to steam an egg or two over the top sometimes. Also you can finish finish with garlic olive oil and a good aged balsamic. Yum.
  • LovingLifeInCalifornia
    LovingLifeInCalifornia Posts: 9,362 Member
    I've eaten it raw, but I prefer it cooked. I've stir fried it with other veggies, eaten it in soups, and (my favorite) is roasted it in the oven to make kale chips. :) I love kale chips...alone, thrown onto a sweet potato, whatever. YUM.
  • Sunbrooke
    Sunbrooke Posts: 632 Member
    It's nice sautéed with a bunch of other veggies. Adds texture. I love to throw arugula in there too, but I only buy it when it's marked down.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    I personally detest kale, but kale chips (dried in the oven) are the least objectionable form.
  • kickivale
    kickivale Posts: 260 Member
    I eat kale cooked and raw, love both.

    Tonight I ate a kale and cheese quesadilla which was awesome.
    It is great in any soup that calls for spinach, chard or collards.
    If you're a pasta eater its great chopped up, sauteed, and mixed in with some baby tomatoes, oil garlic and parmesan.

    My personal fave way to eat cooked kale is with white beans and red pepper flakes. That combo works as a base for soup, stew, side, topping for crostini, pretty much anything.

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