Easy Garlic Kale

4.4
(102)

I love kale, but my husband hates it. Cooking it quickly with olive oil and minced garlic is the only way he'll eat it.

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Prep Time:
7 mins
Cook Time:
8 mins
Total Time:
15 mins
Servings:
4

Add a delicious pop of color to your plate with this 3-ingredient kale recipe that comes together in just 15 minutes. If it sounds too good to be true, try this crowd-pleasing side dish for yourself — you'll be shocked at its simplicity.

Easy Garlic Kale Ingredients

This recipe for kale is incredibly easy to make with just three ingredients:

Kale
Choose sturdy kale that's evenly green and free of yellow or brown spots. The leaves should be crisp and unwilted.

Garlic
A teaspoon of minced garlic adds just the right amount of flavor. You can keep it simple or add salt, pepper, and/or other seasonings to taste.

Oil
The kale is cooked in olive oil until bright green and tender.

How to Prepare Kale

You'll need to thoroughly clean the kale before you cook it. To prepare kale for cooking, simply soak the leaves in a large bowl of water until the grit sinks to the bottoms. Lift the leaves out and repeat the process with clean water if they're particularly dirty.

What you do next will depend on the recipe. For this one, immediately discard the stems and chop the kale into 1-inch pieces.

How to Make Easy Garlic Kale

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's what you can expect when you make this incredibly easy garlic kale recipe:

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Stir in garlic and cook until sizzling. Add kale to the skillet, toss, cover, and cook (tossing occasionally with tongs) until the kale is tender and vibrant green.

How to Store Cooked Kale

Let your leftovers cool to room temperature, then place them in a shallow airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to five days. Eat the kale cold, microwave it in 10-second increments, or reheat it on the stove.

Learn more: How to Store Kale

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"I liked the simplicity of this recipe," says Allrecipes Allstar thedailygourmet. "Great side and fast to make — no changes other than using kale that was already rinsed...it made preparation that much faster."

"I will make it again," according to Clare. "I added plain pasta and a sprinkling of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese to make it a complete meal."

"This is such an easy quick way to fix such a delightful vegetable," raves Rebecca Mitchell. "My whole family loved it! I used Cajun seasoning instead of salt and pepper because I was serving it alongside Cajun-style fried fish."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch kale

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    Overhead shot of ingredients gathered to make garlic kale

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  2. Soak kale leaves in a large bowl of water until dirt and sand begin to fall to the bottom, about 2 minutes. Lift kale from the bowl without drying the leaves and immediately remove and discard stems. Chop the kale leaves into 1-inch pieces.

    High angle shot of kale being chopped on a cutting board

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir garlic until sizzling, about 1 minute. Add kale to the skillet and place a cover over the top.

  4. Cook, stirring occasionally with tongs, until kale is bright green and slightly tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

    Overhead shot of garlic kale being cooked in a pan

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  5. Enjoy!

    mid angle looking at a white platter of garlic kale

    DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS 

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

87 Calories
4g Fat
11g Carbs
4g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 87
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Sodium 48mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 135mg 673%
Calcium 153mg 12%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 504mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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