Kale is very good at convincing people they dislike greens. Cook it badly and you get tough stalks, rubbery leaves and a bitter edge. Prepare it properly, however, and it becomes a useful vegetable for quick meals, soups and warm side dishes.
There is no need to boil it for twenty minutes until all colour has disappeared. The best method depends on the leaf: tender baby kale needs only a short cook, while mature curly leaves benefit from removing the hard ribs and giving the leaves enough time to soften.
Pick fresh leaves and prepare them
Choose kale with reasonably firm leaves and no slimy patches or bad smell. Curly kale has ruffled edges; cavolo nero has dark, long leaves. Baby kale is more tender and often used in salads.
Rinse loose kale under running water, paying attention to the folds that can trap soil. Drain thoroughly. If it comes pre-washed in a bag, follow the label and inspect for yellowing or excess moisture.
Strip mature leaves from their tough central stalks. Fold a leaf around its stem and cut or pull the leafy part away. You can finely chop good stalks for soup, but they need longer cooking than the leaves.
Chop to match your method
For steaming or boiling, chop mature leaves into manageable ribbons. For stir-frying, slightly smaller pieces cook evenly and combine better with garlic or chilli.
For soup, rough shreds are fine because they will soften in the broth. If using baby kale, you may not need to cut it at all.
Try to keep pieces relatively similar in size. A pan containing fine shreds and giant tough leaves will be unevenly cooked.
Boil kale briefly
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, add a small pinch of salt if you use it, then add the prepared kale. Press the leaves beneath the surface and cook until they are tender enough for your preference.
Tender kale may be ready in only a few minutes; thick mature leaves need longer. Test a piece rather than relying on a strict clock. Drain well and allow excess steam to escape.
For a straightforward side, toss with a little butter or olive oil and black pepper. A squeeze of lemon can brighten the finished greens, especially if they taste slightly earthy.
Steam for a gentler result
Put water in the base of a steamer without letting it touch the basket. Bring it to a simmer, add kale and cover. Steam until the leaves wilt and become pleasantly tender.
Steaming uses little additional liquid, so the kale can hold its colour and texture well. Check after a short period because thin leaves soften faster than robust winter kale.
Do not crowd the basket so tightly that nothing moves or heats evenly. If cooking a big bag, add the leaves in stages or use a larger pot.
Sauté kale with garlic
Warm a wide frying pan with a little oil over medium heat. Add the prepared kale, tossing to coat. A spoonful of water can help the leaves wilt without scorching.
Cover briefly if using thick kale, then uncover and continue cooking until any extra moisture evaporates. Add chopped garlic towards the later stage so it has time to cook without burning.
Finish with lemon juice or chilli flakes. If the pan becomes completely dry before the kale softens, add a splash of water instead of pouring in lots of oil.
Cook it in soup or stew
Kale is excellent in bean soups, lentil stews and sausage casseroles because it holds some texture after cooking. Add mature leaves with enough time to soften, but not so early that they disintegrate.
Baby kale can go in during the final minutes. It needs less cooking and can become mushy if simmered for a long time.
Taste the broth before adding more salt. Cured meats, stock cubes and parmesan may already make the dish salty.
Make kale chips in the oven
For a completely different texture, dry trimmed kale thoroughly, coat lightly with oil and spread on a baking tray. Low, steady baking can produce crisp snack leaves without turning them black.
Good Food uses around 150°C conventional or 130°C fan for kale crisps, with a cooking period around twenty minutes. Check regularly because leaf size and ovens vary.
Do not confuse kale crisps with the soft boiled or steamed vegetable. Once baked dry, the leaves are fragile and best eaten soon.
How to reduce bitterness
The natural flavour of kale varies by variety, age and growing conditions. Removing thick stalks improves texture, and cooking gently can make strongly flavoured leaves more pleasant.
Lemon, garlic, a modest amount of salt and a little fat often balance bitterness. Combining kale with sweet roasted onions or beans can also make it more appealing without covering it in heavy sauce.
If kale tastes extremely unpleasant or looks spoiled, do not assume adding sugar will fix it. Freshness matters.
Avoid soggy or stringy kale
Long cooking in too much water can give you limp leaves, while undercooking thick ribs leaves stringy bites. The solution is not a magic number of minutes; it is removing hard stalks and checking a real mouthful for tenderness.
For sautéed kale, cooking in a crowded pan can trap liquid. Uncover towards the end and let steam escape. For boiled kale, drain thoroughly before adding butter.
If you need a purée for a sauce or smoothie, a softer final texture may be perfectly appropriate. Decide how you intend to serve it.
Storing cooked kale safely
If you cook more than you need, cool it promptly and refrigerate in a clean covered container. Use standard leftover-handling guidance rather than leaving a warm pan out overnight.
Reheat until hot throughout when serving warm. Sautéed kale often reheats well in a frying pan with a splash of water. Leftovers also work folded into omelettes or stirred into soup.
For the easiest everyday version, remove the ribs, steam or sauté for a few minutes and taste. Properly cooked kale should be tender and still taste like a vegetable, not a punishment.