{"id":59200,"date":"2026-01-14T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.acouplecooks.com\/?p=59200"},"modified":"2026-01-14T11:10:59","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T16:10:59","slug":"easy-sauteed-kale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.acouplecooks.com\/easy-sauteed-kale\/","title":{"rendered":"Easy Saut\u00e9ed Kale"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This tender, garlicky, saut\u00e9ed kale<\/strong> is the perfect way to enjoy this nutrient-packed green. Ready in 10 minutes, it\u2019s a great addition to any meal!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sauteed<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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I use a lot of kale at my house. It\u2019s delicious roasted<\/a>, cooked down in a soup<\/a>, or tossed in a salad<\/a>. But one method of prep is so delicious, Alex and I agreed we could eat it every day: this saut\u00e9ed kale!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those leafy greens can have a strong flavor when they\u2019re served solo, but when they\u2019re saut\u00e9ed with garlic and olive oil, they become instantly craveable. In under 10 minutes, you\u2019ll have a vibrant, delicious, healthy bonus to any meal!  <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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5 Star Reader Reviews<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50 \u201cThis was SOOO good, quick, and easy! Can\u2019t wait to make it again and again.\u201d\u00a0-Carolyn<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50 “I\u2019ve never liked kale, but this was really good! One of your commenters eats this for breakfast, so I\u2019ll try that as a way to increase my daily vegetable intake.” -Rita<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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How to Prep and Chop Kale<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before you can cook kale, you should wash and dry the leaves. Then, you’ll need to know how to destem and cut it! I have a video to show you exactly how I do it, but here are the quick steps if you\u2019re ready to go:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Fold the leaves of the kale together and hold them with your non-cutting hand. Use a large chef\u2019s knife to cut off the tough stem.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Roll up a few kale leaves at once.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Cut the kale<\/strong><\/a> into thick slices, using a circular motion with the knife. Rotate the slices and then chop them in the other direction to make small pieces. Repeat for all the kale leaves.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \"Sauteed<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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    How to Saut\u00e9 Kale (Overview)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Saut\u00e9ing kale brings out its natural sweetness while mellowing out its bitterness, making it tender, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying. The quick cook in olive oil and garlic adds depth that raw kale just can\u2019t match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here\u2019s my tested method to cook kale greens on the stove (or you can go ahead and jump to the recipe<\/strong><\/a>):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Wash and dry your kale leaves thoroughly, then de-stem and roughly chop the kale.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Smash and peel the garlic cloves. Steal my tips on crushing garlic<\/strong><\/a> if it\u2019s new to you!<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat to medium-high. You can use extra virgin olive oil here if that\u2019s what\u2019s in your pantry, but the regular stuff is perfect. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Add the smashed garlic and kale and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the kale is wilted and bright green.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Remove the kale from the heat and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. I like kosher salt<\/strong> <\/strong><\/a>over sea salt and table salt in all of my recipes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Discard the garlic cloves and serve! If you\u2019d like, you can add some lemon juice and Parmesan for added flavor, but it\u2019s not necessary. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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      Ingredient Spotlight: Tuscan Kale<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Curly kale works in this recipe, but Tuscan<\/strong> kale<\/strong><\/a> is milder, sweeter, and a little more crowd-pleasing if you\u2019re trying to get everyone in your family on board with eating kale<\/strong><\/a>. It also makes for great crispy<\/strong> <\/strong>kale chips<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Tuscan kale is sold in most mainstream grocery stores, but it goes by a few different names: Lacinato kale, dinosaur kale, black kale, or cavolo nero (black cabbage in Italian). Look for flat, ruffly leaves that are green-black. Again, if curly kale is all you see at your local grocer, that\u2019s fine! You\u2019ll still end up with a healthy, delicious side<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

      \"Tuscan<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Ways to Serve\u00a0This Dish<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      I love a good kale salad<\/a>, but kale is even more versatile when it\u2019s saut\u00e9ed. You can serve saut\u00e9ed kale as an easy veggie side dish<\/a> or as a vegan addition<\/a> to your favorite mains. I really like it with Italian or Mediterranean-style recipes<\/a> or as a leafy base in quinoa<\/a> or farro<\/a> bowls.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Here are a few of my favorite ideas for saut\u00e9ed kale:<\/p>\n\n\n\n