Stir Fried Kale

Like this recipe a lot, but made a few changes to how it was prepared - fried up the garlic and onion in the oil first, then added the (curly) kale, turned the heat right up, then added some water (a few splashes) which then turned to steam and cooked the kale through. After all the liquid was absorbed, added the breadcrumbs and some salt and served up with some parmesan shavings for extra flavour. Disappeared really fast so must've done something right ;) Thanks for the original receipe - great way to do kale!

Wow! I never liked kale before I tried this recipe... Followed the advice of others and cooked the onion and garlic first, added the kale with a splash of water and covered it for a minute or so. Threw in the breadcrumbs at the end and tossed it all together with a bit of sea salt and a splash of lemon juice. I had a bit left over, which I ate cold, straight out of the fridge the next day. Still yummy!

1) Don't be alarmed by the amount/bulk of fresh kale called for. It reduces so much that you really do need at least 1/2 lb. to get one adult serving. 2) Use a LARGE saute pan or skillet, as the kale needs a lot of surface area to stir fry. If you prepare it in a Dutch oven or a small pan that forces you to pile the kale up, you will not get rid of the water and the kale will saute instead of stir frying. 3) Wilt the kale for no more than 5 minutes. 4) Most Important: Use fewer bread crumbs, and remove the bread-crumb coated onions before adding the kale. Once the kale has stir-fried, put it in a serving dish and add the onions on top. It is a nicer presentation, because loose bread crumbs spread over the kale and make it appear less appetizing. I've never been able to keep the bread crumbs on the onions if I keep them in the pan while I fry the kale. 5) Try this with the Cajun Style Baked Sweet Potato.

I made this as the recipe called for and the kale was too chewy and so I made a simple modification and its awesome. I removed the thick rib in the middle of the kale and chopped it up. Then boiled it x 10 min. Meanwhile cook onion and garlic in frying pan and added some salt,pepper and small amt of hot pepper flakes. Then put the boiled drained kale in the olive oil/onion mixture with salt and pepper and it was really good. Even people who thought they did not like kale enjoyed it this way.

Great way to quickly and easily cook any type of green - I would suggest that when you need to add moisture you add veg or chicken broth in lieu of water.

This is a good recipe for Kale. I added some butter & parmesean cheese. Not quite as healthy, but a good way to get the rest of my family to eat their veggies:)

Yummy! This was very easy and very tasty. I will make this again. I found that I needed to add water while it was cooking but other than that it was great.

yummy! i eat solo, so i scaled it down to 2 servings. i took the recommendations of others & cooked the kale separately. i always tear the leaf from the stem, & use the water from rinsing to steam it. i also prefer my kale slightly wilted , just after it turns bright. typically when i make 2 servings of something, it will be a nice 1 serving main course, but not this one! i used most of the onion mixture for just 1/2 the kale. i didn't cook the other 1/2 yet. perhaps i'll make this again tomorrow w/ other modifications. it's quick & simple, why not?

Mmmmm, delish! Even better with some butter!

I had never made kale before, but one of my girlfriend's had it in her garden. So I just got on your site and started searching. She had never made it before either, so we thougth we'd give it a try. Yummy! I read the reviews, and followed the advise of one who suggested removing the onion/garlic mixture after adding bread crumbs. I then added water and the chopped kale...cooked it for about 5-10 minutes until it was wilted. I then drained the water, and tossed the kale in with the garlick/onion mixture. I didn't use a full cup of bread crumbs either. Once tossed, I added some fresh parmesan shavings. My boyfriend who claimed he hated kale love it! Everyone was so suprised, and said this is restaurant style good! Thanks to for all the reviews and the recipe! Yum!

Wonderfull! Thankyou for such a great recipe. This is the best way I have ever tasted kale.

this was a wonderful base recipe! i took the advice of others and added my breadcrumbs after wilting the kale a few minutes. i always trim away the stems(don't care for the flavor), and use the leaves only of the greens. i began the recipe sauteeing the onions but i minced some hick cut bacon, and reduced the olive oil to about a tsp. then i added the garlic, then the kale, and afer wilting i added about a 1/4 breadcrumbs. yum!

Loved the fact that this is not the typical wet,cooked-to-disintegration greens recipe. This recipe has tremendous potential for variations. As is, I think it's rather bland, but I scaled it down to two servings and added 2-3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Other options I plan to try are: Mrs. Dash's seasonings; balsamic vinegar with golden raisins and pine nuts; tarragon. Probably not a dish that appeals to children and teens, but definitely a keeper!

I made this recipe without the breadcrumbs because I realized I didn't have any in the house once I'd already started cooking. It was very good and had a lot of flavor! The kale shrunk down a lot and absorbed the oil nicely - it wasn't too dry or too wet. I will definitely use this recipe again and maybe try it with spinach too.

I also removed the breadcrumb onions after they were finished. I put about 1/4 cup of veggie broth in the skillet before I added the kale then put a lid on it. I stirred a couple of times and let it cook/steam for about 5-6 minutes. When all the broth was gone and the kale tender, I added the onions and stirred. I found the dish really tasty! Next time I will chop the kale a bit more rather than just a rough chop. Thanks for quick recipe idea!

Delicious! Skip the bread crumbs, cut down a bit on the olive oil, add a cup of vegetable broth and 2 cans of garbanzos or white beans that have been rinsed and drained. Cover, simmer until kale is tender. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with hot sauce. Serve over rice, quinoa or cornbread. Delicious, quick dinner!

I loved my grandmother's kale but never could duplicate it. I saw this recipe and decided to try it. I sauteed the onion and garlic in olive oil and then added some italian breadcrumbs. I took others' advice and cut the kale into pieces and steamed it in organic chicken broth and then added the onion, garlic and breadcrumbs back into the kale, leaving whatever chicken broth was left. It was really good. THEN.. since I had leftover turkey and stuffing, I added a couple of tablespoons of stuffing and cut up some turkey into it... WOW.. it was delicious. I had made corn bread stuffing so it was kinda sweet, which helped balance the kale's bitterness. I loved it so much, I had it for breakfast and instead of adding turkey, I used two small slices of canadian bacon... Delicious... Will definitely use this recipe with other greens as well...

Agree with some of the other reviews. Great basic idea. Needs modifications.

This stuff is awesome! I have made it several times this summer. I would definitely recommend moving the cooked onion/breadcrumb mixture to a separate plate and wilt the kale without it in the pan. I add about a cup of chicken stock to the pan with the kale to help often it up a bit. Add the breadcrumb mixture just before serving that way it won't be soggy. Delicious.

Great recipe! The first time I made this recipe as is and it was perfect. This time, after I had de-ribbed the kale, I realised I was out of breadcrumbs so I made 2 small changes. First I added crushed red pepper to the garlic/onions & then I added 1 tbs butter to the kale in the last minute of cooking..Fantastic! You do not need to add water at all. Toss the kale around for a minute and it will wilt from the heat just fine every single time. I am not sure what a "bunch" of kale is because I pick it from the garden. If you have fresh the amount of kale to make enough to fill a standard veg-can (cooked) from the store would be enough to almost fill a grogery sack(raw).

Your recipe was a revelation! First, because I assumed kale would taste bitter or cabbage-y. Not! Second, because I am not a big fan of garlic. However, I substituted a couple of crushed Caesar croutons for the breadcrumbs and it was Italian enough w/o the strong garlic flavor. My eye doctor told me I need more lutein to support macular health. And guess whta? Half a cup of kale has 10 mg of the stuff, more than any other veg.

Pretty good. A little dry. Definitely add something--vegetable or chicken broth, maybe--to give it some more moisture. I tried it without the onions and added some spinach leaves, and it was good. Great over brown rice as a main course.

Used this recipe my first time trying kale, and haven't switched away from it yet! A great way to get accustomed to the flavor of kale. Sometimes I also add a little soy sauce or some raisins to help counter the bitterness.

This was really good and very easy! Followed directions exactly, except used about half of the bread crumbs (used italian bread crumbs). Served as a side dish with Brats and spicy mustard.

I didn't use the breadcrumbs, but love this recipe.

Yummy!!! I used spinach and swiss chard instead of kale, and only 3T of oil. Tasted wonderful, even my veggie-hating hubby loved it.

Kale is my new best friend. This was awesome and I really appreciate this recipe. Thanks.

Getting my husband to eat greens is like getting a 5 year old to eat...well pretty much anything. However with this recipe he actually gets excited when I make it. The key (at least for him) is to let the kale get sort of crispy in the skillet. I think it reminds him more of chips at that point. It is a simple, great recipe that is easy to tweak to your preferences.

This is great with a dash of balsamic vinegar on it while frying.

There is something not quite right with the way you cook the kale in this recipe. How can it cook properly with no steam and no oil (the oil is all absorbed by the bread crumbs before you add the kale.) Well, it did eventually get cooked by contact with the heat on the bottom of the pan and constant stirring, but my children commented that you had to chew the stuff forever. But I did like the flavor of the breadcrumb mixture, it was a good addition. Next time I would cook it separately though while steaming the kale.

Kale needs to be cooked to death to make it soft, it is not spinach. This was way too little cooking time in my opinion.

This recipe turn put good. I use my wok to stir fry the kale.I like the taste of the onion and garlic mix with breadcrumbs. Good combo! Will use it again!

This is the BEST! I love it and make it often. My company from Germany loved it too! Thanks for sharing it.

At the recommendation of our eye doctor we are trying to add more 'greens' to our diet. I had a little trouble swallowing this kale (literally), but I think the next try might be better. What I will do differently next time is to remove the larger stems and chop only the leaves. I will also add more onion because it adds a nice sweetness to the dish, and will cook it all longer so it isn't so chewey.

I loved this recipe, and so did my husband. I changed the quantity to 3 servings, had one stalk of kale. Per the reviews I cooked the kale and breadcrumbs separately. I added chicken broth and olive oil to the kale for cooking, and added diced red pepper to the breadcrumb mixture. Added salt, pepper, and nutmeg to season. Yummy!

I also used chop green onions instead of regular onions.

I cooked this a little differently than the recipe directions. I added the kale and wilted it down and then I added bread crumbs (not as many as the recipe called for) This was tasty but I did think it needed some additional seasonings. red pepper, cumin,.. etc.

I made this first with fresh kale and then again with kale I had already simmered. To me, kale just needs a bit more cooking so I liked it much better that way. Thanks for the recipe.

yum! I didn't have onions or bread crumbs, so I added mushrooms, and parmesan cheese. yum!

Awesome! The whole family enjoyed this and I felt great that I got something healthy in them! (and cheap too!)

I added red peppers when I added the Kale. I also waited until the end to add the breadcrumbs.

First two bites were delicious, but got very sick of the taste afterwards; because it was very bland and dry. I made much better the second time by adding less bread crumbs AFTER the kale, and adding a bit of Hoisin sauce about 30 seconds before done cooking.

As written... I didn't care for the flavor. Added parmesan cheese, that helped. But I'll keep looking for a way to use kale.

I was shocked at how good this is! Like other recommended I sauted the garlic and onion, then added the kale cooking until is wilted and got shiny. Then sprinkled about 3-4 Tbsp Italian breadcrumbs over it, stirring to mix. I thought this would be good with bacon bits or ham chunks. This will definately become my standard way of cooking kale.

Enjoyable. Next time I make this, I would use less bread crumbs.

I really loved this recipe! A great way to serve Kale to people who've never tried it. The breadcrumbs really help cut the bitterness of the Kale. I did end up using an extra tablespoon or so of olive oil to prevent the bread crumbs from burning and to coat the Kale. Will definitely make again!

Nice and garlicky, but a little dry...

Great recipe; my family loved it! A couple of recommendations: 1) Before adding the kale, chop it very finely, especially if you have small children. 2) While it's still very hot in the pot/saucepan, throw in a couple of handfuls of grape or cherry tomatoes. The heat softens them but doesn't burst them, and they add so much color and flavor.

Did not enjoy this dish at all. My children tasted it and refused to eat any more. It was attractive looking and that is about all it had to offer.

Great way to use up some kale. I made the following modifications (adapted, in part, by other reviewers' suggestions): cooked garlic and onions, put in the kale and a few splashes of soy sauce, steamed until I thought it was good enough, then mixed in some breadcrumbs and some (vegan) bacon bits. Thanks for sharing!

I loved this recipe and will make it again and again! I love greens, especially Kale, and it was a nice change: no bitterness and I loved how it tasted like stuffing. Yum!

recommend skipping the breadcrumbs - they turn to mush no matter when added. as for flavor, we much prefer the chicken broth/splash of soy sauce braising method!

This is a great way to cook any type of green. I have also added a little green onion as well.

I followed this recipe as other reviewers suggested and used oyster crackers instead of bread crumbs or croutons, garlic scapes instead of garlic, and added bacon pieces. I like this recipe, but have used another one that was similar and called for browning the onions and garlic and then combining with the kale and chicken or beef stock in a saucepan. The stock gave some extra flavor but was also on the salty side.

Who would have thought that Kale could be good tasting AND fun to eat!! We loved this and will make it often as Kale is one of the most nutritious green vegs.

Fast and very tasty way to serve leafy vegetables. I used cabbage instead of kale and stir fried at high heat. I used garlic and herb flavoured bread crumbs. This wasn't too oily and goes well with steak. I will also try spinach with this recipe. I do agree that you have to work quickly with your chosen vegies or else the dish dries out too quickly. Flavoured breadcrumbs helped overcome the bland taste that others may have experienced. Thanks for posting this Heather. EDIT: the leftovers are even yummier, I just microwaved mine on high power for a minute.

I love kale and this is by far my favorite way to eat it! I used vidalia onions and all organic ingredients for a delicious dish.

This was pretty yummy. Great way to eat kale. Would definitely make again.

I sauted the garlic and onion first and then added the kale. Stir frying alone left it a little chewy, so like others, I then added chicken broth and let it simmer until tender. My hubby loved it. Thank you Heather!

Just made this recipe, first time trying kale. This was really easy to make. I followed others advice and added water, added the bread crumbs at the end and a touch of lime juice at the end for acidity, its what i had on hand. Came out delicious, my boyfriend and I love it and will be making it again!

Good, simple! Will make again, I did grate a little parmesan on top and added a little salt and pepper.

This is a good vegetable recipe and we liked it allot. I will definetly make this again.

My local grocery had 2 for 1 Kale so I loaded up, I am glad I did because this simple recipe is just excellent !! quick, easy and satisfying too, I like to keep the Kale crispy and crunchy so I cook it until it just begins to darken.

I love simple, delicious recipes like this. i added balsamic vinegar for an extra kick.

Very easy! I didn't have breadcrumbs, so I added some crushed croutons that I found in the pantry at the end of the cooking. When I asked my boyfriend how he liked the kale, he responded, "That was kale? But that was good!"

This came out a little tough and chewy...I probably should have used chicken broth like everyone else did...needs a little work to become a great dish.

This was pretty good, but next time I think I will go without the bread crumbs.

What a great way to eat kale! We were a little unsure of how to gobble up our kale, but this did the trick. Saute-ing it alone would probably be fine, but adding the bread crumbs gave it great flavor and crunch.

I followed everyone's advise and then tweaked some more. Very good and had a lot of ccomplements. I will make this again!

This was okay but somewhat chewy the flavor would be ok if the kale was a little less chewy. I don't know how to improve the recipe... maybe some kind of precooking for the kale?

Yummy! We loved the texture in this dish

I added a little bit of cumin, salt, & pepper, and used Italian-style breadcrumbs. I put it over quinoa and it was delicious!

My first time having kale---I wanted to try it for its healthy properties. I liked this recipe because it didn't add a bunch of unhealthy ingredients to counteract how good for you the kale is. I removed the onion and garlic and breadcrumbs when I was done sauteeing like others suggested. Because most of the oil was also gone by that point, I used a whole can of chicken broth to help wilt my huge heap of kale. I added the broth a little at a time while the kale was wilting and it was perfect. At the end I drained the kale from the broth and tossed it with the onion mixture. Everyone really liked this. What a neat concept. I would have never been able to come up with this on my own. I will use this again. Thanks!

This turned into stuffing with a hint of kale when you add the breadcrumbs. Will not be making again.

I think I must have done something wrong :-( !! I tried twice, the second time on lower heat, but both times the kale burned too easily. I think it may require some water.... Obviously this recipe worked well for a lot of people, so I would like a little more detail about preparation so that I, too, can have tasty kale!

Quick, Easy, Yummy

Nothin' like a mess a' greens!

Good - followed a lot of the suggestions; cooking the kale after cooking and setting aside the onions, garlic, and breadcrumbs. Using chicken broth to wilt the kale, and adding some salt and black pepper. The breadcrumbs didn't stick well to the onions, but it still tasted good. It was an easy, quick way to use up the rest of the kale.

This was fine but very dry.

this was an excellent recipe. I had swiss chard in the fridge and used that instead of kale and used italian bread crumbs. this was full of flavour and delicious way of cooking greens. thanks!!

Didn't care for this.

Scaled this down by a third since I only had one bunch of kale. I used 3 roasted garlic cloves. Definitely cook the bread crumbs, put aside and then cook the kale.Remember to keep the kale moving so it actually gets stir-fried instead of steamed. Add breadcrumbs back after kale is cooked. I did give it a sprinkle of s&p. Fresh Parmesan would be good.

I have not tried this recipe yet. I would like to ask Heather or any reviewers a question. Are the bread crumbs supposed to be fresh or dried? I am thinking they would be fresh. Am I right? Please advise in a review. I will be looking for your answer. Thank you.

I have never eaten Kale before and I loved this recipe. So did my 2 daughters. I will definitely cook this again.

Better than I expected! Added strips of red pepper, and cooked with a lid to hold the moisture in and soften the kale. My boys loved it!

I'd give this recipe 10 stars if I could. As per other reviewers, I steamed the kale in organic chicken broth before adding it to the onion-bread crumb mixture, and it was perfect! This is a fabulous way to eat good-for-you greens -- extremely delicious! I've tried it now with beet greens and with spinach and it's nothing short of delicious! I'd also highly recommend it mixed with spaghetti and tomato sauce. It's amazing! The tomato sauce lifts the onion-garlic-bread crumb mixture to new heights, and the spaghetti makes this side dish a main dish delight. YUM.

yuck! Definitely tough...tried adding a little water and soy sauce to give more flavor and make it more tender...didn't not help with the 'tough'....

I did not care for this recipe.

Very good! Delicious, easy to prepare, using simple ingredients. Plus, kale is one of the healthiest things you can eat!

I like kale and I like my veggies very firm, but this was a chewy mess. There are way too many bread crumbs which get soggy, even if added on top. The kale is a bit bitter. After much doctoring up (kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and balsamic vinegar I was left with something edible.

This recipe was great. This was my first time eating and cooking kale. A friend of mine brought some over the other night. I was pleasantly surprised with the taste and texture of this recipe. I followed it exactly. The only thing I would do differently next time is to steam the kale first in some veggie broth. The bread crumb mixture didn't want to stick to the kale too much so I added a little more olive oil. Great way to get in your vitamins!

It was good. A little bland.

I took the advice of others and steamed the kale in the frying pan, so it had a nice texture. My problem was a lack of flavour! My boyfriend commented that it "tastes like nothing" - which, I suppose if you dislike the taste of kale, is fine. Next time, will season more with salt/pepper and possibly some other goodies from my cupboard.

pretty decent. added pepper and seasoned salt

Maybe I did something wrong, but this dish seems strange to me. When I put the bread crumbs in, it absorbed all the oil, leaving the kale very dry. I believe it needs a wet ingredient to hold the dry ingredients together because it wasn't mixing well at all.

It was tasty, but a little chewy. Not sure if I cooked it too long or not long enough. Taste was even better heated up the next day!

This wasn't very good. There wasn't enough oil to soak up the bread crumbs and so the kale didn't "wilt". It never really cooked and we ended up eating kale with dry breadcrumbs that were somewhat burnt a bit that didn't coat. I didn't want to add more oil as this just made it more unhealthy. I've seen some other reviewers comments that you have to add moisture to this dish which I would advise if I were going to make a modification to it.

I enjoyed the flavor combination in this recipe but it was so dry and, well, bread crumb-y. Its a good base concept for kale, though, and I'm looking forward to experimenting with this recipe. I think next time I'll use more onion.

I have never had kale as a main side dish before. I usually just add it to soups and such. This was delicious! A fabulous winter veggi recipe. I just added a drizzle of water to help it stir fry better.