Looking for kale recipes? Want the best way to cook kale? Try our recipes here and check out our best healthy veg recipes, celeriac recipes, white cabbage recipes and red cabbage recipes.

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Whether you fancy something creamy and comforting or a nutritious, nourishing bowl of green goodness, we have kale recipes for all. Discover how to make kale pesto, pizza, lasagne and hearty sausage dishes, as well as vegan and veggie salads.

Want expert advice for growing your own crop? Learn how to grow your own kale from our friends at Gardeners’ World.


When is kale in season?

UK kale season starts in September and ends in April. Kale is at its best between October and February.


Why we love kale

Kale is a type of cabbage that is grown for its leaves. It has tough and fibrous central stems that need to be removed, or very finely chopped if using, with firm green leaves. This versatile green holds its texture in soups and stews, making it a favourite winter ingredient but it's equally good when massaged and tossed into a salad. There really is no end to the ways you can use it.


Health benefits of kale

Did you know kale contains four times more vitamin C than spinach? What's more, it's packed with plant-based calcium, vitamin K and vitamin E. Eating more of it could support a healthy immune system, metabolism and strong bones.


Kale recipes

Pasta with sausage, kale and mustard

This creamy Italian sausage pasta is quick and comforting. Herby sausages, garlic, dijon mustard, cream and chilli are a match made in heaven. If you don't have rigatoni, swap it for spaghetti.

You'll love our popular vodka pasta.

Sausage Pasta Recipe With Kale and Mustard

Roast vegetable salad with kale pesto

Toss vibrant roasted veggies with grains and a nutty kale pesto dressing for an easy vegetarian side dish.

For another filling, flavour-packed salad, try Moroccan cauliflower salad.

A grey background with a white platter, topped with roasted vegetables, grains and a green dressing

Kale and gnocchi parmesan bake

A clever way to transform shop-bought gnocchi. A simple, homemade tomato sauce is the base for this cheesy, kale-packed midweek dinner.

We've got plenty of gnocchi recipes, or learn to make your own.

Kale and gnocchi parmesan bake

Sausage pappardelle with kale

Here, ribbons of pappardelle are combined with butter, onion, fennel seeds, sausages and a hint of chilli. It makes a wonderful warming midweek meal for two.

Check out all our autumn recipes for more like this.

Sausage Pappardelle Recipe with Kale in a white bowl

Cumin-crusted chicken with kale salad and hummus dressing

A nourishing meal of spiced lean chicken breast, cooked until juicy, then served atop a quick salad of kale, peppers and toasted almonds. Serve with a drizzle of hummus and white wine vinegar dressing.

Browse all our chicken salad recipes.

Cumin-Crusted Chicken with Kale Salad on two Plates

Turmeric fried eggs and kale salad

This veggie salad pairs turmeric-spiced fried eggs with crunchy kale and chickpeas. Finish with a drizzle of speedy tahini sauce.

Use up a box of eggs and make easy egg fried rice.

Plate of kale salad topped with a turmeric fried eggnext to a ramekin of dressing and parsley

Bacon and kale pesto flatbreads

Make the most of surplus kale and bacon with this seriously good flatbread, flavoured with bacon fat and cumin seeds. Pile on bacon and eggs, then top with chilli jam.

Get stuck into our easy flatbread recipes.

A colourful flatbread with a fried egg on top

Sausage-and-kale-stuffed pasta shells

Herby sausages, nutritious kale, creamy ricotta and a pinch of chilli make this pasta bake an epic family meal.

See all our family-friendly recipes.

Baked Sausage and Kale Pasta in a bake tray

Kale smoothie

Try our health editor's vegan, four-ingredient green smoothie, packed with vitamins and nutrients including vitamin C.

Check out our pineapple smoothie and more smoothie recipes.

A glass filled with green kale smoothie with a metal straw on an orange and pink background

Kale pasta sauce

Sprinkle this vibrant kale sauce with pecorino for an umami tang. This recipe comes from nose-to-tail Italian restaurant, Manteca.

Check out all our sumptuous pasta sauce recipes.

A white plate topped with rigatoni pasta coated in a vibrant green sauce and sprinkled with chilli flakes

Kale, chorizo and potato soup

Spicy flavour is released from the chorizo as it cooks in this warming soup, making the potatoes and broth deeply delicious. You'll be surprised to learn it's low in calories.

See all our healthy soup recipes.

Caldo Verde Recipe (Chorizo and Potato Soup)

Cod, kale and marinated beans

Get supper on the table quickly with this easy cod dish – even with a little kale massaging and marinating, you’ll be eating in just 20 minutes.

Find more light meals in our cod recipes.

A plate of cod and kale on a terrazzo board with a pink background and glass of water

Sausages and braised Puy lentils with kale

Make the most of kale in our sausage one-pot recipe, served with a quick, punchy gremolata on the side.

Have a look at our slow-cooker sausage casserole, healthy sausage traybake and more sausage recipes.

Pot of sausage and lentil casserole on a tea towel next to a spoon

Hummus, kale and coriander noodles

Make a rich dressing of hummus, tahini, soy sauce and chilli oil before tossing through the noodles and kale.

We've got noodle recipes for every mood.

Easy Soba Noodle Recipe with Hummus and Kale served on a dark metal dish on a dark blue table

Gnocchi with kale and dolcelatte

Simply combine kale, gnocchi, blue cheese and crème fraîche, then bake and you've got yourself an easy, comforting dinner.

Next, our tuna pasta bake.

Vegetarian Gnocchi Recipe With Kale and Blue Cheese

Green barley with kale, pistachios and mint

This hearty salad is vegetarian and easy to make but is packed full of different flavours and textures. It goes particularly well with salmon.

See our healthy salmon recipes.

Green pearl barley with pistachios and kale

Vegan kale caesar salad

Swap bacon for crunchy, paprika-smoked aubergine slivers in our vegan twist on the classic caesar salad.

You'll love all our vegan salad recipes.

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad Recipe with Aubergine Bacon

Vegetarian lasagne

Try our kale and leek lasagne for a plant-based alternative to this classic family dish. With layers of greens and fresh pesto, it's not only delicious but full of goodness, too.

Take a look at our classic lasagne.

Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe for kale, ricotta and leek lasagne

Kale, chilli and ricotta calzones

Try our calzone packed with punchy chilli, kale and creamy ricotta. This simple veggie recipe is a great option for autumnal lunches.

Have a look at our tasty our mushroom calzones.

Vegetarian Calzone Recipe with Kale and Ricotta

Ricotta and kale cannelloni

For an autumnal take on pasta bake, serve up ricotta and kale cannelloni. It's a delicious vegetarian option for the family to enjoy. It freezes well, too, so make a batch and freeze for later.

For another cheesy dish, try our classic mac 'n' cheese.

Ricotta and Kale Cannelloni Recipe

Miso kale, pomegranate and chicken salad

For those times you need a nourishing yet speedy supper, there's this vibrant chicken salad for four.

Find more ideas in our chicken salad recipes.

Easy Chicken Salad Recipe with Miso Kale

Kale and paneer stuffed naan

This luxurious naan is stuffed with kale, melted paneer and spices to make a sharing dish as part of an Indian-inspired spread. Serve with mango chutney or alongside your favourite curry.

Browse all our fantastic vegetarian curries.

Paneer Stuffed Naan Recipe with Kale

Halloumi, kale and tahini salad

Salty halloumi works wonders here with the softened kale and nutty tahini. It makes for a quick, delicious and light lunch or evening meal.

Be inspired by our vegetarian salad recipes.

Plate of Kale and Tahini Salad with Chunks of Halloumi

Smoky sausage and kale pizza

Kale on a pizza? You bet. Prepare your dough beforehand to make this easy Brooklyn-style sausage and crispy kale pizza. Once your dough has risen, it only takes 45 minutes to bake – perfect midweek cheesy comfort food.

More like this

We've got more tempting pizza recipes.

Smoky sausage and kale pizza

Healthy gnocchi

Golden baked gnocchi, hazelnut pesto and vibrant veggies such as butternut squash and kale come together in this hearty vegetarian dinner.

Browse all our healthy dinner ideas.

A white marble background topped with two grey bowls, filled with golden gnocchi, green kale and cubes of squash

Kale chicken caesar salad

Try this nutritious meal for a modern twist on the classic caesar salad. This recipe is really easy, ready in just 30 minutes and less than 500 calories.

We have plenty of ideas using chicken breasts.

Kale Chicken Caesar Salad with strips of cooked chicken

Lemon chicken and kale stew with couscous

Zingy lemon adds a touch of freshness to this easy lemon chicken and kale stew with couscous. It's a great low-fat meal and ready in less than 30 minutes.

See all our couscous recipes.

Stew Recipe with Chicken, Kale and Couscous

Kale pesto

We’ve used kale instead of basil in this vibrant and versatile pesto, perfect for spaghetti, pastry tarts, gnocchi and more.

Or stick with our classic pesto.

A grey background with a blue board, topped with a jar of green pesto sauce

Feta and kale börek

Make the most of the seasonal superfood kale by combining with salty feta in this filo pastry tart. Serve with leafy salads for an easy veggie dinner.

Find more filo pastry recipes.

A circular filo pastry tart filled with green kale and feta, with a slice taken out of it and put on a side plate

Kale salad with tadka dressing

Kale is tossed with avocado and a dressing of honey, vinegar, garlic and chilli, then topped with crisp, golden croutons made from punchy garlic and coriander naan breads to make this low-calorie salad.

See all our low-calorie vegetarian meals.

A green plate filled with kale, chopped avocado and golden croutons

Kiwi, kale and chia parfait smoothie

Try this next-level smoothie from bloggers Green Kitchen Stories. This smoothie can double up as a dessert or breakfast.

See our top smoothie recipes.

Kale Smoothie Recipe With Kiwi and Chia

Cajun chicken supreme with kale salad and honey mustard dressing

This crunchy kale salad with a honey-mustard dressing makes the perfect accompaniment for chicken supreme. A brilliant dish if you’re looking for a speedy, low-calorie dinner.

Serve up classic creamy chicken supremes.

Kale hush puppies with lemon aïoli

Lamb koftas with kale salad

So easy to put together, lamb koftas make the best weeknight supper. Here we’re serving them with a healthy brussels sprouts and kale winter salad for a delicious low-carb dinner.

We've got more healthy mince recipes.

Kale koftas with flatbreads and kale

Pork, kale and spring onion stir-fry

A great midweek supper if you feel like you need a hit of nutrients. Really quick to throw together and the pork is delicious with the red chilli, ginger and mirin.

Next, try Tuscan pork loins.

Stir-fried kale, pork and carrots with chilli in a white bowl

Squash, kale, caramelised onion and feta tarts

These individual squash, kale, caramelised onion and feta tarts make an impressive starter. We love the salty feta with the sweet squash and onion.

See our butternut squash recipes for more ways with this seasonal star.

Individual squash, kale, caramelised onion and feta tarts

Kale waldorf salad with buttermilk dressing

This kale waldorf salad with buttermilk dressing is a clever update on a classic and with a good amount of crunch and tangy dressing, it makes for a really useful side dish.

Got buttermilk left over? It's time to make buttermilk pancakes.

Kale waldorf salad with apple, pecans and celery

Pasta with kale, anchovies and lemon

Simple but so effective. This pasta dish that manages to be both light and comforting. Made in just 15 minutes, kale is teamed with melting anchovies, garlic and lemon then stirred through pasta. Guaranteed to be a new favourite.

Check out more quick pasta recipes.

A grey shallow bowl filled with pasta, kale and anchovies

Kale salad with roasted butternut squash, pomegranate molasses and almonds

A celebration of autumn flavours and colours, this salad is nutritious, vegetarian and less than 300 calories. Sweet butternut squash and crunchy almonds make it a hearty dish.

Read our guide on pomegranate molasses.

Kale salad with roasted butternut squash, pomegranate molasses and almonds on a white plate with serving spoons

Kale crisps with smoky paprika salt

Kale makes a fantastic snack and a great alternative to crisps. Sprinkle with whatever spices you fancy – celery salt or a mild chilli powder would both work well.

Browse our healthy low-fat, low-cal snacks.

Baked kale crisps with smoky paprika salt

Cauliflower sformato with crispy kale and caramelised pine nuts

Think of a sformato as a little like a cross between a dense soufflé and a crustless quiche. It can be made with all sorts of vegetables and makes a really impressive vegetarian main course for vegetarian entertaining.

See all our vegetarian entertaining ideas.

Cauliflower Sformato Recipe For Vegetarian Dinner Party

Bavette with creamed kale and seaweed

This impressive bavette steak recipe with creamy kale and seaweed, from Two Lights in east London, is great for serving to dinner party guests.

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Next, try steak burritos.

Two Lights Restaurant Review

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