35 Kale Recipes That Make the Absolute Most of the Leafy Green

Salads don’t need a million toppings to be exciting, and this protein-rich gem is proof. Reserve some lemony spiced chickpeas for snacking.

Sweet dreams are made of this. Store-bought pizza dough makes the brunch (or dinner) delicacy a breeze to prepare.

To no one’s surprise, kale is most delicious when it’s swimming in a skillet of molten cheese. Serve it with plenty of bread, crackers, veggies and sliced green apples for dunking.

Trust us: This sheet pan recipe for beef tenderloin is essentially foolproof, no matter how much cooking steak intimidates you.

A strata is basically a bread casserole, meaning your brunch guests are bound to adore it. Be sure to leave time for the bread to soak up the custard overnight.

This cozy soup doubles as a warm blanket in our book. Finish it off with a dollop of store-bought pesto and all the grated Parm.

So much better than a granola bar from the bottom of your purse, but almost as easy to eat on the go. (FYI, we wouldn’t complain if someone added a little cheddar cheese or crumbled bacon to the mix.)

This creamy, dreamy dish is decidedly non-fussy. The kale is quickly sautéed in oil and butter until wilted to make it flavorful and tender.

Healthy, filling and gluten-free, this masterpiece is destined for your breakfast table.

Take your pick of peppery arugula, earthy kale or bitter broccoli rabe for this simple pasta sauce. Feel free to substitute pine nuts or pistachios for almonds too.

Serve it as a side salad, a steak sandwich topper or under a fried egg. (Oh, and this is the easiest way to shred Brussels sprouts, BTW.)

Starring spicy shrimp, sliced avocado, watermelon radish and crispy salt-and-pepper kale. Yeah, it’ll be your favorite lunch at first bite.

Way better than TikTok feta pasta, promise. Pop the skillet under the broiler to brown the cheese if desired and serve with warm pita points.

All kale needs to be its best is a little TLC. Here, that means wilting it on the stovetop in a zingy honey-rice vinegar dressing.

Dinner is only six ingredients and 35 minutes away, people.

All the ingredients’ juices get to know each other on the pan, creating a pseudo sauce that tastes divine when soaked into quinoa, rice or crusty bread.

Not only is it satisfying and nutritious, but this salad is begging for some Instagram love too. The kale is tossed in citrusy Dijon dressing for good measure.

Hello, gorgeous. This beauty is so fancy and elegant that no one at the dinner party will suspect you started with store-bought pie crust.

Consider this dish an edible choose-your-own-adventure book. You can use any type of sausage (kielbasa! chorizo! Italian!), swap in any greens and substitute regular rice for cauliflower rice (unless you’re on keto).

For the uninitiated, a Buddha bowl is basically a grain bowl piled high with fresh ingredients, like vinaigrette-dressed kale, pomegranate arils, pepitas and herbs.

Even your picky kids can get behind this 15-minute lunch, and the leftovers will last in the fridge for days to boot.

This keto-friendly main is equal parts soft egg, gooey cheese and crispy spuds. Even veggie haters will barely notice the greens.

Attention pasta lovers: Tofu shirataki noodles are loaded with protein and on your low-carb diet.

Delicata squash doesn’t need much zhuzhing, since it’s naturally gorgeous on its own. (But we’re not complaining about the tarragon-spiked vinaigrette.)

Aka old reliable. All its flavor lies in the classic dressing that pulls out all the stops, anchovies included.

A decadent vegetarian gem that even carnivores will be psyched about. Choose between Gruyère and white cheddar cheeses (or better yet, go ahead and use both).

The rolls are positively packed with cabbage, kale and more veggies. And thanks to white miso paste, the sauce is bursting with savory umami.

This 20-minute, five-ingredient side is tasty enough to convert any kale skeptic for good.

Roasted almonds, crumbled feta cheese and shredded rotisserie chicken make this light dish extra hearty.

This 20-minute crowd-pleaser proves that spinach has been in the limelight too long. It pairs just as well with pretzel crisps, pita chips and potato chips if pork rinds aren’t your thing.

Here’s one smoothie that’s actually worth getting out of bed for. Banana, honey and pineapple cut through the kale’s earthiness like a charm.

Complete with coconut flakes, cashews, flax seeds and kale. Choose between nutty soba noodles and chewy udon noodles.

Because bread, cheese and butter make getting our daily greens a total cinch. Serve this sammy with cream of mushroom soup.

Pair it with rice or pasta, or pile it onto a sturdy hoagie roll. Either way, this 20-minute, one-pan meal is sure to earn a spot in your weekly rotation.

Behold: the recipe that started the kale craze over a decade ago. The leafy green may not be as trendy as it was back in 2011, but we’ll never get sick of this iconic snack.