Free Guide to Preparing Kale for Cooking

Understanding Kale: Varieties and Selection

Kale comes in several distinct varieties, each with different textures, flavors, and cooking properties. Learning about these types helps you choose the right kale for your intended dish. The most common variety found in grocery stores is curly kale, which has dark green, tightly ruffled leaves with a slightly bitter taste. Curly kale holds up well during cooking and works nicely in soups, stews, and sautéed dishes. Lacinato kale, also called dinosaur kale or black kale, has long, narrow, bumpy leaves that are darker and flatter than curly varieties. This type has a milder, sweeter flavor and a more tender texture, making it popular for raw preparations like salads. Red or purple kale offers a beautiful color and slightly sweet flavor profile, though it can become more bitter when cooked for extended periods.

When selecting kale at the store or farmers market, look for vibrant green color (or deep purple for red varieties) without yellowing, browning, or wilted edges. The leaves should feel firm and crisp when you gently squeeze them. Avoid kale with holes, discoloration, or a strong sulfurous smell, which indicates age or decay. Smaller to medium-sized bunches typically have more tender leaves than very large ones. One pound of kale with stems usually yields about 4 cups of chopped leaves after preparation. Seasonal availability peaks in fall and winter, though kale grows year-round in many regions.

• Curly kale: best for cooking, slightly bitter, sturdy texture
• Lacinato kale: milder flavor, tender leaves, good raw or cooked
• Red kale: sweet notes, beautiful color, can become bitter when overcooked
• Choose firm, vibrant leaves without yellowing or wilting
• One pound yields approximately 4 cups chopped leaves

Practical takeaway: Purchase kale two to three days before cooking for best quality. Store it in a plastic bag in your refrigerator's crisper drawer, where it will keep for up to one week. If your kale begins to wilt before use, submerge the stems in cold water for 30 minutes to restore crispness.

Washing and Cleaning Kale Thoroughly

Proper washing removes dirt, sand, and debris that accumulate on kale's textured leaves during growth and handling. Kale requires more careful cleaning than smooth-leafed greens because sand and soil particles easily become trapped in the ruffles and crevices. Begin by filling a large bowl or your sink with cool water. Place the entire kale bunch into the water and gently agitate the leaves with your hands, rubbing them between your fingers to dislodge particles. Pay particular attention to the undersides of leaves and the areas where leaves attach to the central stem. Change the water and repeat this process two to three times until the water runs completely clear and you notice no sand or grit settling to the bottom.

For extra-thorough cleaning, especially if your kale came from a farmers market or you're concerned about pesticide residue, use a gentle spray from your kitchen sink's spray attachment or a vegetable rinse sprayer. Hold each leaf or small cluster under running water while gently brushing with your fingers or a soft produce brush. Work from the top of the leaf downward to guide particles away. Some people prefer using a salad spinner specifically designed for delicate greens, though the vigorous spinning can damage tender kale leaves. If you use a spinner, use the gentlest setting and allow wet kale to air dry afterward rather than spinning multiple times.

• Fill a bowl with cool water and submerge kale
• Gently rub leaves between fingers to remove embedded particles
• Change water and repeat until no grit appears
• Use gentle running water or a soft brush for additional cleaning
• Avoid aggressive spinning in salad spinners
• Allow kale to air dry after washing

Practical takeaway: Wash kale immediately before cooking rather than washing and storing it wet, which promotes faster wilting and decay. If you must wash ahead of time, thoroughly pat leaves dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen cloth, then wrap loosely in a dry paper towel and store in a plastic bag to absorb excess moisture.

Removing Stems and Breaking Down Leaves

Kale stems are edible but tougher and less pleasant to eat than the leaves, though they contain nutrients and flavor. Different cooking methods require different approaches to stem removal. For raw preparations like salads, most people remove stems entirely since they remain tough when eaten raw. To remove stems from curly or red kale varieties, hold a leaf at the base near where it connects to the main stem. Pinch the leaf gently with your other hand and pull upward, sliding your fingers along the stem toward the leaf tip. The leaf naturally separates from the tough central stem. This method works efficiently for processing multiple leaves quickly. Lacinato kale stems are more tender than other varieties and can remain attached during cooking or be included in dishes where they'll soften completely.

For cooked dishes where you want maximum tenderness, you have options for using or discarding stems. If discarding, save them for vegetable stock—kale stems contribute mineral-rich flavor to homemade broths. If including stems in cooked dishes, chop them finely into pieces no larger than one-quarter inch so they cook in the same time as the leaves. Add chopped stems to the pan before leaves since they require longer cooking. Alternatively, blanch stems separately in boiling salted water for three to five minutes until fork-tender before adding to dishes. After removing stems, you can tear kale leaves into bite-sized pieces for salads or chop them into smaller pieces for soups, stews, and sautéed dishes. Cutting size depends on your recipe: typically one to two inches for salads, half to one inch for cooking applications.

• Hold leaf base and pinch-slide to separate stem from leaf
• Save stems for homemade vegetable stock
• For cooked dishes, finely chop stems to ensure even cooking
• Lacinato stems are tender enough to keep in most dishes
• Add chopped stems before leaves when cooking
• Tear leaves for salads, chop smaller for cooking

Practical takeaway: Process kale stems and leaves separately during preparation. Collect stems in a freezer bag and add to your freezer for later use in stocks or broth. This method wastes nothing and creates a flavorful cooking ingredient from what might otherwise be discarded.

Drying Kale for Different Cooking Methods

Moisture content in kale significantly affects cooking results and final texture. Wet kale steams rather than sautés, and excess water dilutes flavors in soups and stews. The drying method you choose depends on your intended cooking technique. For sautéing or stir-frying, kale should be nearly dry to achieve browning and crispy edges. After washing, lay clean kale leaves flat on a clean kitchen towel or several paper towels. Allow them to air dry for fifteen to twenty minutes, or gently pat them with additional towels to absorb surface moisture. For a faster method, use a salad spinner on the gentlest setting, spinning briefly and stopping before the leaves become damaged.

For soups, stews, and braised dishes, kale doesn't need to be completely dry since liquid is already part of the cooking medium. A quick pat-dry with paper towels suffices before chopping and adding to the pot. For raw applications like salads or kale chips, thorough drying is essential. After air drying on towels, store dried kale in the refrigerator uncovered or loosely wrapped in a paper towel until you're ready to use it. This prevents moisture from accumulating around the leaves. If you're making crispy baked kale chips, extremely dry kale produces better results—aim for leaves that feel completely dry to the touch before tossing with oil and seasonings and placing in the oven.

• Lay washed kale on clean towels for fifteen to twenty minutes