Kale With Garlic and Peppers

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 10/8/21
Kale with onions and peppers
StockFood / Getty Images
Prep: 12 mins
Cook: 13 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
68 Calories
2g Fat
11g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 68
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 201mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 57mg 285%
Calcium 75mg 6%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 486mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This kale recipe is nutritious and delicious, and it's very easy to prepare and cook. Kale is abundant in supermarkets and farmers' markets, and in this recipe it's quickly sauteed with some onion, tomato, and hot red peppers for a delicious side dish. You can use any kind of kale you like, whether it's green or red curly kale or dinosaur (lacinato) kale.

This recipe calls for cooking the ingredients in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, but if you want to make this as low in fat as possible, you can use nonstick cooking spray and a little broth to saute the onion. We used the Portuguese hot crushed red peppers (wet, from a jar) in this dish, but feel free to use fresh minced hot peppers for heat. Alternatively, chopped sweet red bell peppers can be used.

Serve this alongside grilled steak or chicken breasts, or with a simple baked fish such as halibut or cod. It would also taste great served with an omelet or fried eggs.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound kale, large stems removed, chopped, or use frozen chopped kale

  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped

  • 1 clove garlic, pressed

  • 1 or 2 hot peppers, minced, or 1 heaping tablespoon Portuguese crushed red peppers from a jar

  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1 medium whole (2-3/5" dia) tomato, chopped

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Steps to Make It

  1. To cook the kale, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the chopped kale and boil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until stem portions are tender. Or, follow directions on the package if using frozen kale.

  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat; cook onion until just tender.

  3. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

  4. Add crushed red peppers, kale, and vinegar; cook, stirring, for 1 minute longer.

  5. Add chopped tomato, salt, and pepper; heat through.

Tip

If you use frozen chopped kale, make sure to press out as much water as possible after it's defrosted and before you cook it. Add it to the pan but cook it a little bit before you add the peppers and vinegar. Some of the water will continue to cook off in the hot pan, and you can drain that off, too, if needed, before you add the other ingredients.

Variations

If you don't have red wine vinegar or would prefer not to use it, you can use apple cider vinegar or even lemon juice.

How to Store Kale with Garlic and Peppers

This dish will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 or 4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave or in a saute pan over medium-low heat until hot. You can also freeze cooked kale in an airtight zip-close bag; a vacuum-sealed one would work the best.