This Tuscan kale recipe makes tender, sauteed kale scented with garlic! Additionally known as Lacinato or dinosaur kale, it makes a quick and straightforward facet dish.

When you begin cooking with Tuscan kale, you’ll by no means return! This Italian number of kale has a sweeter, gentle taste and is simpler to arrange. Because it’s now pretty simple to seek out in grocery shops, I all the time suggest this selection to begin with.
Right here’s a method to make it style irresistibly good: sauté it with olive oil and smashed garlic cloves for just some minutes in a scorching pan. In reality, Alex and I’ve been shopping for huge bunches of Tuscan kale each week simply so we are able to make this. Right here’s how you can put together Tuscan kale: and some different recipes to eat it!
What Is Tuscan Kale?
Tuscan kale is an Italian selection with a darkish inexperienced colour and gentle taste. You can too discover it labeled as Lacinato kale, dinosaur kale, black kale, or cavolo nero (black cabbage in Italian). Why is it known as dinosaur kale? Its “scaly” leaves nearly resemble dinosaur pores and skin! The leaves are very darkish inexperienced and flat, in comparison with curly kale which has frilly, brighter inexperienced leaves.
The flavour of Tuscan kale is milder and sweeter than curly kale, which may style bitter and spicy. Tuscan is simpler to make use of in recipes because it’s much less bitter, and its stems are extra tender than the curly selection.


Methods to Cook dinner Tuscan Kale
One of many causes I’ve been making this Tuscan kale on repeat is that it’s really easy. Tuscan kale takes solely 3 minutes to cook dinner! There are just a few methods to this recipe that take the flavour the highest. Right here’s how you can make sauteed kale in beneath 10 minutes (or leap to the total recipe under):
- Chop: Destem and chop the kale (see under). Chop the kale into bite-sized items.
- Saute for 3 minutes: Warmth olive oil over medium excessive warmth in a big skillet. We like so as to add smashed garlic cloves concurrently the kale, which provides a pleasant delicate taste. Saute the kale and garlic about 3 minutes, stirring typically, till the leaves wilted and vivid inexperienced.
- Season: Take away from the warmth and add salt and pepper. That’s it! Good sauteed Tuscan kale that works as a tasty facet dish for any meal.
5 Star Reader Evaluation
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This was so good and really easy! I’ll undoubtedly make this my go-to recipe”


Combine-ins and Variations
This sauteed Tuscan kale is scrumptious as is: however listed below are just a few methods to step it up a notch!
- Toasted pine nuts: Pine nuts are utilized in Italian-style recipes as a garnish. Whereas they’re somewhat dear, they add a nutty taste that may’t be simply replicated! Toasted pine nuts add a little bit of glam (like on this Sauteed Rainbow Chard recipe).
- Shredded Parmesan or Pecorino cheese: Just a bit aged cheese additionally takes it up a notch! Pecorino Romano cheese is our favourite: and somewhat goes a good distance. It offers an enormous hit of savory, salty taste.
You possibly can serve this Tuscan kale as a facet dish, or make it a part of a principal! Add it to a grain bowl with a grain like quinoa or farro, a protein like chickpeas, & and lemon tahini sauce.
Extra Tuscan Kale Recipes
Listed below are just a few extra methods I like to eat this number of kale:
1. Sauteed Tuscan Kale
The flavour of this kale is so good, it’ll have you ever desirous to make it every day. It takes solely 10 minutes to make Tuscan kale right into a facet dish you received’t need to cease consuming.
2. Tuscan Kale Salad
This Tuscan kale salad has the facility to rework the minds of kale haters in all places. Tuscan kale is smothered in a lemony, garlicky Parmesan dressing is completely scrumptious.
3. Kale Quinoa Salad
This kale quinoa salad is ideal for a wholesome lunch or facet dish! It’s simple to make and stays good within the fridge for days. Paired with chickpeas, bell peppers, and quinoa, they’re lined in a tangy dressing.
4. Kale Pesto
Do you know you should use Tuscan kale to make pesto? Whiz that leafy inexperienced with Parmesan cheese, garlic, nuts and olive oil, and it makes a savory vivid inexperienced puree with a spicy kick.
5. Ribollita (Tuscan Vegetable Stew)
Ribollita is an Italian vegetable stew historically thickened by bread as a manner to make use of up previous crusts going stale. It’s gently simmered in order that the flavors meld collectively fantastically.
6. Grilled Tuscan Kale
This grilled kale comes out crispy and charred, with a smoky undertone. It’s good for throwing onto a grill rack when you’re cooking a principal dish or different veggies. It’s nearly like roasted kale meets kale chips.
7. Tuscan Lentil Stew
This cozy Tuscan lentil stew with kale, tomatoes and artichokes is a wholesome and straightforward soup recipe that’s filled with Italian flavors! It’s considered one of our fan favorites.
8. Roasted Kale
Oven roasting kale makes it wilted and tender however crispy on the edges, which provides it a novel texture. It really works as a facet, thrown right into a grain bowl, or in sandwiches or stir fries.
9. Baked Kale Chips
These kale chips fulfill any salty snack craving! They’re simple to make with Tuscan kale, and are available out completely crisp and satisfying.
10. Tuscan Soup with White Beans
This one I’ve affectionately dubbed “pizza soup” as a result of it tastes like liquid pizza! Savory tomatoes, white beans, and Tuscan taste take in the goodness of the pizza-y broth.
Methods to Chop Kale
The one approach you’ll have to know to make this Tuscan kale recipe is how you can chop kale! Right here’s all it’s essential to learn about how you can chop it into the bite-sized items wanted for this recipe. We’ve additionally acquired a video: see under!
- Fold the leaves of the kale collectively and maintain them together with your non-cutting hand. Use a big chef’s knife to chop off the robust stem.
- Roll up just a few kale leaves without delay.
- Reduce the kale into thick slices, utilizing a round movement with the knife. Rotate the slices after which chop them within the different path to make small items. Repeat for all of the kale leaves.
Diet Highlight
Leafy greens like kale are a number of the healthiest meals you may eat. Listed below are just a few info about kale:
- Kale is filled with vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.
- 1 cup of uncooked kale has 33 energy, 6 grams of carbs (2 of that are fiber), and three grams of protein.
- Due to its low calorie content material, kale is among the many most nutrient-dense meals on earth. Consuming extra of this cruciferous vegetable is a good way to extend the overall nutrient content material of your eating regimen.


Dietary Notes
This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Simple Tuscan Kale
This Tuscan kale recipe makes tender, sauteed kale scented with garlic! Additionally known as Lacinato or dinosaur kale, it makes a quick and straightforward facet dish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook dinner Time: 3 minutes
- Whole Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Class: Facet Dish
- Methodology: Stovetop
- Delicacies: Italian
- Food plan: Vegan
- 1 pound or 2 bunches Tuscan kale
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Recent floor pepper
- Optionally available: Lemon wedges, shredded Parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts
- Wash and dry the kale leaves, then destem and roughly chop the kale.
- Smash and peel the garlic cloves.
- Add the olive oil to a big skillet and warmth over medium-high warmth. Add the smashed garlic and kale and cook dinner for 3 minutes, stirring incessantly till wilted and vivid inexperienced.
- Take away from the warmth and add the kosher salt and several other grinds of contemporary floor pepper. Discard the garlic cloves and serve instantly. (If desired, you may add lemon juice or Parmesan: however neither are needed with the candy taste of Tuscan kale! Chances are you’ll need to contemplate them if utilizing curly kale.)

