Sauteéd Kale With Balsamic Vinegar Recipe

I love kale. It’s tasty, it’s good for you, and there are so many ways you can incorporate it into your meals. I like to sauté kale in olive oil with garlic. The following recipe is my go-to method of cooking kale and it’s always a hit among family and friends. This recipe doesn’t require many ingredients but it is full of flavor. I’ve changed my method a few times, but this one generally works best.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of garlic, minced

1 pound of kale, chopped

3 tablespoons of water

½ cup of balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon of lemon juice (optional)

Garlic powder (optional)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Start by washing the kale and patting it dry with paper towels, then chop it into bite-sized pieces. As a shortcut, you can buy pre-packaged kale that has already been washed and chopped. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until it’s slightly golden brown. Add the kale, water, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste (and garlic powder, if desired). Side note: I often joke that there is no such thing as too much garlic. This is why I add a generous amount of garlic powder during this step, but if you don’t love garlic as much as I do, the minced garlic will suffice. Cover for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the kale is wilted. Uncover and continue cooking until the kale is a dark green color, tossing occasionally. Serve and savor that flavor!