This Braised Kale with Apple Cider Vinegar is a quick and EASY vegan side dish that’s ready in about 10 minutes!
One of my favorite things about spring is that the ground comes back to life.
Gardens start shooting up produce again, sometimes faster than it can be eaten.
I especially love when this happens to my friend’s gardens, and they start giving away veggies.
Last spring, I was gifted a jumbo, overflowing bag of delicious curly green kale.
Thanks friend!
There are, of course, tons of ways to fix kale, including blending it up in smoothies, juicing it, and eating it raw in a salad.
One of my favorite kale recipes, however, is this warm Braised Kale with Apple Cider Vinegar. This incredibly fresh and nutrient-packed side dish is warmed in a sauté pan, and tossed with apple cider vinegar and lemon juice.
Eat More: Love green veggies? Try this easy Green Bean Salad with Almonds!
Making Braised Kale with Apple Cider Vinegar
This braised kale recipe is EASY, takes about 10 minutes, and only uses a few ingredients (one of which, obviously, is fresh kale).
I use a big bunch of kale– way more than I’d think I could eat– because it cooks down to what seems like an impossibly small amount.
In fact, normally I use a large sauté pan or wok, fill it to the top so that the lid barely fits, and when it cooks down there’s about enough left for four sides of kale (depending on how much each person takes).
If you need more than 4 servings of kale, you could always add more kale to your pan as it begins to shrink. Braised kale also reheats well in the next day or two, so if you make too much you can always eat it later.
Start by prepping your kale– rinse it, cut off the big stems (they’re kind of tough), and then tear it into small pieces.
Heat a little oil in your big pan, then add garlic.
Let the garlic cook for about a minute, then add all your kale (unless it won’t all fit- then add as much as you can and add more as the kale in the pan cooks down).
Then, pour your lemon juice and vinegar over the kale, toss it, and cover everything with a lid.
Watch your kale– you want to take it off the heat after it’s cooked down but before it starts to go from dark green to a darker brownish green (although it’s still okay to eat if some gets darker).
Everything should all cook down pretty quickly and be ready to eat within just a few minutes.
Serve it as is, or add a little more apple cider vinegar.
Enjoy this tasty and healthful veggie as a side dish for whatever else you’re eating, or by itself as a delicious and healthy snack.
Want more VEGGIE SIDE DISHES for spring and fall? Try these:
- Oven-Roasted Asparagus with Charred Lemon
- Roasted Acorn Squash with Cranberry Sauce
- Green Bean Salad with Almonds
Braised Kale with Apple Cider Vinegar
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Ingredients
- 1 large bunch kale, washed and torn into small pieces with large stems removed
- 1 TB olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- 2 TB apple cider vinegar, plus more to serve
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Heat oil on medium in a large pan or wok, until oil begins to ripple. Add garlic and saute 1-2 minutes. (Be careful not to burn the garlic.)
- Add kale and lower heat to medium-low. Drizzle lemon juice and cider over kale and toss the kale.
- Cover with a lid and allow kale to wilt for about 4-5 minutes. Kale should wilt but not turn brown. Sprinkle with salt.
- Serve warm, with extra vinegar if desired.
Lucky you to be gifted with fresh kale! I love this time of year too and I absolutely LOVE kale…it has to be up there with one of my favourite veggies. Simple recipes like this with so few ingredients are the best and they really allow for the ingredients to pop. This sounds perfect and the lemon and vinegar adds such a nice touch.
Yes!! It was fantastic- a huge back of it!!
Big yes to sharing homegrown vegetables! We are about to housesit for my parents and I am already looking forward to all their garden fresh vegetables.
I’ve rarely used kale in things other than smoothies, this braised kale recipe looks like a great intro to new uses.
I love kale in smoothies too! Haha – I love snatching up my parents wild blackberries in the summer
I want somebody to give me a big bunch of kale, you have good friends! I love the zingy apple cider vinegar addition.
Yup.. The best friends come with food. Lol
So many ways to eat kale! We all need a friend who hands us a bag! This sounds like a perfect side for, well, anything….nice change from my usual kale salad!
Yes! All friends should come with kale. Lol
This is the only vegetable my husband will eat besides green beans. I made this recipe and it turned out so tasty. The vinegar really gives it the pop it needs.
Yay! I’m so glad he liked it!