Instant Pot® Kale (Slow Cooker)

This easy, vegan Instant Pot kale is made with fresh kale, onions, and spices, and uses the slow cooker feature on your pressure cooker. (Traditional slow cooker directions included!)

I’ve been eating all the kale lately.

Really, so much kale. I’ve even gotten into a kale-icious routine.

First, I use the fresh kale in a salad (like this kale apple salad), and then I add it to soup (like this white bean and kale soup).

If I have more kale than I can use before it goes bad, I chop some of it up and freeze raw kale for later.

But guys, my freezer is kind of small. We don’t have a chest freezer, and freezing raw kale isn’t super compact.

As I stared into my very-full freezer, one thing became clear. I needed to freeze the (much more space-efficient) COOKED kale. Also, I needed to eat some of the food in my freezer.

And my braised kale wasn’t cooked down enough. I needed a way to cook a ton of kale into a delicious soup pot of cooked, tender leafy greens.

This Instant Pot kale uses the pressure cooker’s slow cooker function, and is made with onions, spices, and lots of fresh kale. It’s a tasty side dish, and is also a perfect addition to soups and curries.

Can I Make This Instant Pot Kale in a Regular Slow Cooker?

You sure can, and I’ve included directions for that in the recipe card below the Instant Pot directions.

If you make this in a traditional slow cooker, you’ll need to cook the onions on a stovetop before adding them to the slow cooker basin.

If you have a fancy multi-cooker slow cooker (like this Cuisinart multi-cooker), you can brown the onions in your slow cooker basin just like in the Instant Pot recipe.

Do I Need a Glass Lid For My Instant Pot?

You do need to cover the Instant Pot with a glass lid for this recipe.

You can use the Instant Pot brand lid, which is made from tempered glass, is oven-safe, and is fairly affordable.

For this recipe, however, you don’t need an oven-safe lid.

A standard pot lid from your usual set of kitchen pots will work just fine, so I recommend checking to see if any of the pot lids you already own will fit.

Can I Use This Technique for Southern-Style Greens?

Yes.

If you follow the recipe exactly, these greens are vegan.

If you prefer southern-style greens, feel free to swap the olive oil for another fat (like bacon fat) and add a ham hock (or bacon) to the greens while they cook.

How to Make Instant Pot Kale

Start by preparing the kale. Trim off the woody stems and roughly chop the leaves.

Rinse the kale and set it aside.

Next, add olive oil to your Instant Pot basin and press the sauté button.

Add a sliced onion, salt, garlic powder, and red chili flakes, and cook until the onions are tender.

Press cancel to end the sauté feature.

Next, press the slow cook button until the temperature display reads less. Set the timer for three hours.

Add the kale and broth, and cover the pot with a glass lid.

Resist the urge to open the lid while the kale cooks.

When the kale is cooked down and tender, it’s ready!

You can eat it immediately, store it in the fridge for a few days, or freeze it in batches for later.

Looking for even more kale recipe ideas? Try this kale mac and cheese from Garlic and Zest.