Wondering how to make kale taste good? This Barbecued Kale recipe uses a quick homemade sauce that plays up the hearty goodness of fresh kale. Stir in chickpeas to transform it from a side dish to an entree.
Active time: 20 minutes. Total time: 30 minutes. Serves 4. Vegan. Gluten-free if using gluten-free soy sauce.
Cost: $1.21 per serving using organic ingredients, including chickpeas, or $4.82 for the recipe.
1/4 teaspoon canola oil or olive oil
1 bunch kale, about 12 ounces or 340 grams, stems and leaves separated and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup ketchup (I use Annie’s Organic Ketchup)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons apple-cider vinegar (I use homemade vinegar)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
2 cups cooked chickpeas (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
- Put oil in a large pot and heat over medium-low heat. Cook chopped onion and chopped kale stems until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in minced garlic and then add chopped kale leaves. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.
- Make barbecue sauce by mixing chili powder, vinegar, soy sauce, and molasses in a measuring cup or small bowl. When kale is tender, add sauce and chickpeas to pot, stir, and cook covered until warm and flavors combine, about 5 minutes.
- Serve hot. Serve Barbecued Kale on its own or over baked sweet or white potatoes, rice, quinoa, or noodles. It’s even better the next day, after barbeque flavor has soaked into chickpeas. Keeps refrigerated for 5 days. Can be frozen, but kale will lose some of its toothsome texture.
Barbecued Kale Recipe notes
- This recipe saves washing a pot by making the barbecue sauce right in with the kale.
- To make homemade barbecue sauce, simmer the sauce ingredients with a little minced onion and garlic for about 10 minutes.
- This recipe avoids food waste by cooking the kale stems with the onion. So many recipes say to throw out the stems, but they become tender if cooked five minutes longer than the leaves.
Nutrition for one serving (1/4 recipe)
Calories: 225
Protein 11 grams (22% daily value), total fat 3 grams (5%), cholesterol 0 grams, total carbohydrates 43 grams (14%), dietary fiber 6 grams (23%)
Calcium 199 mg (20%), iron 5 grams (27%), zinc 2 mg (12%), Vitamin C 109 (182%), Vitamin A 8231 IU (165%), Vitamin B6 0.5 mg (23%), Folacin 176 mcg (44%)
