5 minute creamy kale is going to become one of your go-to side dishes for busy nights! The creamy lemon sauce makes this kale go from boring to exciting without a ton of extra work! I promise this recipe will actually make you love kale!
Why this recipe works?
Ready in just 5 minutes, this healthy creamy kale pairs well with almost any meal and is a great way to add more veggies to any meal!
The creamy lemon sauce is just 4 ingredients and is so easy to make!
Never suffer through eating boring kale again! This vegan, gluten free, dairy free recipe is also Whole30 and low carb friendly!
Tips for cooking with kale:
Kale needs acid to taste better. For raw kale salads, it’s best to massage the kale in a little vinegar or lemon juice and olive oil or avocado oil before adding the rest of the ingredients. This starts breaking down the kale and changes the taste and texture so that it’s less earthy and more delicious. Creamy dressings work well too since the kale can stand up to the weight of the dressing.
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When cooking kale, the same basic principles are true. Add vinegar or lemon juice to cut through the bitter taste. Kale can handle creamy sauces or just a drizzle of olive oil or avocado oil (good fats are important for absorbing those vitamins and minerals)! The creamy sauce is my secret weapon to making kale crave-able!
How to make 5 Minute Creamy Kale?
- Step 1: Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ½ tbsp. garlic olive oil or olive oil to the skillet and add the kale to start wilting down.
- Step 2: Add the creamy lemon sauce ingredients to a small bowl (nut butter, lemon juice, garlic olive oil and salt).
- Step 3: Stir the creamy lemon sauce well. Add 2-3 tbsp of water to thin out the sauce.
- Step 4: Once the kale has started to wilt down, turn off the stove.
- Step 5: Add the creamy lemon sauce to the kale and stir well
- Step 6: Serve hot!
How to prepare kale for cooking:
- Start by de-stemming the kale.
- To do this hold the thick stem in one hand and use your other hand to wrap around the stalk, pulling down the entire kale leaf in one motion, The stem will be left in one hand and the kale leaf will be in the other.
- Quickly chop or tear the kale in bite size pieces.
What is the best kale to use for this creamy kale recipe?
Dinosaur kale (sometimes called Tuscan kale) is great in this recipe. You can usually find it at most health food stores and even in some regular grocery stores. It does not have the curly edges like traditional kale and it cooks down quickly.
Regular green or red kale would also be great in this recipe. Be sure to remove any thick stalks before cooking, as those will not break down quick enough in 5 minutes.
Here is a time saving tip: you can find washed and chopped kale at most grocery stores in large 3 pound bags. Just be sure that when you are using the pre-chopped kale, that you pick out any large stems before cooking.
FAQ’s:
What other greens can you cook this way?
- Collard greens, thinly sliced
- Chard
- Spinach
- Arugula
What nut butters can you use in this recipe?
If you don’t have access to garlic infused olive oil:
Garlic infused olive oil is what I use in a lot of my cooking since fresh garlic and garlic powder cause digestive issues for some of the members of my family. If that is not the case at your house, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of olive oil + 1 teaspoon of garlic powder for each tablespoon of garlic olive oil.
If you love this recipe, you should try:
- Vegan Nacho Kale Chips
- Cherry Kale Salad with Cherry Dressing
- Spicy Kale Artichoke Dip
- Whole30 Spinach Artichoke Dip
5 Minute Creamy Kale
Guided Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound kale, chopped
- 1/2 lemon - juiced
- 1 tbsp nut butter - or seed butter of choice
- 1 tbsp garlic olive oil - or olive oil and 1/2 tsp.garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2-3 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.
- De-stem and chop the kale into bite size pieces.
- Add 1/2 tbsp garlic olive oil to the pan.
- Add the chopped kale to the olive oil and stir well.
- While the kale is cooking down, make the sauce by combining the rest of the garlic olive oil, nut butter, lemon juice, salt and 2 tbsp of water in a small bowl. Stir well until combined.
- Pour this mixture over the kale and stir well. Cook 1 minute. Add 1 tbsp of water if needed. Serve hot
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Notes
- Almond butter
- Tahini
- Sunflower seed butter
- Cashew butter
- Walnut butter
- Collard greens, thinly sliced
- Chard
- Spinach
- Arugula
Nutrition Information
Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in March 2018, but was published again in June 2019 to include step by step directions,
JTrain
Yummy!
Jami
Wow, somehow this is sooo good! I don’t LOVE kale but I might now. Great simple recipe, thanks!
Jami Lynn Powers
Update – I just used the sauce over roasted brussel sprouts and that is just as good. I need more stars to rate this higher then a 5.
Robert
I’d like to try this… Can I substitute vinegar or some other acid for the lemon juice?
Samantha Rowland
Yes! I often use apple cider vinegar and red wine vinegar! Start with 1-2 tablespoons!
Linda
I was skeptical how the nut butter would work with the kale. I actually loved it! I used frozen kale and tahini. Definitely requires a repeat performance. It was quick, easy and tasty. Thank you.
Samantha Rowland
Thank you! Tahini is a great option here!
Ann
That was yummy. I prepared it with slight moderation of adding coconut milk and it was tasty. Thank you for the recipe
Cynthia
Never liked Kale until this recipe! Even my picky eaters at the dinner table liked it.