If you love kale, also check out the best kale salad, wheat berry salad with squash, kale, currants, and walnuts, and sage pumpkin pasta bake with kale and buttered pecans.
Eating kale stems
Kale stems have a reputation for being fibrous and tough, so it’s no surprise that they quickly end up being discarded. They’re actually completely edible and can be delicious if done right. From juicing to pickling, roasting, adding to soups, a stir-fry, and pesto, there are endless ways to use kale stems and save them from the compost bin. They’re also chock full of nutrients and fiber making them a healthy addition to any meal or side dish. Tip for saving kale stems: if you’re making a recipe with kale leaves (like this kale juice recipe) and you’re not using the stems right away, trim off the ends of the stems and place them in a jar or tall cup with water in the fridge to keep them fresh until you’re ready to use them.
Use your hands – hold the stem firmly with your dominant hand while using your other hand to gather the leaves and pull them back and away along the stem. This trick also works for herbs with tough stems like rosemary or thyme. Use a large sharp knife – fold the leaves of the kale together and hold them with your non-cutting hand against the cutting board. Use the knife to chop the leaves from the stem as closely as possible.
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