Sauteed Kale with Bacon
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Sautéed kale with bacon is a simple, savory side dish made with tender wilted kale and crispy bacon pieces. The kale is cooked in the flavorful bacon drippings until softened, then a splash of vinegar and a touch of butter is added to finish off the dish.
Why does it seem like every time I have a CSA or get vegetables from a friend there is always a bunch of kale in the mix. Kale must be super easy to grow in our area because I feel like we are always getting it.
The problem is that neither my husband nor I are particularly fond of kale. While we can throw it in a salad or stir fry we haven’t really found a way to make it where we actually want to eat it.
What is Kale?
Kale is a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the cabbage family. It has dark green or purple leaves, a slightly bitter taste, and a hearty texture. Kale is often eaten raw in salads, sautéed as a side dish, added to soups, or baked into chips.
I searched up a lot of different recipes looking for an easy to make kale side dish that sounded like something we would eat. I finally found this recipe for sauteed kale.
Why you will like it:
The recipe starts with making bacon. Then you saute the kale in the bacon drippings. If you like all the flavor of bacon in your veggies this recipe is for you!
In addition to cooking the kale in the bacon, at the end of the cooking you add in a bit of vinegar. This immediately had me thinking about the spinach my mom used to cook for us when we were younger which had bacon and vinegar in it.
Ingredients:
- bacon (you can use turkey bacon if you prefer)
- fresh kale (you can also use fresh spinach or Swiss chard)
- salt
- black pepper
- garlic cloves
- vinegar (I like red wine vinegar but apple cider vinegar or balsamic work too)
To make the kale you first cook the bacon. Remove it from the pan and drain on a paper towel. Add the kale to the bacon drippings and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic cloves and vinegar and cook for an additional minute.
This recipe is super easy to make and takes about 15 minutes. I like that the kale is cooked until tender and has a bit of the bacon flavor while having a bit of the sour vinegar flavor as well.
If you want a slighter sweeter kale then I would definitely use the balsamic vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar.
You can also use a combination of greens instead of just using kale or one of the other greens. This is a great way to use up those veggies from the garden or your CSA.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon
- 1 large bunch of kale chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar
Instructions
- Place the skillet over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until browned. Remove from skillet and place on paper towel lined plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the kale to the bacon drippings in the pan.
- Saute the kale for 5 minutes or until tender.
- Add the salt, pepper, and garlic cloves and saute for another minute.
- Add in the vinegar and stir to combine.
- Crumble the cooked bacon and add it to the kale. Toss to combine. Serve warm.
Notes
- Sauteed Kale with Bacon by Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
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- Easy Southern Fried Okra by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Pomegranate Pani Puri by Magical Ingredients
Kale is one oif my favorite greens. This is a great side option.
Kale is such a great, versatile green. It is delicious raw or cooked and bacon is a great pairing either way.