Skip to main content

Kale with Garlic and Bacon

Image may contain Plant Spinach Food Vegetable Cabbage and Kale
Kale with Garlic and BaconRomulo Yanes
  • Active Time

    50 min

  • Total Time

    1 hr

Shredding the kale allows you to cook it for a shorter period of time, so it retains an appealingly bright color and is gentler in flavor than if it had been slow-cooked.

Ingredients

Makes 8 servings

2 1/2 pounds kale (about 4 bunches), tough stems and center ribs cut off and discarded
10 bacon slices (1/2 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups water

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Stack a few kale leaves and roll lengthwise into a cigar shape. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips with a sharp knife. Repeat with remaining leaves.

    Step 2

    Cook bacon in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Pour off and discard all but 3 tablespoons fat from pot, then cook garlic in remaining fat over moderately low heat, stirring, until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add kale (pot will be full) and cook, turning with tongs, until wilted and bright green, about 1 minute. Add water and simmer, partially covered, until just tender, 6 to 10 minutes. Toss with bacon and salt and pepper to taste.

Cooks' note:

Large kale leaves are easier to cut in the manner described in this recipe. If all you can find are small leaves, just coarsely chop them.

Sign In or Subscribe
to leave a Rating or Review

How would you rate Kale with Garlic and Bacon?

Leave a Review

  • Oops, sorry. I rated the kale recipe that I'll be making tomorrow rather than the one I made tonight.

    • Anonymous

    • Maryland

    • 11/26/2014

  • I added a clove of garlic, maybe 1/2 t of fennel seeds, and some red pepper flakes and used penne. Really good!

    • Anonymous

    • Maryland

    • 11/26/2014

  • Very good recipe! Substituted baby kale, added mandarin sections, and a splash of raw organic apple cider vinegar. I skipped the salt because of another reviewer's comment, but it really needed a bit because I used bacon w/ no added nitrates. I'll definitely be making this one again!

    • mckimb

    • Phoenix, AZ

    • 6/28/2014

  • Excellent and versatile recipe. Like others, I add a bit of wine vinegar at the end. Sometimes include onions, and sometimes use prosciutto instead of bacon. All delicious!

    • kirsten2723

    • Baltimore, MD

    • 1/22/2013

  • I'm not a kale expert--I've only had it a handful of times. But my CSA delivered some, and this seemed like a good way to use it. Even my husband, who is largely suspicious of green things, devoured it. It was so tender and flavorful!

    • Missy821

    • Chicago, IL

    • 1/20/2013

  • I made 1/3 recipe, as I made it for myself as the sole dish for dinner. I don't think I got the kale cooked properly - it was bright green, but the taste was off. The 6-10 minutes didn't allow for all the water to boil off (I used aboug 3/4 of a cup for my 1/3 recipe), so maybe I didn't cook it long enough. Loved the bacon. Toasted some pine nuts and added those, as well as a fried egg on top for some protein. It turned out OK, but I think I'll try another recipe for sauteed Kale before making this again.

    • redcleo

    • Twin Cities, MN

    • 9/7/2012

  • Careful not to add too much salt. Bacon is already salting quite a bit!

    • gaio450

    • Ft. Lauderdale, FL

    • 5/15/2012

  • Fantastic! Served this with Crown Roast of Pork and quinoa patties - soooooo good!

    • sukiyumyum

    • Hudson, Quebec

    • 3/8/2012

  • Great recipe! I used turkey bacon to reduce the fat,wiped the pan clean of fat but not the dark, crispy bits after cooking the bacon, and used light olive oil to finish the recipe. I added sauteed white onion as another reviewer suggested. Splashed some with red wine vinegar and agree that this was a good addition. My husband, who declared himself "afraid of all that kale," loved it and ate several helpings. I cooked it more than the picture suggests, but it still had plenty of body.

    • Anonymous

    • McLean, VA

    • 2/9/2012

  • somehow I ended up with kale and this was my first attempt to cook it. Turned out very good, but AI also played around with the recipe a lot based on the advice of other reviewers. I made a lot less than called for so here goes: 1 pound kale 3 bacon slices 2 garlic cloves 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup sliced leeks 1/8 cup feta cheese crumbles I sauted the leeks with the garlic and tossed the feta cheese in at the end with the bacon. I thought it was heaven. My kids were on the fence, but my husband and I were happy to eat the rest.

    • Busy_Vicki

    • 1/20/2012

  • GREAT! I sauteed a white onion at the beginning, saved it, proceeded with the recipe, and added it in at the end. A few splashes of red wine vinegar really gave it a bit of tang that lightened up the bacon/garlic/onion flavors. Next time I'm going to try adding a few segments of clementine or mandarin orange.

    • beequeen71

    • Seattle, WA

    • 8/15/2011

  • OMG this was so good! Used suggestions and used chicken stock instead of water. Honestly I have no idea what kind of greens I had just joined a csa and they are all foreign to me but it was really good. I only used 3 strips of bacon and I had a few pieces of good lean ham that I diced up. I also used a little lemon on the top.

    • megan11

    • Greater Boston Area

    • 6/20/2011

  • Very easy and delicious. Used mustard greens instead of kale and only used 1 cup of water. Great side dish.

    • mplsfoode

    • Minneapolis, MN

    • 4/26/2011

  • I truly enjoyed this dish...so simple, so healthy, so filling! I think 2 cups of water is too much as I had to pour out quite a bit of water before serving. I threw in some toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch and it was great.

    • Anonymous

    • Portland, OR

    • 4/6/2011

  • We really enjoyed this. The bacon is an easy way to make simply-prepared greens seem decadent. We added a splash of red wine vinegar right before serving. I also think that diced onions (crispy or caramelized, maybe?) would be a great addition to this dish.

    • arianell

    • Richmond, VA

    • 4/6/2011

Read More
This rustic French soup is perfect cold weather comfort food—best made a day in advance and reheated to serve.
This remix of an American classic is creamy and ribboned with fresh vegetables, but the real star is the paprika-scented fried onions.
Plain roasted cauliflower? Snore. Dress it up with this turmeric-spiked coconut milk sauce and a handful of crunchy toppings.
This simple hash—equally good for breakfast as for a quick and easy weeknight dinner—gets a pick-me-up from bright, funky sauerkraut.
Poaching halibut allows you to treat the fish gently and avoid overcooking.
All markers of good paella—saffron, sausage, shrimp, crispy rice on the bottom—with the time-saving advantages of fried rice.
Traditionally served with tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs, malawach is a Yemeni flatbread that gets super flaky and crispy thanks to the butter in the dough.
Need proof that salty cured pork and delicate shellfish are a match made in heaven? This vibrant and cozy 20-minute, one-skillet weeknight dinner.