Smoky Braised Kale With Tomato

Smoky Braised Kale With Tomato
Melina Hammer for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
5(789)
Comments
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This is a hack of a preparation the chef Travis Lett used at his restaurant Gjelina in Venice, Calif., as a pairing for a half-roasted chicken. With its deeply caramelized base of tomato paste and smoked paprika, the kale melts into velvety excellence that can stand on its own with a pile of rice or a baked potato. But it really shines brightly as a supporting player in a feast of poultry, pork or beef. Do two onions seem too many for you? Use one. This is a recipe really to make your own.

Featured in: The 400-Degree Thanksgiving

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings
  • ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2Spanish onions, peeled and diced
  • 8cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
  • ¼cup tomato paste
  • 1teaspoon hot smoked paprika (pimentón)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3cups turkey or chicken stock, ideally homemade or low-sodium
  • 1tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
  • 4(¾-pound) bunches washed kale (any kind), thick stems discarded or cut into thin strips, leaves cut into thick strips (about 16 packed cups total)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

143 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 581 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place a large, heavy-bottomed, high-sided pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add olive oil. When it shimmers, add onions and garlic and cook until they soften and begin to turn translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add tomato paste and smoked paprika, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste begins to caramelize, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add stock and vinegar, and allow to come to a boil.

  3. Step 3

    Add half the kale, cover, and cook for a minute or two, until it wilts. Repeat with remaining kale. Stir to incorporate the onion mixture into the soft kale and simmer until tender, 20 to 30 minutes, partly covered. Season to taste with salt and pepper, drizzle with a little more vinegar, and serve.

Ratings

5 out of 5
789 user ratings
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Comments

Delicious!! I've been making a version of this since in appeared in the "you don't need a recipe" newsletter. For the two in our household, I use 1 extra-large bunch of kale, one onion and 3 cloves garlic. Go heavy on the smoked paprika and vinegar--it really amps the flavor, as does a shake of crushed red pepper. And I always add some diced, cooked chicken or smoked andouille sausage to make it a one-dish meal, perfect for cold weather. A winner!

Can this be made ahead and reheated?

I added more tomato paste, more smoked paprika, less kale, included mushrooms and chickpeas and served it with polenta. It was really great. A very forgiving recipe! Probably took 40 mins from start to sitting down to eat though I could have been faster.

Delicious! For two person household, I quartered all ingredients. I added farro and had cheese omelette on the side for a satisfying yet simple weekday meal.

This is so easy and delicious. It will become a standard in my repertoire of sides. FWIW, I followed advice to reduce the liquid a bit. And I didn't bother using stock; just a splash of wine and water. All the aromatics and olive oil gave it plenty of flavor.

Red onion, added mushrooms - also changed proportions b/c I was using what was left of kale and for one - but worked great and will be using variations of this to cook braised greens!

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