Kale is popular green leafy vegetable which is also called as queen of greens in some health circles due to nutrients packed in them. Trending substitute for kale is spinach and collard greens which mostly people use but their are lot of other green leafy vegetables that can be used instead of kale when you cant find kale in your nearby grocery market or it gets over in your fridge.
here we will share some insight on kale alternatives for you buy and try in your recipes to get some good flavors and taste in your dishes to enjoy them with your family and friends.
Kale substitutes and alternatives
spinach
spinach comes with good taste and lot of essential nutrients including vitamin A etc. so you can use it in place of kale in all recipes. when using spinach you will get good flavor in your dish due to its mild and subtle flavor which gives creamy texture to dishes and it is easy to wilt in hot dishes were as kale on other is somewhat bitter in taste. it can used in salads, soups, spinach dips, curries, gravy mix, pie fillings etc.
their is also smaller size variety of spinach called baby spinach which can also be used be used in your dishes. it is easy to mix and blend in dishes mixtures and also looks good in salad platters and grilled food platters. so you use and enjoy great taste when kale is out of stock. you can add some spices and herbs with spinach to make the dish tasty and flavorful.
cabbage
cabbage can be potential replacement to kale if you don’t find anything else, moreover you can choose from many types of cabbages in different colors from purple, green etc. cabbage comes with bland taste which is not similar to kale but can be used in place of kale when required in all kinds of dishes from cooked to raw for great taste.
to enhance the flavor of cabbage in dishes you can add some spices and herbs in them for better flavor profile.
As far as benefits of cabbage is concerned then let me tell you that is packed with lot of good benefits for our body like it has been found that people who consume cabbage has good digestive system and better infection fighting capabilities in their body due to stronger and active immune system. some people has also found it to be blood cleaner and detoxifier for better overall body fitness and health along with proper working metabolism.
iceberg lettuce
Ice berg lettuce comes in light green color with good taste. it can be used instead of kale when their is kale shortage with you. It is little bit crunchy when eating unlike kale which isn’t and its flavor is also mild so if you want something crispy with mild in your dish when adding veggies then iceberg lettuce is definitely something worth considering. its mass contains about 95% of water content along with some minerals and fibers so its a good option to add in your salad bowls and other dishes as its light to eat and gives crunchy feel to your food items.
you can get some amount of calcium, potassium and folate from the ice berg lettuce. studies have also found that lettuce in common and this variety also has vitamin k in them which helps in healing and strengthening your bone from inside.
romaine lettuce
It is popular alternative as it comes with mild flavor and is widely available which makes it one of the ideal candidate for kale replacement. mostly people use it in sandwiches, salads and other items as dressing rather than being cooked in soups etc.
so its your choice how you want to prepare it and use in different dishes. some people also like to add it in their Caesar salad after brushing it with olive oil and lightly grilling or roasting it to get BBQ type flavor in the salad bowl with lettuce stalks.
it can be added in tacos mixture or in chili recipes but make sure to get the best taste and crunchy flavor from the lettuce you cook it less and add in last so that the crunchy of the lettuce remains intact after serving the dish.
It is crunchy and make sure that you consume within few days after buying it as it may go bad if kept for very long time and do wash the lettuce leaves under running water to remove all the unwanted dirt that it may have.
Tatsoi
it is crunchy and crispy green leafy veggie which can be used as kale alternative. it is taste to eat and can be added to all kinds of dishes when required. it is less popular and originates from Asian countries. it can be added to dishes which require cooking or can be added to raw salad bowls also. it is mild in flavor which somewhat resembles swiss chard to some extent.
tatsoi comes packed with lot of essential nutrients including vitamin A, Vitamin C etc.
collard greens
collard greens gives similar taste to kale and look also somewhat similar which makes them a good alternative to kale in its absence. you can use them in all places where you would require kale to get good taste and flavor from collard greens. they can be consumed in both raw and cooked form as per your choice of recipe. you can season them with some spices to make the dish more delicious.
swiss chard
swiss chard can also be considered as kale substitute as it comes with stems of different colors including green, pink, purple etc. and leaves of green color to resemble kale. all swiss chard are tasty and fulfills the purpose. you can cut the stems if you don’t like. leaves are soft and stem are crunchy so they don’t get mushy after cooking and will retain the flavor.
you can use it as per your preferences in all kinds of dishes including soups, pie mixture to raw salads.
mustard greens
mustard green comes with spicy flavor and can replace kale in dishes when required. the flavor can be different than kale but can be used as its alternative in recipes if the need arises in absence of kale. it is also know as curly mustard by some and popularly used in japan, china and Indian regions. you will get somewhat wasabi like flavor from it can be compared to horseradish if you have eaten it before. you can interchange this with kale anytime as the looks are quite similar to it.
escarole
Escarole comes with big leaves and taste similar to kale so it can be used as replacement for kale when you don’t have it. it will give your food good taste and appearance. escarole is popularly used in salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers etc. to give a unique taste to recipe.
to know more about escarole alternatives checkout our post on it as it would give you options to make green dishes in absence of escarole with other green vegetables.
Arugula
arugula comes with narrow elongated shaped leaves. it has mild pepper like and spicy flavor. you can cook the arugula leaves with your dish to get its taste in the dish or add it our salad bowl to give it different taste. it gets more bitter as its leaves gets aged and if you tend to buy wild arugula then be ready to taste little pungent taste form it. most popular way of cooking arugula is sautéing in veggies bowl but some people also like to make curry out of it like spinach recipes.
some of the famous recipes made with arugula includes pesto sauce made with arugula, used as pizza topping, crunchy polenta bites made with arugula and cheese fillings, grilled or baked potato salad with chopped arugula leaves, green braised chicken along with meatballs with arugula fillings, veloute sauce made with cheese and arugula along with spice mix. pasta dishes and lasagna also goes well with arugula if it get used to its taste.
Brussel sprouts
Brussel sprouts can also work as kale replacement in all kinds of recipes even after difference in taste and texture from kale. they look and taste little bit like cabbage with blends with all recipes well. they are small in size and can be used after chopping with sharp utility knife or in food processor with cutting blade or you can add them in pan along with some oil and few spices of your choice to roast them for few minutes and then add them in your salad bowls, stir fry dishes, make fritters out of chopped sprouts after mixing them gram flour to get great taste from your dishes when you cant get your hands on kale or you want to try something new rather than regular kale.
Frequently asked questions
Can I substitute lettuce for kale?
yes you can use lettuce when kale is not present, we have already shared some lettuce variety which are popular replacement for kale in all kinds of dishes from cold ones like sandwiches, burgers, salads to hot and cooked ones like gravy, curries, pies, casseroles, pastas etc.
what are kale nutrition facts and information?
below i have share a simple kale nutrition data chart in form of image, so checkout and know the kale nutrients breakdown easily.
Conclusion
now that you have found the substitutes for the kale you don’t have the excuse to skip healthy recipes as with these green alternatives you can make all kinds of different recipes which are healthy and nutritious to enjoy with your family and friends.
the kale has little bit strong flavor so adjust the quantity if alternate veggies and spices used according to your taste preference.
let me know what all recipes and dishes you like to make with kale substitutes in comments below, i will try them too.
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