Keep It As a Bunch
Once people learned that this nutrient-dense veggie packs a ton of health benefits, the popularity of this leafy green soared. Kale is a superfood, and because of this, we want to make sure we are keeping all those nutrients intact while also enjoying its flavor and texture. If you want to keep the fresh kale in a bunch, do not wash it. Simply wrap it in a kitchen towel (or a few sheets of paper towels) and place it in a plastic storage bag. Change the paper towels every few days until you are ready to use the kale.
Wash, Portion & Wrap
Proper kale storage will ensure the leaves last for at least 5-6 days, if not longer. You can store kale with stems as a whole or give it a rough chop and store it in the fridge to have it ready to use in recipes throughout the week. Here’s how I like to do it when I get home from the grocery store: Now you have a hearty green washed and ready for a kale salad, like Kale Avocado Salad, Quinoa Kale Salad, Brussel Sprouts Kale Salad, or Harvest Salad with Kale.
Blanch & Freeze Kale
If you need to store kale for the long term, you can freeze it. The best way to store kale in the freezer is to blanch it first to get rid of its natural enzymes. Blanched Kale is ideal to use in recipes, but it is also a crucial step if you are planning to freeze it. Here’s how to do it:
Thaw
You can add frozen kale to recipes without thawing. You can add it to green smoothies like kale pineapple smoothie and green turmeric smoothie, soups like Tuscan Kale Soup, chicken vegetable soup, butternut squash lentil stew, and pastas like zucchini fettuccine with kale right from frozen – no need to thaw! But if you need to thaw, simply remove the bag of kale from the freezer and keep it in the fridge or at room temperature for 3-4 hours. Use it as soon as it is thawed. I do not recommend leaving it out too long as you will end up with soggy leaves.
Dry Kale
Dried kale is a bit different from fresh or frozen, but a great alternative if you want to puree the kale into a powder and add it to recipes. Here’s how to dry kale at home as a whole bunch or individual leaves:
How to air-dry kale in a bunch:
How to air-dry kale leaves:
If you find this guide on How To Store Kale or any one of our other How-To Guides on Foolproof Living helpful, please take a minute to leave a rating and a review. Doing so helps others who are planning to follow the processes outlined in this post.
Types of Kale: Learn about the different varieties of kale, along with their unique appearance and how to use each one.How To Cut Kale: Learn how to properly chop kale the right way. Plus, learn how to use stems to avoid any food waste.Blanching kale is an easy way to extend the life of kale to not only keep it fresh longer but also freeze it for long-term use.Massaged Kale: If you are having a hard time getting your family to eat kale salads, then you should know how to tenderize the tough leaves of kale. Simply follow my foolproof method to massage kale to minimize the bitter flavor and make it more palatable.
