Name: Easy Sautéed Kale with Garlic and Ponzu Sauce
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 bunch fresh kale; 2 tbsp sesame oil; 1 tbsp olive oil; 3 tbsp ponzu sauce; 3 cloves garlic (sliced)

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Turn your harvest of kale into a tangy flavorful side dish of sautéed kale with garlic and ponzu sauce.

After making lots of crispy kale chips, I tried my hand at sautéing kale yesterday. Sautéed kale with garlic and ponzu turned out to be a hit!

My kale (on the left) has been going a little crazy this spring, and I have armfuls of it to use. I grew basic curly kale and I have found it incredibly easy to grow and harvest. Kale is a ‘cut and come again’ plant which means. I can cut a few leaves at a time and the plant will keep producing more!

If you aren’t familiar with growing kale, read my post: How to Grow Kale and 3 Easy Ways to Use it in the Kitchen.

Try this mix of kale seeds from Botanical Interests for the perfect blend of kale varieties!

Over the weekend, I was experimenting with making kale chips in the oven and then in the air fryer with a variety of seasonings. I really enjoyed making kale chips and trying different flavors.

How to Prepare Kale

When it comes to using kale, there are few tips to keep in mind:

Wash and dry completely before using.
Remove the tough fibrous stems from the leaves with your hands or a sharp knife and discard.
Massage the leaves with oil or a paper towel to help break down the fibrous texture and to reduce bitterness.

When I was experimenting with different flavored kale chips, I stumbled upon a unique flavor.

I tried making an Asian style kale chip with sesame oil and ponzu sauce. If you’re not familiar with ponzu sauce, it’s soy sauce with a citrusy tangy addition. (We love putting it on poke bowls).

Okay-back to the kale chips: they turned out great! However, when I looked at the remaining kale leaves in the bowl all smothered with sesame oil and ponzu sauce- I thought, “Hmmm, wait a minute-that would be yummy sautéed on the stovetop!”

How to Make Sautéed Kale

I switched gears, chopped some garlic and heated up the skillet. I drizzled some more sesame oil around the pan and added a little bit of olive oil. Then I tossed in the garlic and kale. I sautéed the kale over medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes. (I didn’t have a huge amount in the skillet because I was experimenting, but in the future I would cook it for 3-7 minutes if I had a whole bunch of kale in the pan).

It wasn’t too long before my husband called out down the hallway, “What smells so good?” I knew I was on the right track!

After a few minutes, the kale cooked down and wilted like raw spinach does. I tested a small bite to make sure the texture was tender enough and whoa- we had a winner!

The taste? Excellent! The ponzu sauce brightened up the kale’s slight bitterness and the garlic added a kick to each bite. The texture was denser than wilted spinach, but not rubbery.

Overall, I would absolutely add this as a side dish to teriyaki chicken or grilled pork tenderloin. It would also do well in a grain bowl with jasmine rice, shredded carrots and edamame.

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