I like kale. That's the biggest surprise I've had writing this blog. I love all sorts of food; there are few foods I actively dislike. But greens and I have always had a stand-offish relationship. Kale chips changed all that. Suddenly, I was looking forward to those dark greens in my CSA box, and seeking them out at the grocery store.
As you can probably tell from reading this blog, I grill a lot. (I may have a grilling problem. Don't tell anyone.) I tried to get kale chips to work on the grill, oh how I tried…but I kept failing. I couldn't get the little chips off the grill quickly enough, and they would be blackened and ruined.
I stumbled across the solution earlier this summer. Don't try to make chips; instead, grill the whole kale leaf, using the stem as a handle. Now I have the crispy crunch of kale chips with the convenience of a quick grilled side dish. Why didn't I think of that?
📖 Recipe Card
Grilled Kale with Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Total Time: 9 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Whole kale leaves tossed in a simple olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette, then grilled for a few minutes until crispy at the edges.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 bunch kale, stems left on
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Dress the kale: Whisk the olive oil and vinegar in a large bowl. Add the kale, and toss until coated - I hold the bunch by the stems and use it like a whisk, then comb through the leaves with my fingers. Sprinkle evenly with the salt and pepper.
- Prepare the grill: Preheat the grill on high for 15 minutes, turn the heat down to medium, and brush the grate clean.
- Grill the first side: Lay the kale leaves on the grill in a single layer over direct medium heat. Grill with the lid closed until the edges start to brown, about 2 minutes.
- Grill the second side: Flip, and grill until the leaves turn dark olive and crispy, 1 to 2 minutes more. Take each leaf off as soon as it turns olive, or it will burn. Serve.
Notes
Equipment: A grill (I use a Weber Summit).
Don't crowd the grill. You may need to grill in batches - each batch takes about 4 minutes.
Watch closely - the leaves go from olive (done) to black (burnt) in a blink.
For more, try my Kale Chips or Kale Chips with Chinese Flavors.
Adapted from Seamus Mullen's Hero Food.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts:
Kale Chips
Kale Chips with Chinese Flavors
Adapted from:
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Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
You're welcome. Good luck, and make sure to get it off the grill quick!
jeaninaq says
Thank you so much for this! I'm about to grill Kale for the first time for our Thanksgiving Dinner.
I just needed the "how to"... it all makes sense now.
You advice alleviated all my anxieties.
Marcy Holmes says
This is brilliant. Chips are also my husband's favorite way to eat kale, and this looks a lot easier than our current method. Thank you!
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
You're welcome!