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Kale might be a humble member of the brassica (cabbage) family, and the mild flavor and hearty texture of this leafy green makes it unique in the vegetable world. Do you know all the different types of kale at your farmers market and the best ways to use each one? Let me be your guide to this dark, leafy superfood.
When is Kale in Season?
Kale can usually be found year round at the farmers market, but it really hits its peak in the cooler months. I typically treat kale as a fall, winter, and spring crop, depending on the variety. Hearty varieties, like curly kale and Lacinato kale are best in the fall and early winter, while baby kale and other tender varieties are best in the spring.
Kale is extremely hardy and can be found at farmers markets across the United States, even in Alaska. Kale is one of the vegetables I saw every week at the Anchorage farmers markets that I visited this year.
How to pick out Kale at the Farmers Market
You want your kale leaves to be uniformly green or purple in color, and the leaves should be firm and crisp. Avoid any leaves that are turning yellow or brown, or are extremely wilted or slimy. If your kale looks anything like the picture above, please add it to your compost pile!
How to Store Kale at Home
Kale is one of the longest lasting leafy greens that you can bring home from the farmers market.
Keep the kale leaves dry to maximize shelf life. I like to keep a dry paper towel inside the bag with my kale to help absorb moisture and prevent the kale from wilting prematurely. Change out the paper towel if it becomes damp.
Types of Kale You’ll See at the Farmers Market
Baby Kale
Baby kale isn’t necessarily any one type of kale. Instead, these leaves are harvested when the plant is especially young.
Baby kale, unlike mature kale, is especially tender and can be eaten raw and untreated. If you’ve got a ton of baby kale that is starting to wilt in the refrigerator, toss the leaves in a smoothie or make a pesto. Even though soup would be a great option for other leafy greens, baby kale does not hold up well when heated.
Bear Necessities Kale
“Bear Necessities” is a frilly kale that almost looks like frisee lettuce. This kale variety is actually a cross between Siberian kale and mizuna, which is a very frilly leaved lettuce. Bear Necessities kale grows extremely quickly and is often harvested as a part of baby kale mixes.
Use Bear Necessities kale in salads for a different texture. Unlike curly kale, the leaves are tender and do not need to be massaged.
Curly Kale
Curly kale is the classic version that we’re all familiar with; the kale that once lined salad bars for decorative purposes only. It has a mild vegetal flavor, and a firm texture.
Curly kale needs to be massaged if it is going to be eaten raw. This is exactly what it sounds like: add a tablespoon of oil and gently use your hands to squeeze the kale and break it down. It’s almost like kneading bread, but you’re kneading leafy greens instead. Do this at least 20 minutes before you plan to eat the kale so that it has enough time to break down. This can also be done the night before, making curly kale a great choice for make ahead salads.
Lacinato Kale
Lacinato kale is also known as Tuscan kale or dinosaur kale (I’ll let you guess which one of these is my favorite). It’s characterized by a deeply textured leaf with rounded edges, similar to an elongated leaf of savoy cabbage. Flavor-wise, it is also very mild.
If you don’t know what type of kale would be best in your recipe, Lacinato kale should be your go to. It has the perfect middle ground for texture. It holds well in soups and stews, crisps up beautifully as chips, and can be massaged into tender salads.
Ornamental Kale
Ornamental kale is extremely tough with thick stems; it was bred entirely for its aesthetics. While technically you could eat it, I don’t recommend it. Save this kale for the centerpiece of an unusual floral arrangements; it’s a real stunner!
Red Russian Kale
Red Russian kale is thought to originate in Siberia, and is the hardiest of the kale varieties. I find that it has the sweetest flavor of all the different types of kale that I’ve tried.
Red Russian kale is great in salads and in soups, but I do not recommend it for making chips. The flat-leaf texture doesn’t crisp up as nicely as curly kale, and has a tendency to go limp after the chips are taken out of the oven.
Redbor Kale (Purple Kale)
Redbor kale is a purple variety of curly kale. It at its best, sweetest flavor when harvested after the first frost, so look for this variety at your late fall farmers markets.
Substitute Redbor kale for curly kale in your recipes; these two varieties can be treated interchangeably. I find that Redbor kale makes pretty chips, especially when mixed with a green curly kale variety.
Scarlet Kale
Like Redbor kale, Scarlet kale can be used interchangeably with curly kale. The color intensifies as the weather gets cooler, so you’ll start to see this variety in the late fall and winter months.
Siberian Kale
Siberian kale is closely related to turnip greens, and is perhaps the most mild of the kale varieties. It has a white stem with broad flat leaves that are fairly tender when raw.
Siberian kale, like Lacinato kale, is a great all-purpose choice in recipes. Its broad leaves make it a great choice for making vegetable wraps, especially when you consider that the leaves do not need to be massaged to be tender.
White Russian Kale
Much like the cocktail, White Russian kale does not originate in Russia. This variety traces its roots back to an Oregonian company that crossed Red Russian kale with Siberian kale, resulting in a flat leafed variety with white ribs.
Use White Russian Kale the same way you would use Red Russian Kale. Don’t forget to save the stems!
Best Recipes for Kale from the Farmers Market
Soup is a classic way to use up a bunch of kale. My Italian Kale Soup uses Red Russian kale, fennel, and sausage to make a hearty soup perfect for the colder months. As a more tender leaf, the Red Russian kale can be torn into large pieces and still be tender enough after wilting in the stock. Feel free to substitute other kale varieties in this soup, but tougher varieties should be cut into smaller pieces and may require more cooking.
Lacinato kale is a great fit for my One Pot Orecchiette, as it is sturdy enough to hold the creamy sauce. Be sure to cut or tear it into manageable pieces for this recipe.
The more tender kales, such as Russian Kale or Siberian Kale, shred nicely and are perfect in warmed grain salads. Look no further than this recipe for Toasted Couscous Salad for inspiration.
Making kale chips is a great way to use the tougher kale varieties, such as curly kale, Redbor kale, and scarlet kale. By dehydrating the kale in the oven, the kale becomes irresistibly crispy and is the perfect healthy snack. Minimalist Baker has a great guide on how to achieve the perfect kale chips and gives plenty of flavor ideas as well.
What to do with Kale Stems
Most recipes call for the kale leaves to be stripped from the stems, as kale stems cook differently from the rest of the leaves. However, instead of throwing the stems into your compost pile, try incorporating them into some creative recipes.
Even if you don’t think you’re good at baking, my Farmers Market Celebration Bread is a foolproof and delicious way to prevent kale stems from going to waste. Slice the stems thinly on the bias to ensure that they are tender when baked.
Looking for something more savory? Add those kale stems to the filling of these egg rolls. Egg rolls are a great vehicle for using up good vegetables that would otherwise end up in the compost bin.
