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3 Ways to Preserve Kale

Ingredients:

kale
paper towels
zip-top and/or freezer bags
ice water and hot water

Directions:

Store Whole Bunches In the Fridge

To avoid excess moisture, wrap the whole bunch of kale in a layer of paper towels, and store in a supermarket plastic bag or a zip-top plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer. The kale should keep for 1 week.

Store Washed, Prepped Greens in the Fridge

Because kale leaves are so hardy it is one of the only greens that you can wash and prep days in advance. Stem, slice or tear the leaves, rinse, then dry well in a salad spinner or with kitchen towels. Store the prepared leaves, wrapped in a paper towel in a zip-top plastic bag, for up to 3 days.

Blanch and Freeze the Leaves

If you aren’t going to get to the kale within a week, you can freeze kale leaves to use in soups or green smoothies later on. All it takes is a quick blanch and a couple ofsteps in the freezer.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and prepare a large bowl of ice water. Remove the kale leaves from the stems using a paring knife or your hands. When the water boils, toss in the kale leaves and cook until they brighten in color, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander and transfer to the ice water to cool.
2. Dry the blanched kale thoroughly using a salad spinner or paper towels, then freeze the dry leaves flat on a rimmed baking sheet until frozen solid, 1 to 2 hours.
3. Once frozen, transfer the kale leaves to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 8 months. You can add them straight from frozen to blenders for smoothies, or chop them while still frozen to add to soup and stews