15 Plant-Based, High-Protein Kale Recipes to Help You Eat Your Greens!

Since its rise in popularity, kale has become a household staple in most homes. It’s a wonderful veggie to help you get those healthy, leafy greens in your diet. It can be used in smoothies, salads, and so much more. There are countless ways to enjoy this delicious vegetable. And if you don’t think it’s delicious, you will after trying these 15 plant-based kale recipes!

We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App  — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, vegan, plant-based and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help you get healthy! And, don’t forget to check out our Kale Archives!

1. Kale Salad Balance Bowl

Source: Kale Salad Balance Bowl

This Kale Salad Balance Bowl by Crissy Cavanaugh has black beans, harissa roasted sweet potatoes and sweet tahini dressing for a balanced dinner in a bowl!

2. Teriyaki Cauliflower and Kale Stir Fry

Source: Teriyaki Cauliflower and Kale Stir Fry

This tasty Teriyaki Cauliflower and Kale Stir Fry by Jackie Newgent is packed with plant-based goodness, but none of the added sugar. This recipe gets a punch of natural sweetness from pure pineapple juice, a spicy kick from red hot chili pepper, and extra zing from a generous amount of fresh ginger. The only thing missing is some protein — so try pairing it with your favorite grain!

3. Winter White Bean Chowder With Kale and Coconut Bacon

Source: Winter White Bean Chowder With Kale and Coconut Bacon

Here’s a hearty soup that you can make with winter pantry and produce staples – potatoes, white beans, kale, rosemary and lemon combine for a dreamy, creamy chowder! A quick coconut bacon recipe is included as the perfect garnish to this soup. This Winter White Bean Chowder With Kale and Coconut Bacon recipe by Christine DesRoches is naturally gluten, grain, and dairy-free.

4. Kale Salad With Farro, Golden Raisins and Walnuts

Source: Kale Salad With Farro, Golden Raisins and Walnuts

This Kale Salad With Farro, Golden Raisins and Walnuts by Crissy Cavanaugh is such a simple and filling salad, wow! For a gluten-free version, substitute quinoa for farro. Want a lower-carb version? Omit the farro and add more kale!

5. Emerald Kale Detox Soup

Source: Emerald Kale Detox Soup

This Emerald Kale Detox Soup by Helyn Dunn is light and refreshing.

6. Kale Salad With Cranberries and Butternut Squash

Source: Kale Salad With Cranberries and Butternut Squash

This Kale Salad With Cranberries and Butternut Squash by Alison Corey pairs roasted butternut squash with kale, cranberries, apples, and walnuts for a colorful autumnal plate that can stand alone as a main dish or a side at your Thanksgiving or Christmas meal.

7. Potato and Kale Instant Pot Soup

Source: Potato and Kale Instant Pot Soup

Right in the heart of winter, we are still very well living in soup season. This Potato and Kale Instant Pot Soup by Rinku Bhattacharya is perfect to warm you up with flavor and nutrients!

8. Curry Chickpea Kale Burgers and Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Source: Curry Chickpea Kale Burgers and Baked Sweet Potato Fries

These Curry Chickpea Kale Burgers by Jessica Bose are phenomenal! They are made with healthy ingredients that taste amazing and will keep you satisfied! The patties are made with chickpeas, kale, onion, garlic, oats, sunflower seeds, and an amazing mix of spices! The homemade roasted garlic hummus pairs so well with the flavors in this burger. Top it with your favorite veggie burger toppings and throw it on a bun––good to go! That is, after you make homemade sweet potato fries! They have the perfect soft and crispy texture, salty and sweet taste. Every aspect of this meal compliments each other. You have to try making these Curry Chickpea Kale Burgers!

9. Kale Caesar Salad With Oil-Free Croutons

Source: Kale Caesar Salad With Oil-Free Croutons

Not sure about what to take to work for lunch, so that you can actually feel satisfied, energetic, and happy and avoid that post-lunch energy slump? This 3 delicious vegan Kale Caesar Salad With Oil-Free Croutons by Marina Yanay-Triner will be your new favorite! It is easy to make pack in a container and take with you to work. Plus, it tastes so good that you won’t get sick of it! The dressing takes minutes to blend up. Then just add it to the kale with the croutons and you’re good to go! What is great about kale is that the longer it is mixed with dressing, the softer it gets, the more delicious it tastes. If you find kale to be bitter, you may still love this vegan Kale Caesar Salad With Oil-Free Croutons because of the taste change of massaged kale.

10. Kale Walnut Pesto Pasta 

Source: Kale Walnut Pesto Pasta

If you’re trying to up your meal prep game, making your own dips and sauces can be a game changer! This Kale Walnut Pesto Pasta by Mitra Shirmohammadi is packed with nutrients, full of flavors, and so versatile. You can serve the pesto with pasta, slather it on your toast, use it in sandwiches, serve it with roasted vegetables and proteins, use it in pizza, salads, etc. As you can see the options are endless! The traditional pesto recipe includes basil, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese. To make it dairy-free, always skip the Parmesan and use nutritional yeast instead for a subtle cheesy flavor and added nutrients such as the vitamin B family, iron, selenium, zinc, and protein. If you’re sensitive to nutritional yeast, you can skip it completely and go for hemp hearts. It will still turn out delicious.

11. Marinated Kale Salad

Source: Marinated Kale Salad

12. Thai Kale Salad With Peanut Sauce

Source: Thai Kale Salad With Peanut Sauce

Not only is there no cooking involved, many veggies can be chopped in a food processor in seconds. Meaning a Thai Kale Salad With Peanut Sauce by Natalie Martin MS, RD and Lexie Staten MS, RD in no time! Raw veggies are super healthy and can have more water-soluble vitamins in-tact (like vitamin C and B vitamins) than cooked ones. You will love this whole-food, plant based Thai kale salad. There’s no cooking involved, so it’s minimal effort. Chopped greens, carrots and onions topped with a savory Thai Peanut Sauce––yummy!

13. Sweet Potato, Kale, and Black Bean Quinoa Salad

Source: Sweet Potato, Kale, and Black Bean Quinoa Salad

Toss in a simple garlic vinaigrette and nutritional yeast for a nutritious, light meal that’s packed with flavor. Start by roasting the sweet potatoes. While the sweet potatoes are roasting, you can prepare the rest of the recipe, which is basically just cooking the quinoa and preparing the sauce. The vinaigrette is a simple mix of oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and garlic. Whisk it all together and toss it with the quinoa, black beans, kale and sweet potatoes. That’s it. This kale and quinoa salad is so simple. Everything is done in the time it takes you to roast the sweet potatoes. In other words, it’s done in 30 minutes. Roasted vegetables add so much flavor and the sweet potatoes pair perfectly with kale and black beans. This Sweet Potato, Kale, and Black Bean Quinoa Salad by Caroline Doucet might be one of your new go-to meals!

14. Marinated Kale and Mushroom Salad

Source: Marinated Kale and Mushroom Salad

This Marinated Kale and Mushroom Salad by Taryn Fitz-Gerald is nutrient dense, satisfying, and delicious. It is the perfect way to pump up the alkalinity in your diet, with help from the primary ingredient, kale. So much goodness in such a little salad! You’ll love it!

15. Mushroom and Kale Quiche

Source: Mushroom and Kale Quiche

A good quiche is hard to find – especially if you don’t eat eggs. However, this vegan Mushroom and Kale Quiche recipe by Talida Voinea will take care of your quiche craving. It has crispy quinoa and almond meal crust with a creamy mushroom and tofu filling. It takes a little bit of time, but it is so worth it. This vegan quiche recipe is perfect to keep on hand for breakfast or to make for brunch! When you bring out this classic mushroom and kale quiche, it will impress vegans and non-vegans alike!

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home!

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

• Weekly Vegan Meal Plans
• Plant-Based Health Resources
• Plant-Based Food & Recipes
• Plant-Based Nutrition Resources
• The Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition
• Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Recipes
• High Protein Plant-Based Recipes
• Plant-Based Meal Prep

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