Name: Braised Sweet and Sour Kale
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 lb chopped kale greens (hard stems removed); 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 1 tbsp raw sugar; 14.5 oz can chicken broth; 1/2 cup dried cranberries; 1/3 cup sliced almonds (toasted); sea salt and pepper (to taste)

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Braised Sweet and Sour Kale is a delicious, healthy, and easy kale side dish, packed with superfood nutrients. Fresh cranberries and crunchy almonds provide the perfect contrast in texture and flavor to this healthy sweet-savory side dish. If you love Chick-fil-A’s kale crunch salad, you’re going to love this braised kale version!

overhead photo of sautéed kale in a Dutch oven with a wooden spoon

This braised kale recipe is so scrumptious that it will have you craving your greens. It’s also easy to prepare, so you can whip up a fast, healthy dinner on busy weeknights. The flavor profile of this kale side dish reminds me of my beloved Chick-fil-A kale crunch salad. It’s my all-time favorite fast food side salad! I love the contrasting flavors and textures that you get in this dish. It goes beautifully alongside just about any main dish including grilled pork tenderloin, salmon, or steak.

A pot of braised kale with a napkin underneath

Recipe Ingredients

Kale greens– I love to save time and buy the bag of pre-cut kale, but make sure that you remove all of the hard stems. Hard stems can ruin the texture of the dish, so rip those leaves right off of them! On the flip side, buying it whole and chopping it yourself will save you some money. Convenience isn’t cheap.
Extra virgin olive oil– good-quality olive oil recommended
Fresh garlic– the garlic adds incredible flavor to this dish
Apple cider vinegar
Sugar– you can also use coconut sugar
Chicken broth– you can also use chicken stock or chicken bone broth
Dried cranberries- dried cherries also work great for this recipe
Sliced almonds– toasted in a dry skillet
Salt and pepper– season to taste with salt and pepper

ingredients for sweet and sour kale on a wood board

Recipe Directions

In a large stockpot or dutch oven, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add garlic and cook until it begins to turn a light golden color.
Stir in broth, sugar, and cider vinegar and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
Add kale greens and stir. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove lid and add dried cranberries. Cook another 10 minutes or so until kale is softened and liquid has been reduced. Toss with almonds and serve.

step photos for making sweet and sour kale

Recipe Tip

This recipe calls for toasted almonds. It’s super easy to toast almonds quickly in a skillet. Just add the almonds to a dry skillet (do not add oil) and toast them over medium heat until fragrant, shaking the pan frequently so the nuts do not burn. This usually takes about 3-5 minutes. As soon as the nuts are lightly golden, remove them from the heat to cool.

More Delicious Kale Recipes

Tropical Blueberry Kale Smoothie

Kale Superfood Salad with Wild Blueberry Vinaigrette

Greek-Style Braised Kale