Easy Sautéed Kale Recipe (Oil-Free) (2024)

The BEST and easiest way to sauté kale! Seasoned with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and a little lemon juice, it’s oil-free and ready in as little as 10 minutes.

Kale has a reputation for being a little “harsh” and bitter. Rip Esselstyn, the man behind PLANTSTRONG by Engine 2 and one of my heroes, refers to it as “angry lettuce.” But, with just a little effort and no oil, it becomes one of the most flavorful and healthiest side dishes.

My family and I LOVE kale and have it quite often. It’s great in dishes like my and this incredible Chipotle Chickpea Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing. It’s even great in a smoothie!

You will love this Easy Sautéed Kale with garlic and lemon. It’s so easy to make and can be on the table ready to eat in as little as 10 minutes. Let me show you!

What Ingredients Do I Need

You only need a few staple ingredients to make this flavorful side dish. And, once you see how easy it is to make this sauteed kale you’ll want to have it over and over.

• Kale: you can use curly kale, Lacinato kale (dinosaur kale), or Tuscan kale.
• Nutritional Yeast: adds a nutty cheesy essence.
• Garlic Powder: Kale and garlic just seem to go together
• Lemon Juice: Lemon makes things bright and electric when it comes to flavor.

How To Sauté Kale With No Oil

1. Remove the stems and roughly chop the kale leaves. You could also use a bag of pre-chopped kale as well.
2. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. My favorite skillets are these Ballarini pans. They’re inexpensive, cook evenly, and nothing sticks. I love cooking pancakes in them too.
3. Once the pan is ready add your kale and let it cook for several seconds. Add the water, stirring occasionally, and cook the kale until it wilts and turns bright green. It should be fairly tender.
4. NOTE: If you don’t have a large enough pan, cook the kale in smaller batches.
5. Transfer all the kale to a large serving bowl, add the nutritional yeast and garlic powder then toss.
6. Finally, top it all off with a drizzle of fresh lemon juice.

That’s it! Delicious and Easy Sauteed Kale with garlic and lemon and just a hint of cheesiness from the nutritional yeast. It’s a bright and savory side dish that pairs well with almost any meal.

If you really want to make it more incredible sprinkle some of my Vegan Parmesan on top. Amazing!

Tips & Notes

• Massaging the kale sounds weird but it does help to soften the texture when cooking and makes it easier to chew.
• Be sure and use a sharp knife when chopping kale. It’s one of the more “sturdy” vegetables and a dull knife will only pose problems.
• Steam kale: simply tear the kale leaves from the stem, tear them into bite-size pieces, place them into a steamer basket, and steam for 5-10 minutes.
• Roasted garlic cloves make an excellent addition to this recipe.
• Stir into your favorite soups or stews for extra heartiness and added nutrition.

Try These Vegan Recipes With This Sautéed Kale

• Garlicky Lemon Tahini Dressing
• Crispy Blackened Tofu
• Chickpea Vegan Meatloaf
• Vegan Squash Casserole
• Creamy Vegan Mashed Potatoes

The 5-Day Plant-Based Kickstart

Just getting started on a plant-based diet and wondering where to begin? Well, check out my E-book, The 5 Day Plant-Based Kickstart.

Did you make this recipe? Please be sure to leave a comment and star rating below and let me know your thoughts. Your feedback is helpful.

Print

Easy Sautéed Kale (Oil-Free)

Print Recipe

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star

4.9 from 9 reviews

The BEST and easiest Sauteed Kale recipe! Seasoned with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and a little lemon juice. It’s oil-free and ready to eat in as little as 10 minutes. The perfect side dish!

• Author: Shane Martin
• Prep Time: 5 mins.
• Cook Time: 5 mins.
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Vegan
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

UnitsScale

• (1) 10–ounce bag of chopped kale (roughly 5 cups)
• ¼ cup water
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• Juice of half a lemon
• Salt to taste (optional)

See Also

Vegan Massaman Thai Curry (Instant Pot Recipe)Ramen Noodle Stir Fry (Quick + Easy Recipe) - The Simple Veganista20 Savory Oatmeal Recipes For a Flat Belly7-Day Easy Vegan Dinner Recipes [Meal Plan]

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Remove the stems and roughly chop the kale leaves. You could also use a bag of pre-chopped kale as well.
2. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. My favorite skillets are these Ballarini pans. They’re inexpensive, cook evenly, and nothing sticks. I love cooking pancakes in them too.
3. Once the pan is ready add your kale and let it cook for several seconds. Add the water, stirring occasionally, and cook the kale until it wilts and turns bright green. It should be fairly tender.
4. NOTE: If you don’t have a large enough pan, cook the kale in smaller batches.
5. Transfer all the kale to a large serving bowl, add the nutritional yeast and garlic powder then toss.
6. Finally, top it all off with a drizzle of fresh lemon juice.

Equipment

Nonstick Skillet

Buy Now →

Nutritional Yeast

Buy Now →

Notes

Cooking time is one for one batch.

Use whatever type of kale you prefer. I like cooking with curly kale.

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 19
• Sugar: 0.8 g
• Sodium: 8 mg
• Fat: 0.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 3.7 g
• Fiber: 0.9 g
• Protein: 1.5 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg

Save this recipe & PIN IT here!

More Side Dishes