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Cabbage Recipes: Kale and black Cabbage Recipes

Cabbage Recipes

Our kale and cabbage recipes at a glance:

Kale smoothies, kale chips and more!

Whether it's kale, black cabbage or white cabbage. I've never loved cabbage. In fact, cabbage is a no-no, we threaten the kids with having cabbage soup for dinner for fun. As a child, I always perceived cabbage in its cooked form as musty. Now everything is different. In the meantime, I am grateful that cabbage exists! Between September and February we enjoy it as often as possible. Of course, we like to eat it raw in a green smoothie or as a salad - because that way all the nutrients are preserved. Especially the heat-sensitive vitamin C - that's exactly what we need in winter as a cold prophylaxis. But of course there are many more alternative ways to prepare kale and its close relative, black cabbage. Maybe you'd like to try out my current favorite recipes with kale and black cabbage...

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Black cabbage smoothie

Cabbage recipes: black cabbage smoothie

I like black cabbage best in a green smoothie. It's not quite as tart as kale, has slightly softer leaves, and is a bluish dark green. Originally from the Mediterranean, it is also called "Tuscan cabbage." Its palmate leaves are characteristic and yet it sometimes forms heads, which is why it was bred to savoy cabbage in the 19th century in Piedmont. The leaf structure shows the relationship.
Citrus fruits are particularly suitable for absorbing the bitter substances of cabbage. Ginger, on the other hand, which, like cabbage, contains a fair amount of pungency, is not recommended, as the pungency would then dominate too much. For the first time I found bergamot lemon, a cross between lemon and bitter orange, which has an incredible aroma and glows deep yellow. I also found fresh aloe vera, which is known for its skin-nourishing moisture and antibiotic power.

Black cabbage smoothie

With mango, persimmon and banana
Prep Time 10 Min
Perform Time 5 Min
Total Time 15 Min
Amount 650 ml
Calories 400 kcal
Cuisine Smoothie
Author Carla from GrueneSmoothies.com
Black Cabbage Smoothie Recipe
5 / 5 out of 1075 Reviews
 

Ingredients

  • 5 black cabbage stalks without stalks
  • 1 handful of lamb's lettuce
  • 1 mango ripe
  • 1 persimmon
  • 1 banana peeled
  • 1 bergamot lemon juice and some zest
  • 1 cm of fresh aloe vera, only the gel peeled (optional!)
  • water as needed
 

Instruction

  1. Clean the ingredients and cut them to the appropriate size for your blender.
  2. Cut mango in half, remove seed.
  3. Put everything in the container and blend for 45-60 seconds until you reach a smooth, creamy consistency!
  4. Enjoy with all your heart!
  5. Tip: If you don't have a high-speed blender, you'll have to blend longer and still won't achieve the consistency you would with a high-speed blender. To prevent the mixture from heating up, simply add a few ice cubes.

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Kale smoothie

Cabbage recipes: Kale smoothie

Passion fruit, pineapple, banana - exotic fruits go just perfectly with the tart flavor of kale. Especially the sweet and sour flavor of a passion fruit or maracuja is made for the green superfood. I add a squeeze of lemon juice and half an avocado, which not only makes it creamy, but also combines the contrasting flavors.

Kale Spinach Smoothie

With passion fruit, pineapple and banana
Prep Time 10 Min
Perform Time 5 Min
Total Time 15 Min
Amount 650 ml
Calories 400 kcal
Cuisine Smoothie
Author Carla from GrueneSmoothies.com
Kale Spinach Smoothie
5 / 5 out of 1069 Reviews
 

Ingredients

  • 5 kale leaves without stems
  • 2 handful of spinach
  • 1 passion fruit
  • 1 slice of pineapple ripe
  • 1 banana ripe
  • 1/2 avocado ripe
  • some lemon juice
  • some water
  • some pomegranate seeds as topping
 

Instruction

  1. Clean the ingredients and cut them to the appropriate size for your blender.
  2. Halve the avocado then remove the pit and put the flesh in the container.
  3. Put everything (starting with the fruit) in the blender and blend on the highest speed level for about 1 minute until you reach a creamy, smooth consistency! Enjoy with all your heart!
  4. Tip: If you don't have a high-speed blender, you'll have to blend longer and still won't achieve the consistency you would with a high-speed blender. To prevent the mixture from heating up, simply add a few ice cubes.

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Kale Chips

Cabbage recipes: Kale chips recipe

The richness of varieties of cabbage invites you to use it in many ways. If you are always in the mood for something savory and like it salty and crunchy, you can try kale chips. So simple and so delicious:

Pluck a few leaves of kale or black cabbage into bite-sized pieces and remove the stems. Put the leaves in a bowl and mix them with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and a few pinches of fine salt (Himalayan, sea or rock salt) - massage for about 30 seconds. Then put it on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 min at 120°C convection. Depending on the oven, it may go a minute or two faster or slower, so always take a look so that the leaves do not turn black.
If you prefer it raw: set the oven to 50° degrees and clamp a cooking spoon in the oven door, this way the temperature does not rise above 42°C. This variation takes longer, of course, as the leaves take their time to lose moisture. For this variant I let the oven run over night.

If you think this is a flavorful "eco" version of really tasty chips, I highly recommend it. It is a decidedly crunchy treat that doesn't have to hide behind its conventional friends and is even preferred by many. Have fun experimenting.

Kale chips

"Kalechips"
Prep Time 10 Min
Perform Time 10 Min
Total Time 20 Min
Amount 2 Handful
Calories 50 kcal
Cuisine Chips
Author Carla from GrueneSmoothies.com
Kale Chips - Cabbage Chips
5 / 5 out of 1067 Reviews
 

Ingredients

  • 2 handfuls of kale alternative: black cabbage
  • 1-2 tbsp. of olive oil
  • a few pinches of high-quality salt himalya, sea or rock salt
 

Instruction

  1. A few leaves of green or black cabbage are plucked into bite-sized pieces and freed from the stems.
  2. Put the leaves in a bowl and mix them with one or two tablespoons of olive oil and a few pinches of fine salt (Himalayan, sea or rock salt).
  3. Rub in oil and salt.
  4. Then place the leaves on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 min at 120° convection. Depending on the oven, it may go a minute or two faster or slower.
  5. Check the oven from time to time to make sure that the leaves do not turn black.

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Kale salad

Cabbage recipes: Cabbage Supper

Cabbage for a Supper? Tender butternut squash with crunchy poppy seeds, crisp pomegranate and fresh kale: a great dish with kale that doesn't taste kaley at all, but is a flavor explosion, a real treat.

Kale with butternut squash from the oven

"Cabbage Supper"
Prep Time 10 Min
Perform Time 30 Min
Total Time 40 Min
Amount 4 People
Calories 1400 kcal
Cuisine Oven vegetables
Author Carla from GrueneSmoothies.com
Kale with butternut squash
5 / 5 out of 1067 Reviews
 

Ingredients

  • 1 butternut squash
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 3 tbsp. poppy seed
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil
  • a little sea salt
  • 2 cups kale
  • seeds from 1/2 a pomegranate
  • 1 shallot finely chopped
  • 1/2 juice of one lemon
  • zest of one lemon
 

Instruction

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°. Peel, core and dice the pumpkin and mix with garlic, olive oil and poppy seeds. Bake the mixture on a baking sheet for about 30 min, we want the pumpkin to be tender but not mushy.
  2. Meanwhile, cut the kale into fine strips and remove the coarse stems. Add lemon juice and a little salt and massage it in.
  3. Mix the dressing ingredients together and pour over the kale.
  4. Finely slice the shallot and remove the pomegranate seeds from their skins (preferably in a bowl of water).
  5. When the squash is done roasting, let cool for a few minutes and then mix with the kale.
  6. Sprinkle the shallot and pomegranate seeds on top, and finish it off with the lemon zest.
  7. Enjoy with all your heart!

P.S. I once found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs: mynewroots.org - If you're interested in more healthy inspiration, you'll find it here.

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What's your favorite way to eat kale? Do you know black cabbage?

We appreciate your Feedback!

Svenja from GrueneSmoothies.com

Green smoothies have been my replacement for morning cerals since 2009. They are inspiring, delicious and speak for themselves. They fit into our lives with five kids and lots of joy in creative healthy cooking. I really love to prepare or create new smoothies. Inspired by the Green Smoothie, I combine two of my passions with my job: taking pictures and working with food.

Add comment

27 | Comment(s)

1/7/2022
Maria
The black kale smoothie became my first creation today. Just received my first Vitamix, looking super beautiful with a dark green hue. Instead of using persimmons and fresh bergamot, which I could only find temporarily at the organic store from Morocco, I didn't forget to add ginger! Regardless of the kale controversy.

I'm curious to see what my son will think of it later when he comes home.

Now I have two questions: How can I make convincing oat milk with the Vitamix? And what is this bleach mentioned in the user manual?

Looking forward to a colorful mix of times ahead.

Maria
1/11/2022
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Hello Maria,

Thank you very much for your comment. It's great that you're already mixing - I hope your son enjoyed the kale smoothie.

Regarding your questions:
Oat milk - well, a recipe that truly tastes good, I haven't come across one yet. I find that homemade oat milk made from soaked oat flakes and water tastes relatively bland. But maybe you'd like to try our almond milk recipes.

Vitamix refers to bleaching the container with soda as a means of cleaning. The following instructions have proven effective for us, should it ever be necessary:

Fill the container halfway with hot water.
Add 1-2 teaspoons of soda.
Close the container and run it at full power for 30 seconds.
Remove the container lid and rinse/clean it.
Place the container in the sink and fill it with more hot water until it reaches the top (this filling is important to prevent any white residue from forming in the container due to the soda).
Let the container soak for at least 30 minutes - preferably overnight.
Then use our brush (or an equivalent brush with soft bristles) to wash the container walls and blades. Please do not use a brush with hard bristles or a sponge with a rough side.
Thoroughly rinse with clear water and polish with a soft cloth.
Repeat the process if there are still deposits on the blade or inside the container.

Wishing you continued joy with your blender!
Best regards,
Carla
1/19/2021
Ursel L.
Of course, I have plenty of kale, savoy cabbage, and palm kale in the garden. However, it's my first time with palm kale, so I had to research whether to use it with or without the stems for green smoothies. That's how I came across your website and now, thanks to the fantastic recipes, I know how to use the palm kale. Thank you for the helpful information.
1/19/2021
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Ursel,

It's lovely to hear from you! And wonderful to hear that our cabbage recipes are providing you with good inspiration.

Best regards,
Carla
11/20/2018
Harald
Hi there, this year I've grown Tuscan Kale and already cooked a delicious stew with it. But now that Christmas time has arrived, I'm wondering if I can prepare the Tuscan Kale the same way as regular kale. Perhaps you even have a recipe for me. Thank you in advance. Regards, Harald
11/21/2018
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Harald, palm kale is commonly used in Mediterranean stews. You can surely find some recipes for it online. Enjoy experimenting with it. Carla
12/14/2017
Sabine
Since I bought a blender from you in May, a green smoothie has been enhancing my diet almost daily. I’ve already tried many of your recipes with success and enjoyment. Right now, kale is available at the LPG organic market.
For Christmas, my wish would be to receive the individual recipes as a PDF.
Best regards,
Sabine
12/14/2017
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Sabine, we are very happy to hear that! You can already request a recipe PDF for some of the recipes - for example, our 10 beginner recipes: Green Smoothie Recipes for Beginners
Wishing you much joy and enjoyment with green smoothies, Carla
11/14/2016
Carola
Hi dear ones!

Where can I get fresh Aloe Vera? I live in Bremen.

And what does approximately two cups of kale mean? If I have chopped the kale finely and can fill two cups with it?

Best regards and thanks for the great recipes.

Warmly, Carola
11/15/2016
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Carola,
You can easily order fresh aloe vera leaves online - for example, here.
Regarding the kale: Yes, that's right - it's 2 cups filled with kale, without the stems. You can think of the portion as about "2 handfuls."
Warm regards, Carla
11/24/2016
Carola
Hello, dear Carla!
I received the aloe vera from my trusted market vendor, or rather, he’s bringing it to me on Saturday. How long do you think these leaves last? I’ll also be trying the kale dish tomorrow, but I can’t find poppy seeds anywhere. Is that different from the regular blue poppy seeds you find in organic stores?
Best wishes, Carola
11/28/2016
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Carola, by poppy seeds, I mean poppy seeds. For storing the aloe vera leaf, I refer you to: Santaverde Aloe Vera Leaf Processing.pdf
Enjoy trying out the recipes! Warm regards, Carla
11/14/2016
Christina
Has anyone ever tried making kale chips in an almost prehistoric non-convection oven model? ;) I can imagine that the convection feature is pretty important for getting the chips crispy. Thanks for the leafy suggestions anyway!
11/15/2016
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
A prehistoric oven - a brilliant word creation :) Unfortunately, I can't give you any tips on that - I would still try the chips. Just stay close to the oven....
11/22/2016
Christina
I really like kale. Even cooked, I must confess. But these chips are simply the best thing that has ever crossed my taste buds when it comes to kale, as well as the most delicious offering from the crispy, salty, and fatty world. *.* In that particular oven model from back in the day, I was able to make kale chips (more than) satisfactorily by increasing the baking time to about 25 minutes and loosening the kale with a wooden spatula after 10 and 20 minutes. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have immensely enriched my culinary life :-)
11/28/2016
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Brilliant - we're very happy to hear that.
11/14/2016
Niclas Huschenbeth
That can't be true, I just put the kale chips in the oven when I saw the email :D
11/15/2016
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
That's pretty funny... are we on the same wavelength? :) You definitely have to try the pumpkin-kale recipe.
6/2/2015
susanne
Hi, one question: Your recipe for kale chips sounds exciting! Would it work with frozen kale as well?

Thanks and regards, Susanne.
6/3/2015
Katharina Göbel
Dear Susanne, we only tried the kale chips with fresh kale. Personally, I can't really imagine using frozen kale, as the result might turn out a bit "soggy." Best regards, Katharina.
5/3/2015
Bella
Hello!
Can you tell me where I can buy cabbage in Berlin?
I have been searching in vain...
Greetings from Prenzlberg.
11/15/2016
anke
I often see kale, even in supermarkets. Otherwise - Winterfeldt Market! You usually find black and green kale there. And the market is definitely worth a visit! :-)
11/15/2016
Susa
Hello Bella, I have exactly the same problem - sometimes you get lucky in one of the organic supermarket chains, or in an Edeka store. Have you ever checked out the Marheineke Market Hall? I can never find purslane or black kale there - Good luck, Susa.
5/4/2015
Katharina Göbel
Dear Bella, I also roam around Prenzlauer Berg and buy my cabbage there at the LPG on Senefelder Platz or at the organic market on Kollwitzplatz on Thursdays. Certain types of cabbage won't be available now in spring. Green and palm cabbage, for example, will only be in season again starting from autumn. However, pointed and Chinese cabbage are available in spring and summer, just like cauliflower, romanesco, broccoli, and kohlrabi. By the way, kohlrabi leaves taste wonderful in a green smoothie. Warm regards, Katharina.
3/8/2015
Geh Los
We find the smoothie too spicy when we blend the stems.
2/1/2015
Stefan
Thank you for the recipes and ideas!
I've been using kale more and more often for my smoothies. However, in recipes, I keep reading "without stems". Why is that? So far, I've always used the whole leaves.
2/2/2015
Carlos
Hi Stefan!

You can use both, we usually skip the stems because they can make the smoothie taste too cabbage-like and because most of the chlorophyll is primarily in the leaves!

Best regards!
Carlos