Golden garlic slices, spicy chili flakes and sautéed kale tossed in a Korean-inspired dressing with toasted cashews to mellow out the spice. Easy to make. Simple ingredients. Lip-smackingly good flavors! | Gluten Free + Vegan
Sautéed Kale Ingredients
- Stir Fry Ingredients:
- Kale – I used curly leaf kale, but you can also make this with different types of kale like lacinate kale (aka dinosaur kale, Tuscan kale and cavolo nero). Remove the hard stems and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Garlic – Thinly slice a couple garlic cloves.
- Cashews – You can use pre-roasted cashews and skip the toasting in the recipe. Otherwise, use raw, unroasted cashews.
- Dressing:
- Coconut Aminos (or Gluten Free Soy Sauce/Tamari) – Coconut aminos is great as a soy-free option, but you can use soy or tamari if you prefer.
- Rice Vinegar – Also known as rice wine vinegar. If needed you can substitute the vinegar here for another type of like apple cider vinegar, mirin, white vinegar. Sake is another good option (just make sure it’s gluten free). Lemon juice and lime juice also work!
- Sugar – Just a small amount to balance out the salt and vinegar.
- Sesame Oil – Toasted sesame oil adds a complex, nutty flavor.
- Red Chili Flakes – Add more or less depending on how spicy you’d like this sautéed kale.
FYI: Coconut Aminos
Coconut aminos are naturally much sweeter and less salty (about 70% less sodium) than regular soy sauce and tamari. With this in mind, I recommend you increase the added salt any time you want to use coconut aminos in place of soy/tamari.
Recipe Steps
- Prep Dressing: Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or cup then set aside so it’s ready when you need it.
- Fry Cashews: Carefully fry the cashews in a small bit of oil. Cashews cook quite fast so keep on eye on the pan and stir the whole time. After about 3-5 minutes on the heat, the cashews should be a golden brown color with a rich, nutty aroma. Remove from the pan and set aside for the time.
- Sauté Kale: Add the pre-chopped kale to the pan along with a small bit of oil and a splash of water to help it steam. Cook over a medium-high heat for a few minutes until the leaves darken and wilt.
- Fry Garlic: Add the sliced garlic and cook another couple of minutes until fragrant.
- Add Cashews: Mix back to the pan.
- Add Dressing: Turn off the heat and pour the dressing over the kale.
- Mix: it all together until combined.
- Taste and Season: with salt, pepper and additional chili flakes as needed then serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this sautéed kale as a salad on its own for a light and easy lunch. You can bulk it out with additional protein by adding leftover shredded chicken, crispy tofu, or anything you fancy!
It makes a great, healthy side for dishes like my Baked Ginger Miso Chicken Thighs, Paleo Beef Stir Fry and Spicy Cashew Chicken.
If you try this Garlic & Chili Sautéed Kale, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. I always appreciate the feedback – especially when you share what changes you may have made. It also helps future readers who are thinking of making the recipe!
Garlic & Chili Sautéed Kale with Toasted Cashews
Golden garlic slices, spicy chili flakes and sautéed kale tossed in a Korean-inspired dressing with toasted cashews to mellow out the spice.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut aminos (or sub with gluten free soy sauce/tamari)
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes + more to taste
Stir Fry
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 cup (70 g) cashews
- 6 cups (120g) kale, hard stems and stalks removed and chopped in bite-sized pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a small cup or jar. Whisk vigorously until the sugar dissolves then set aside.
- Heat a large skillet with 1 teaspoon oil over a medium heat. Add the cashews and fry about 3-5 minutes until browned and fragrant. Remove the cashews from the pan and set aside on a plate or bowl for now.
- Return to the pan and 1 teaspoon oil. Warm over a medium-high heat. Add the kale and 1 tablespoon water. Cook about 3-5 minutes. The leaves should soften and darken in color.
- Add the sliced garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes until the garlic is golden and fragrant.
- Turn off the heat. Add the cashew to the pan and pour the dressing over the kale. Toss until the kale is well coated in the sauce.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper as you see fit. Add more chili flakes for extra heat. Serve warm and enjoy.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size:
1/2 the salad Calories: 326Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 4gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 7gShop this Post
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