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Sautéed Lacinato Kale paleo recipe with garlic and olive is an easy, nutritious side dish. This is the best sauteed kale recipe for everyday use!

Garlicky Sautéed Lacinato Kale Paleo Recipe
Sautéed leafy greens are always my go-to choice, especially for weeknight meals. You can never go wrong with little minced garlic and olive oil.
Lacinato kale is great for sautéing or enjoying it raw. It’s a great way to add dark leafy greens to our meals. Because they are fibrous, if making it raw, I recommend removing the stems, slice them to thin ribbons, and massage the kale to make it easier to digest.

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Lacinato kale nutrition
Lacinato kale, also known as dinosaur kale or dino kale, has long stems and crinkly dark leafy greens. It contains many nutritious benefits with tons of Vitamins A, C, and K. Lacinato kale has a slightly sweeter and nuttier flavor than regular kale and is known for balancing blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

If you aren’t sure how to remove the stems of lacinato kale, check out my Paleo lacinato kale salad here. Rinse and wash the lacinato kale thoughtfully. Pat dry. Lay a kale leaf on a cutting board and run a paring knife along each side of the center stem. Repeat until all the stems have been removed. Stack 4-5 layers of kale leaves and roll them up and dice or slice!
More Paleo sautéed vegetable recipes –
- Garlicky Chinese Broccoli Stir-Fry
- Bok Choy Dim Sum
- Chinese Shredded Cabbage Stir-Fry
- Chinese mustard greens with light ginger sauce
- Easy snow pea leaves stir-fry
- Sauteed mushrooms recipe
- Sauteed Taiwanese cabbage
What to pair with lacinato kale recipe?
This Paleo sauteed lacinato kale recipe goes well with many dishes from western to eastern cuisines! For examples, Paleo meal prep gyoza meatballs, Paleo Mongolian beef, Paleo sweet and sour chicken, Whole30 sesame chicken, Paleo instant pot butter chicken, Creamy chicken kale soup, and Paleo Instant Pot Taiwanese beef stew!
If you give this Paleo Sautéed Lacinato Kale Recipe a try, be sure to rate the recipe and leave a comment below.
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Paleo Sautéed Lacinato Kale Recipe (Whole30, Keto)

Ingredients
- 10 oz. Lacinato kale stems removed and dice to 1-inch pieces (see notes)
- 0.4 oz. cloves garlic finely minced (about 2 large cloves)
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- ¼ tsp coarse sea salt or to taste
- ½ tbsp vegetable or chicken stock
Instructions
- Rinse and wash the lacinato kale thoughtfully. Pat dry. Lay a kale leaf on a cutting board and run a paring knife along each side of the center stem. Repeat until all the stems have been removed. Stack 4-5 layers of kale leaves and roll them up to slice into 1-inch pieces. You want to keep the kale leaves with as little water as possible so use a salad spinner, if necessary.
- Mince garlic and set aside ready to use.
- In a well-heated large stainless steel or cast iron skillet, lower the heat to medium. Add 1 tbsp oil and saute garlic with a pinch of salt for 3-5 seconds.
- Add kale leaves and 1 extra tbsp olive oil. Toss and saute for 2 to 3 minutes further. Cover with a lid and cook for 1 minute.
- Open the lid, season with salt and stock. Saute for 30 seconds. Off heat, serve warm or in room temperature.
Notes
- Trader Joe’s has pre-washed and chopped lacinato kale. The bag comes with not only lacinato leaves but also some stems so they will be more chewy and fibrous but it’s a good solution if you are in a hurry.
- Can’t find lacinato kale? Try curly kales. 🙂
- Want extra spice kick? Add a small pinch of dry red pepper flakes with minced garlic to fragrant the oil.
- Prefer sautéed kale with a softer texture? Cook it longer and use 1 tbsp stock.
- Prefer raw kale salad? Check out my Paleo triple green lacinato kale salad.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thank you for your suggestions
Quick and easy with good flavor!
Thank you!
So delicious!! Smelled heavenly while I was cooking it!!
I love this kind of kale and your way of making it is so easy. Thanks!
I love how simple but delicious this side dish is — and so healthy !
So simple and so delicious! We love a hearty greens side dish – this is perfect!
So easy and so delicious! The best side dish ever!
Such an easy to make, tasty, healthy side dish. I love the dinosaur kale. I might even add some bacon crumbles next time 🙂
Yummy! And super easy
Thank you!
Thank you so much. So happy to hear!