10 Great Substitutes for Kale

By now, we all know that kale is good for you, and health food blogs are packed with ideas on how to use this versatile, tasty and nutrient-dense green leafy vegetable. But what if you feel like having a tasty kale smoothie or a filling kale soup, but your local grocery store does not have any fresh kale? In such a situation, the most obvious thing to do would be to see if they have frozen kale, and then simply use frozen kale instead of fresh kale in your recipe.

However, not all grocery stores carry frozen kale, and sometimes you may have to (or you may want to) opt for an alternative. The good news is that there are a lot of different vegetables that can be used as substitutes for kale in everything from smoothies and juices to soups and green wraps. So, if you need to swap out the kale in a recipe, here are 10 great alternatives:

Savoy Cabbage

The best substitute for kale in terms of taste and texture

As kale and savoy cabbage are both members of the Brassica family of plants, it is not surprising that savoy cabbage is quite similar to kale in terms of taste and texture. The mild-tasting, crinkled leaves of savoy cabbage are the perfect substitute for kale in recipes for stuffed kale rolls and soups. And, in case you have a craving for kale chips but don't have any fresh kale on hand, try making savoy cabbage chips instead—you'll hardly notice the difference! In addition to being probably the best substitute for kale in terms of taste and texture, savoy cabbage also has health benefits that rival the benefits of its botanical cousin.

Broccoli Rabe

A good replacement for kale in a variety of recipes

With its serrated leaves and thin but sturdy stems, broccoli rabe looks a lot like some types of kale, and it can be used as a replacement for kale in many recipes. Also known as rapini, this alternative to kale has an earthy, bitter taste reminiscent of mustard greens. Younger rapini leaves are generally less bitter than older, more mature leaves. Broccoli rabe works well as a substitute for kale in a variety of cooked dishes, including omelets, frittatas, pasta dishes and stir-fries. Also the health benefits of broccoli rabe are similar to those of kale because both kale and broccoli rabe are members of the Brassica family of plants.

Broccoli

Can be used to replace kale in pureed soups

With its thick stems and crunchy florets, raw broccoli is quite different from kale in terms of texture. However, if you are making pureed soup, you can use broccoli as a substitute for kale because it's all going to get blended anyway. And, be sure to use those broccoli stems in your soup, too—they are perfectly edible and full of nutrition.

Spinach

One of the best substitutes for kale in smoothies

If you feel like having a nutrient-dense green kale smoothie but cannot get any fresh kale, you can use baby spinach in place of kale in your favorite smoothie recipes. Baby spinach is one of the best substitutes for kale in green smoothies because it has a mild flavor that pairs well with a variety of fruits, and because it's readily available. Baby spinach is also a good substitute for kale in juicing. What's more, not only does it make a good alternative to kale from a culinary perspective, spinach also fares well against kale in terms of nutritional value. In fact, given the impressive nutritional merits of spinach, it is surprising that there haven't been more headlines touting spinach as a superfood.

Lettuce

The most common substitute for kale in salads

Kale, especially baby kale, makes a healthy and tasty base for salads. But if you don't have kale, you can use lettuce as a substitute. When replacing antioxidant-rich kale with lettuce in salad recipes, it is good to keep in mind that some salad greens are healthier than others. For example, research shows that red lettuce generally beats green lettuce in terms of antioxidant capacity, and 'open leaf' varieties like red oak leaf and romaine lettuce have been found to contain higher levels of antioxidants than varieties with more tightly-packed heads, such as iceberg.

Mache

A great alternative to kale in salads and smoothies

Although mache has a much milder flavor than kale, its delicate leaves make a good alternative to kale in raw applications such as salads and smoothies. In fact, because of its mild flavor, mache is considered one of the best ingredients for green smoothies in general, and along with baby spinach, it is probably the best substitute for kale in smoothies. And, aside from pairing nicely with fruits in smoothies, mache is full of nutrition.

Gai Lan

Makes a great stand-in for kale in Asian-style stir-fries

Also known as Chinese broccoli, gai lan is a great substitute for broccoli, but you can also use it to replace kale in a wide variety of recipes. The nutrient-dense gai lan has a flavor similar to broccoli, but with its leafy tops, it looks more like kale or broccoli rabe (rapini). Available at Asian markets and some regular supermarkets, gai lan is particularly tasty when sautéed with garlic, but it is also wonderful in Asian-style stir-fries.

Bok Choy

Another good substitute for kale in stir-fries

Also known as pak choi, bok choy is one of the most popular green leafy vegetables in Asia, and it lends itself well as a substitute for kale in stir-fries. When using bok choy in cooking, be sure to also use its white stalks—unlike kale stems which can be quite woody, bok choy stems are crunchy and juicy.

Collard Greens

Can be used interchangeably with kale in a variety of recipes

With their dark green leaves and tough stems, collard greens look a lot like some types of kale. Also the flavor and health benefits of collard greens are similar to those of kale, which makes sense since kale and collards are closely related botanically. While collards and kale can be used interchangeably in a variety of recipes, briefly cooked collard greens are a particularly good substitute for the flat black kale leaves in green wraps. (For those who missed the memo, green wraps are like tortilla wraps except that they feature leafy greens like collards and kale instead of wheat-based wraps.)

Swiss Chard

A food choice if you need a mild-tasting alternative

Like collard greens, the large leaves of Swiss chard make a good substitute for kale in green wraps. But unlike collards, the mild-tasting chard is not closely related to kale and does not have that characteristic cabbage taste that most Brassica vegetables have in common. Also the potential health benefits and side effects of Swiss chard are somewhat different from those of Brassica vegetables.