Avoid Bitter-Tasting Kale By Rinsing It Twice. Here's Why It Works

Once known only as a humble salad bar decoration, kale is now here to stay. The nutrient-dense, deep green, leafy vegetable can certainly help you hit your health goals, but it could use a little help in the taste department. While some people love kale on its own, many find the vegetable bitter. Thankfully, removing some of the bitter flavor from kale greens is as simple as taking a little extra time during the prep process to double-wash the leaves before you store the kale in the fridge to add to salads or smoothies.

Isothiocyanates are naturally occurring compounds that give kale its trademark bitter flavor. It's easy to remove some of this compound from kale — you'll just need to add an extra wash to your kale prep process. Start by washing your kale as you normally would, and then chop it up to enjoy as normal. Before you mix it into your salad bowl or other recipe, however, take a moment to rinse it one more time. This helps to remove some of the isothiocyanates, creating a milder, less-bitter flavor. After you wash the greens for the second time, use a salad spinner to get rid of any excess water. Then, set them out on a paper towel and dab them dry to avoid a soggy salad.

Double-washing your kale is a good start to making the often bitter vegetable more palatable, but there are additional steps you can take to boost the flavor even more. Adding an umami-heavy dressing to kale — like Caesar — can help to counteract some of the vegetable's natural bitterness. Another important tip when it comes to making the most of a kale salad: Be sure to dress the greens heavily and early. Give chopped kale at least 30 minutes (the longer, the better) marinating in dressing before serving to further offset its inherent bitter flavor.

Blanching kale for a few minutes (no more than three) can also help to both soften its tough textures, preserve color, and reduce bitterness. Be sure to place your kale directly into an ice bath after blanching to stop the cooking process. Another great way to enjoy kale sans bitterness (and make use of a part you'd usually throw in the trash) is to pickle the stems. The simple snack adds a nutrient-dense boost to salads and sandwiches, and can be enjoyed as an on-the-go treat.