Steamed kale with sesame oil

I loved the dish so much, I decided I needed to create my own version. That way I could have it any time I wanted.

And it would be a lot less expensive than buying a to-go container full whenever I was at the grocery store.

Once I started cooking this dish at home, I was delighted by how easy & inexpensive it is to make!

The steamed kale goes down deliciously easy by the forkful. And the balanced flavors make this a side dish that's not only healthy but tasty too.

Plus, it only improves with time as the greens soften and absorb the flavors.

So it's a great one to put in a packed lunch, bring to a vegan potluck, or use for meal prep.

In this post:

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.

Kale: I like to use curly kale. But any variety will work here.

Toasted sesame oil: Look for this oil at Asian markets or near soy sauces in the grocery store.

Tamari: Tamari is a Japanese soy sauce that adds salt and umami. Tamari is often wheat-free. That makes it good for folks avoiding gluten.

If that doesn’t matter to you, it can be replaced with Chinese soy sauce, which usually has gluten.

Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar adds tang and balance. Look for it with other Asian ingredients or alongside other vinegars.

Garlic: Because the garlic is raw in this dish, I recommend finely mincing a small-ish clove. Or use a Microplane zester.

Salt: A pinch of salt brings it all together.

Sesame seeds: Any color of sesame seeds work as a garnish. But white particularly pops against the dark green.

This section shows how to make this recipe at a glance with process photos of the steps. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

Rinse kale. Remove the leaves from the hard center stems (using your hands or a knife). Don't bother chopping it.

Put the kale leaves in a steamer basket along with an inch of boiling water in the bottom of the pot.

Cover the pot & steam until it softens & shrinks.

(This is the steamer pot I use.)

Once it has fully steamed, run cool water over it in a colander (or in the steamer insert).

Then wring it dry by smashing it in your hands into a ball until no more water comes out.

(Or roll it in a clean, dry kitchen towel And give it a good squeeze until it's totally dry.)

Put the dry, steamed kale in a mixing bowl.

Then add the following:

• Minced garlic
• Sesame oil
• Tamari
• Brown rice vinegar
• Salt

Use your hands to rub those ingredients into the kale, until the kale has separated from the ball shape and is evenly coated.

Add sesame seeds to finish and combine.

Eat the sesame kale with garlic right away.

Or put it into a covered container & refrigerate for an hour or more to let the flavors absorb & marry.

Serve this easy side dish with any of the following:

• Bulgogi tofu sandwich with kimchi
• Vegan banh mi sandwich
• Spring roll-inspired vegan wrap
• Bulgogi tofu bowl (instead of sautéed spinach)
• Baked tofu bowl (instead of kale chips)
• Easy vegan egg roll in a bowl
• Kimchi fried rice
• Green beans stir-fry with mushrooms
• Chipotle tofu dumplings
• Vegetable dumplings & gyoza dipping sauce

Store steamed kale in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3 or 4 days.

I like to eat it cold right out of the refrigerator. However, if you prefer, you can briefly warm it in the microwave.

📖 Recipe

Steamed kale with sesame oil

Author: Cadry Nelson

5 from 6 votes

Incorporate more dark leafy greens in your life with this easy recipe. This tasty side dish pairs well with a sandwich or wrap. It also works beautifully in a brown rice bowl.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes

Total Time: 11 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 people

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: greens recipe, vegetable

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 bunch curly kale removed from ribs (roughly 5 cups)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon rice vinegar
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon tamari
• ▢ 1 clove garlic minced
• ▢ Pinch of salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Instructions

• ▢
  Fill a pot with steamer insert with about an inch of water. Bring to a boil. Put kale in steamer insert and cover with lid. Steam for 3 to 5 minutes, until it is bright green.
• ▢
  Either in the steamer insert itself or a colander, rinse the kale with cool water. Using your hands, squeeze all of the water out of it. It will make a ball of kale about the size of a tennis ball.*
• ▢
  Once the kale is mostly dry, move it to a mixing bowl. Add the sesame oil, brown rice vinegar, tamari, garlic, and salt to it.

  Using your hands, rub those ingredients into the greens until it has separated from the ball and is evenly coated. Add the sesame seeds to it and combine.
• ▢
  Eat right away. Or for best results, put the kale in a covered container in the refrigerator for at least an hour to absorb the flavors and further soften.

Notes

I like to use curly kale, but any type will work.

*Because the kale shrinks when it is steamed and then even further when bunched into a ball, it isn’t necessary to chop it. It will be bite sized without any chopping.

If you’d rather not use your hands to squeeze the kale, you can roll it into a clean kitchen towel. Then wring it until it is totally dry.

Storage instructions

Store steamed kale in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

It will keep for 3 or 4 days.

I like to eat it cold right out of the refrigerator. However, if you prefer, you can briefly warm it in the microwave.

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Nutrition

Calories: 56kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 319mg | Vitamin A: 6495IU | Vitamin C: 78.5mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 1.2mg

This post has been updated. It was originally published May 6, 2016.