Kale in Lebanese cuisine: a new leaf at a familiar table

Lebanese food has always been a cuisine of leaves and herbs: bunches of parsley chopped for tabbouleh, mint on every mezze table, purslane in fattoush, chard (silq) with lentils and lemon, wild chicory in hindbeh, vine leaves and cabbage leaves rolled around rice. Kale arrives in this world as a guest, not a long-lost relative, and we prefer to say so plainly.

Still, it is not a complete stranger. Kale is Brassica oleracea, the same species as the white cabbage (malfouf) that Lebanese cooks stuff and shred into salads, and as the cauliflower we fry and serve with tahini. Kale simply grows as open leaves instead of a tight head. Curious about the plant itself? Start with what kale is.

Fresh mint, spring onions and a pinch of Lebanese seven-spice are welcome too. Whatever you choose, wash and dry the leaves first — see how to wash kale.

Tabbouleh

Purists will rightly insist that tabbouleh is a parsley salad. Our suggestion is not to replace the parsley but to share the bowl: very finely chopped, lightly massaged kale alongside parsley, mint, tomato, onion, a little fine bulgur, lemon and olive oil. The kale adds body and holds up well on a mezze spread. Recipe: kale tabbouleh.

Fattoush

Fattoush is all about contrast: toasted or fried bread, cucumber, radish, tomato and a generous dusting of sumac, dressed with lemon, olive oil and often a little pomegranate molasses. Torn, massaged kale brings a leaf that will not wilt before the bread softens. Recipe: kale fattoush.

Small plates

• Garlic-and-lemon kale on a small plate beside hummus and labneh.
• Kale sautéed with onions, finished with sumac and served warm with bread.
• Finely chopped, massaged kale folded into a garlicky yogurt dip.

Mujaddara’s lentils, rice or bulgur and deeply caramelized onions make a natural base for kale: stir finely chopped stems in with the lentils and fold in sautéed leaves just before serving. Adas bi hamod, the lemony lentil soup traditionally made with chard, takes well to a kale variation; the leaves stay a little firmer than chard. And a simple lentil soup gains color and texture from a few handfuls of kale stirred in at the end — try our kale lentil soup or the white bean stew.

These habits carry a small nutritional bonus: the lemon Lebanese cooks squeeze over lentils provides vitamin C, which helps the body absorb the plant iron in both the lentils and the kale.

Spinach fatayer, with their filling of greens, onion, sumac, lemon and olive oil, are one of the great Lebanese bakery classics. Kale takes the same seasoning. Chop the leaves finely, rub them with a little salt, leave them a few minutes, then squeeze out the liquid firmly before mixing in onion, sumac, lemon and olive oil. A mix of kale and spinach gives a filling that is both tender and full-bodied.

The same filling works in ftir — the homemade pies and folded flatbreads many families bake — or spread thinly on dough with a little cheese, manoushe-style. Bake until the pastry is golden and the filling is piping hot.

For breakfast, try kale in ijjeh, the Lebanese herb omelette usually packed with parsley, onion and mint: sauté finely chopped kale first to drive off moisture, then fold it in with the herbs. Our kale and spinach omelette is a good starting point.

• Mix, don’t replace. Start with a little kale alongside parsley, spinach or chard, then increase it.
• Chop finely. Small pieces feel familiar in tabbouleh, fillings and ijjeh.
• Lean on sweetness and acid. Pomegranate molasses, caramelized onions and lemon win over skeptics.
• Serve it the Lebanese way: family-style, with bread, olive oil and plenty to share. Sahtein!

More everyday ideas in kale for family meals and our 7 days of kale inspiration.