Garlic Butter Rice with Kale – A Hidden Veggie Side Dish
A buttery, garlicky rice loaded with tender kale – a delicious way to sneak in greens.
- Prep10 min
- Cook25 min
- Total35 min
- DifficultyEasy
- Servings6
This recipe turns kale into a star, not just a salad ingredient. The leaves are massaged with oil and salt to soften them, then steamed over the rice until perfectly tender.
With garlic-infused butter and crunchy almonds on top, every bite is savory and satisfying. It's a quick, one-pot side that pairs beautifully with grilled meats or roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
Servings
Converted amounts are rounded.
Method
- Place the kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, add a pinch of salt and pepper, and scrunch with your hands for 30 seconds. Set aside.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until it just starts to turn golden and smells fragrant.
- Add the rice and stir for 10 seconds.
- Pour in the broth, stir briefly, then cover the pot.
- Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low so the liquid simmers gently. Cook for 12–15 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed (tilt the pot to check).
- Quickly spread the kale over the rice, put the lid back on, and remove the pot from the heat.
- Let it rest for 10–15 minutes. Then fluff the rice with a fork, mixing the kale in.
- Finally, stir in the extra butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve, sprinkling the chopped almonds on top (or stir them into the rice).
💡 Tips
- For a vegan version, use vegetable broth and replace the butter with olive oil or a plant-based butter.
- You can substitute kale with spinach or Swiss chard – just skip the scrubbing step for spinach.
- Toasted almonds add extra crunch; toast them in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes before adding.
Inspired by a recipe from RecipeTin Eats