Tuscan Kale Is Back: How to Clean It, Cook It, and Waste Nothing

Tuscan kale, called cavolo nero in Italy and sold in the US as lacinato or dinosaur kale, has long, dark, crinkled leaves that are sturdy enough to hold up to a long simmer. Its flavor is earthy and slightly peppery, and Tuscans say it turns sweeter and more tender after the first frost. It’s also rich in antioxidants and essential nutrients. Cleaning it is simple: trim the woody base, cut away the toughest part of the stem, and keep the rest. These five recipes show how to cook it.

Ribollita is the Tuscan soup that started as a way to use up leftovers. Cavolo nero, savoy cabbage, and chard simmer with cannellini beans, potatoes, and tomatoes, then slices of stale bread are pressed into the pot. After a rest, ideally overnight, the soup is reheated and finished with raw olive oil. The name means “reboiled,” and it tastes even better the next day.

Pro tip: use bread with a thick crust. It holds together while it soaks up the broth instead of turning mushy.

Pasta with Tuscan Kale cooks the kale in the same boiling water as the fusilli. Both are then finished in a pan with garlic, chili, and a little of the cooking water, and pecorino toscano goes in at the end. The leaves melt into the pasta, and the page suggests using the trimmings for a vegetable broth.

Pro tip: add the pecorino with the heat off and loosen the pasta with a little cooking water at a time, until it turns creamy.

Sautéed Tuscan Kale is the simplest way to eat it. Onion, garlic, and fresh chili soften in olive oil, then the leaves cook slowly under a lid with a splash of water. It’s a classic Tuscan side for grilled meat or roasted fish.

Pro tip: finish with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. It adds a tangy, slightly sweet note.

Baked Tuscan Kale Chips strips out the central rib, tosses the leaves with olive oil, salt, and dried chili, and bakes them at 400°F for 7 to 8 minutes. They keep for 4 to 5 days at room temperature, and they are vegan, gluten-free, and a good snack to have on hand.

Pro tip: spread the leaves on the baking sheet without overlapping. That’s how they crisp instead of steaming.

Mini Omelettes with Tuscan Kale bake in a muffin tin. The leaves are sautéed for 5 minutes, then set in a mix of eggs, milk, and Parmigiano, with one whole leaf placed in each compartment. They bake at 392°F for about 20 minutes and are just as good at room temperature.

Pro tip: butter the muffin tin and line it with breadcrumbs, then let the omelettes cool slightly before unmolding them.

In the soup, cavolo nero goes tender and gives body to the beans and bread. In the pasta pot, it cooks alongside the pasta and seasons it. Whole in a muffin tin, it becomes its own garnish, and in a hot oven it turns crisp in minutes. The trimmings go into a vegetable broth, and the stale bread goes into the ribollita.