How to Store Kale So It Stays Crisp and Fresh

Kale is a cruciferous vegetable that’s rich in vitamins A, C, K, and B6, as well as calcium, potassium, folate, and fiber. Beyond being a boon for our bodies, fresh kale can be a versatile and delicious addition to your menu. But before you start any kale recipe, it’s important to study up on how to store kale so you can maximize its lifespan—and your amount of time to put that superfood to good use. 

How to Choose Kale

Before we dive into how to store kale, we have to get those greens first. You can certainly grow kale in your garden (harvest season is typically late winter to early spring, as well as fall in some parts of the country), or you can buy it at the supermarket or farmers market. 

There are several varieties of kale available; curly, ornamental, and dinosaur (aka Lacinato or Tuscan) kale are among the most common. These types of kale range in flavor from mellow to boldly pungent, and in color from bluish-green to white to purple. 

Regardless of the type, Sarah Brekke, M.S., Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen brand manager, gives us the dirt about what you might want to seek out when choosing kale:

• Deeply-hued, firm, crisp, yet tender leaves with richly-colored stems 
• Avoid wilting or yellowing leaves
• Smaller leaves are usually more tender, milder, and a bit sweeter than larger ones

How to Store Kale in the Refrigerator

After you harvest or purchase your fresh kale, you’re ready to master how to store kale. To extend its lifespan as much as possible, “we recommend washing your kale right before using it,” Brekke advises, rather than washing it before storing the kale.

Here’s how to store kale the Test Kitchen way:

1. Using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel, pat the leaves dry. (Any moisture can speed up spoilage.)
2. With a new, dry sheet of paper towels, wrap the fresh kale, then transfer it to a zip-top bag. Close the seal.
3. Place the kale in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer to help maintain the proper humidity.

If you need to (or strongly prefer to) wash kale before storing, here’s how to store kale that’s been pre-washed:

1. Fill a large bowl halfway with cool water.
2. Add the kale leaves to the bowl, then using clean hands, gently agitate the kale to shake off any dirt or debris. If necessary, use your fingers to scrub off any stuck-on pieces.
3. Transfer the greens to a salad spinner to spin away the excess moisture, or use paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to pat the leaves dry.
4. Line a large zip-top bag with dry paper towels, then add the clean and dry kale (either whole stems or chopped leaves, if desired). Seal the bag, then place it in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer.

Test Kitchen Tip: Instead of a zip-top bag, you can also use a produce keeper to help maintain an ideally humid environment for prolonged shelf-life. We swear by this OXO Greensaver model.

How to Freeze Kale

For extended shelf life, turn to your freezer. 

“Freezing kale is a great option for long-term storage and for many recipes, and the kale won’t even need to be thawed before usage,” Brekke says. 

This kale storage strategy works well for smoothies, soups and stews, braised greens, casseroles, and most cooked purposes. Aim to stick with fresh, refrigerator-stored kale for salads and kale chips.

You can either freeze kale in its clean, fresh form, or blanch the vegetables first.

How to Store Kale in the Freezer Fresh

Here's how to freeze raw kale:

1. Using clean hands, strip the kale leaves from the stems.
2. Using a sharp chef’s knife, chop the kale into bite-sized pieces.
3. Transfer the kale pieces to a large bowl filled halfway with cool water. Add the kale to the bowl, and using clean hands, swirl around the kale pieces to remove any debris. Place the clean kale pieces into a salad spinner to dry it thoroughly. (If you don’t have a salad spinner, use paper towels to pat the pieces dry as much as possible.)
4. On a freezer-safe sheet pan lined with parchment paper, arrange the dried kale pieces so they’re not touching.
5. Place the kale in the freezer for 2 hours, or until frozen. 
6. Transfer the frozen kale pieces to large freezer-safe zip-top bags and close the seal. Label and date the kale to act as your timestamp, then store it in the freezer.

How to Store Kale in the Freezer Blanched

Here's how to freeze blanched kale:

1. After completing steps 1 through 3 above (no need to spin the leaves dry after cleaning them), bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. 
2. Add the kale to the boiling water. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the leaves are bright green. 
3. As that cooks, fill a large bowl halfway full with ice water.
4. Use a slotted spoon to remove the kale from the boiling water. Immediately transfer it to the ice water. 
5. Once the leaves are cool enough to handle, drain and dry the blanched kale thoroughly with a salad spinner (or paper towels) before freezing the leaves as directed in steps 4 to 6 above.

How Long Does Kale Last?

Using our best practices for how to store kale, Brekke says you can expect the following lifespan.

• Refrigerator: About 1 week
• Freezer: Up to 6 months

If you notice that your kale leaves are wilted, weeping, discolored, or smell bad, discard them.

Put your kale to good use in green smoothies, antioxidant-packed veggie chips, wholesome stews, hearty salads, and so much more.