Name: Easy Flavorful Kale Rice
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 Tablespoon unsalted butter; 1 yellow onion (chopped); 3 garlic cloves (minced); 2 cups long-grain rice (rinsed); 2 cups water*; 2 teaspoon salt; 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar; 3 cups chopped kale

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This easy kale rice is a step up from plain and boring white rice. It’s full of flavor and can be cooked on the stovetop or in your electric pressure cooker.

kale rice in white bowl with spoon and kale in background

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I love rice and I like to eat it plain with no additional seasonings. Unfortunately, my family doesn't approve and they fuss at me anytime I give them a bowl of plain white rice. Hence this flavorful kale rice recipe was created just for them but it’s so darn good.

The great thing about this rice recipe is that it’s easy, healthy, and amped up with ingredients like onion, garlic, kale, and rice wine vinegar. My go-to device when making this recipe is my Electric Pressure Cooker but this can be done on the stove as well.

How to Make Kale Rice

Instant Pot Instructions

First, chop your 1 onion and 3 cloves of garlic and set it aside. Set your pressure cooker to sauté and set it to the “more” setting. Once the display says “HOT”, add butter and let it melt. Once melted, add the onions and stir for about 3 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Add in chopped garlic and stir for about a minute more.

Then add rinsed rice and stir for about 20 seconds to toast the rice a little. Then add water, salt, and rice vinegar.

instant pot insert with onions on left and instant pot insert with onions, rice, and water on the right

Cover and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare your kale but removing the stems and chopping the kale into fine pieces. Set aside.

Once your 5 minute pressure cook time is up, allow the pressure cooker to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quickly release any remaining pressure. Press Cancel on the pressure cooker.

Open the lid and pour chopped kale into the insert and use a spoon or fork to stir in the kale. Rest the pressure cooker lid on the rice for about 2 minutes. Then open and stir.

Stovetop Directions

Cooking this recipe on the stove top will cause for a change in the water to rice ratio.

The majority of the ingredients will stay the same except for the liquid, you will need to increase the water to 2 ½-3 cups of water instead of 2 for the stovetop. (2 ½ cups for a dryer firm rice and 3 cups for a more moist rice).

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the onions and stir for about 3 minutes until onions begin to soften. Add in chopped garlic and stir for about a minute more.

Then add rice and stir for about 20 seconds to toast the rice a little. Then add water, salt, and rice vinegar. Allow the water to come to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cover the saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Allow the rice to cook for 18-20 minutes until all the water has been absorbed by the rice.

Meanwhile, chop the kale.

When rice is done cooking, remove from heat and stir in kale. Cover saucepan with lid for 2 minutes. Then serve and enjoy.

Tips:

I serve this as a side, usually to a roasted chicken. You could make it a one-pot meal by adding chopped boneless chicken breast or thighs to the pot when you add the water.
The rice vinegar is optional but I love the flavor it adds to this rice dish.
If adjusting the amount of servings for this recipe on the stove top, this guide to cooking perfect white rice is helpful.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. Looking for other rice recipes? Try these out:

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4 from 1 vote

Easy Flavorful Kale Rice

This easy kale rice is a step up from plain and boring white rice. It’s full of flavor and can be cooked on the stovetop or in your electric pressure cooker.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword kale rice

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Rise to pressure and natural relase 15

Total Time 25

Servings people

Calories 214kcal

Author Tanya

Ingredients

2 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 yellow onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
2 cups long-grain rice rinsed
2 cups water*
2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
3 cups chopped kale

Instructions

Pressure Cooker Instructions

Set your pressure cooker to sauté and set it to the “more” setting. Once the display says “HOT”, add butter and let it melt. Once melted, add the onions and stir for about 3 minutes until onions begin to soften. Add in chopped garlic and stir for about a minute more.
Then add rice and stir for about 20 seconds to toast the rice a little. Then add water, salt and rice vinegar.
Cover and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare your kale but removing the stems and chopping the kale into fine pieces. Set aside.
Once your 5 minute cook time is up, allow the pressure cooker to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quickly release any remaining pressure by moving the valve to “venting. Press Cancel on the pressure cooker.
Open the lid and pour chopped kale into the insert and use a spoon or fork to stir in the kale. Rest the pressure cooker lid on the rice for about 2 minutes. Then open and stir.
The majority of the ingredients will stay the same except for the liquid, you will need to increase the water to 4 cups instead of 2 for the stovetop.

Stove Top Directions

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the onions and stir for about 3 minutes until onions begin to soften. Add in chopped garlic and stir for about a minute more.
Then add rice and stir for about 20 seconds to toast the rice a little. Then add in 2 ½ - 3 cups of water*, salt, and rice vinegar. Allow the water to come to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cover the saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Allow the rice to cook for 18-20 minutes until all the water has been absorbed by the rice.
Meanwhile, chop the kale.
When rice is done cooking, remove from heat and stir in kale. Cover saucepan with lid for 2 minutes. Then serve and enjoy.

Suggested Tools

6 Qt Pressure Cooker

Video

Notes

*water amounts different for instant pot and stove top instructions. Use 2 ½ cups for a dryer firm rice and 3 cups for a more moist rice.

You could make it a one-pot meal by adding chopped boneless chicken breast or thighs to the pot when you add the water.
The rice vinegar is optional but I love the flavor it adds to this rice dish.

Nutrition

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Although myforkinglife.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will myforkinglife.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.

Easy Flavorful Kale Rice