Can You Eat Kale That Has Turned Yellow?

Is your kale looking a little yellow? Find out what you can do and how to salvage it, so less goes into the trash.

Remember that bunch of kale you bought last week?

Take a moment to go check the fridge I can wait.

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Alright how does it look? Maybe it’s starting to turn a little yellow around the edges?

Now don’t throw it out quite yet. Maybe we can still salvage the kale. That’s what we are here for today. This will apply to any type of kale – green curly, red russian, lacinato kale, etc.

Why It Turned Yellow?

The reason why it turned yellow is the same reason the leaves of the trees turn color in the fall. Chlorophyll that gives the kale it’s green color is starting to breakdown, making the kale appear yellow. This is a sign of age and a motivate to act fast.

Can You Still Eat It?

Is it all over for your kale and does it still have some hope? I decided to test it out for myself. First I need to clarify that the kale turning yellow alone doesn’t mean that it’s bad to eat. If the kale is moldy, smiley, or smelly then toss it out.

The question I am looking to answer is all about taste. Does kale that has turned yellow taste so bad that I am unable to stomach it?

Kale is known for it’s bitterness to start. It’s why your kids probably aren’t begging for kale every night and if they are someone needs to give you a parent of the year award.

I decided to test the kale I had that was turning yellow and make kale chips with it. Here is how the kale looked.

Not too yellow yet, but starting to turn yellow of the outer portion of some of the leves.

Air Fryer Kale Chips

Having just gotten a brand, spanking new air fryer, I decided to test the kale chips in there.

The results. Perfection. Despite the yellow tips on the kale, I could not dedicate any noticeable difference in the flavor of the kale. I think kale chips are the perfect use for yellowing kale.

Recipe at the bottom of this post.

I do think the yellow kale is easier to work with than yellow broccoli, which I have a hard time finding any way to use that is palatable.

Other Uses for Yellow Kale

You could try using the kale in other recipes, however the bitterness might be more of an issue with something like salad or added to a soup. If yours is more yellow than mine it could be even more bitter. Proceed with caution.

I don’t like serving yellowed kale in a salad raw. It doesn’t look appealing. If you are going to use it in anything do something where it could hide more like in a soup.

What if it’s Limp

If your kale is feeling kind of limp, you might be able to perk it up. When I worked at a grocery store we cut a little bit of the ends of the kale stem off and then dunked it into warm water.

Why warm?

The warm water opens up the pours of the kale more. After that it immediately when into a cold cooler. This made the kale nice and crisp. If your kale is too far gone this might not work.

But you could still make kale chips 🙂

Other Posts You Should Check Out

Can You Eat Broccoli That Turned Yellow?

How to Tell if Potatoes are Bad?

Can You Eat the Green Parts of Leeks?

How to Tell if Cauliflower is Bad?

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