How to use cabbage and cauliflower leaves, kale, and all leafy green vegetables.
In the kitchen, nothing goes to waste, and here I am with easy and surprising recipes for multiple uses.
Every time we buy these vegetables, they come loaded with leaves and stems that end up in the trash.
Not today, I will explain in simple steps how to use cabbage and cauliflower leaves, broccoli, chard, and all leafy green vegetables.
Together we will make a velvety soup, which you can also use to dress pasta and grains, a side dish that can also season pasta, and with cheese, we will create a pesto to dress pasta or as a side for meats, and finally another side dish combined with potatoes or celery root for those who cannot eat potatoes, great to accompany any protein.
We start with a base recipe and then divide it into other recipes.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 332.61 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 24.93 (g) of which sugars 7.93 (g)
- Proteins 13.03 (g)
- Fat 21.24 (g) of which saturated 6.44 (g)of which unsaturated 2.76 (g)
- Fibers 5.71 (g)
- Sodium 147.70 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
How to use cabbage and cauliflower leaves
- 1.1 lbs cabbage (leaves, cauliflower, kale, and all leafy vegetables.)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 chili peppers (if you like)
- 2 oz onion (chopped)
- 8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 10.5 oz potatoes (or celery root, cubed)
- 2.8 oz grated Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino)
- 1 oz blanched almonds (or pine nuts)
- 1 cup milk
Tools
What we need
- 1 Pot
- 1 Immersion Blender
- 1 Knife
Steps
Let’s prepare the vegetables
To use cabbage, cauliflower, and chard leaves, the first step is to detach them from the stem and wash them under running water.
You can also use the central part of the kale.
Or the ends of the chard
For the stem of the cabbages, you need to remove the outer skin, preserving only the tender central part.
Wash everything under running water several times, then cut the leaves into pieces and let them drain
Now take a large pot, even if you have a pressure cooker, it works as it will reduce cooking times.
Pour the oil into the pot, add the garlic, chili if you like, and roughly chopped onion.
Let it flavor for a few minutes, then add the chopped vegetables, salt, and stir.
If you want to make the side dish with potatoes or the creamy soup, you can now also add the cubed potato or celery root.
Pour in 10.5 oz of water and close the lid. Cook with a normal pot for at least 40 minutes, and if needed, add more water.
If you are using a pressure cooker, cook for 15 minutes after it whistles.
For a simple side dish without potatoes, just take the vegetables out of the pot and serve.
For pesto, once this side dish has cooled, add cheese, pine nuts, or almonds, a bit of cooking water, and blend everything.
Remove the vegetables from the pot, add milk, and blend. If you want, you can also add grated cheese or cream.
The creamy soup is ready
You will have already cooked the potatoes/celery root along with the leaves, and it is ready to be served as it is or combined with pasta or grains.
How to use cabbage and cauliflower leaves.
All preparations can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pesto, creamy soup, and the side dish without potatoes can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How to use cabbage and cauliflower leaves
Can I add other vegetable scraps?
Yes, certainly, any you want.
