Kale and Cheese Quick Bread
This Cheesy Kale Bread is a savory quick bread packed with kale and two kinds of cheese, making it the perfect treat for any time of day or as an appetizer for cocktail hour. It’s a great way to sneak some extra greens into your diet.
So read on for all the tips and tricks to make this kale and cheddar cheese quick bread recipe. Or just grab your kale, hit that Jump to Recipe button, and let’s make a kale bread recipe.
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Ingredients
- Cheese – use any hard cheese for the kale and cheese loaf like cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gruyere or Swiss cheese, and then top with Parmesan. It’s always preferable to grate your own cheese to avoid preservatives and fillers.
- Kale – I grow Tuscan kale and prefer it in salads and kale slaw because it’s less bitter, but any type will work baked in a kale bread. Just make sure you wash and dry it well before removing the thick stems and chopping the leaves. Check out my cranberry kale salad for info on how to stem and chop kale.
I also use kale in my bacon kale frittata, kale waffles, or stirred into this garbanzo bean soup.
Please see the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Baking ratios for quick breads
The kale and cheddar cheese quick bread recipe was developed for the reddit 52 weeks of baking challenge quick bread week. Quick breads are bread loaves that use chemical leavening instead of yeast. Think skillet cornbread, chocolate chip banana bread, or even a blackberry lemon loaf cake.
When I was contemplating which quick bread to make, I knew that pound cakes like my chocolate chip loaf cake and coffee and walnut loaf cake have a standard formula. You probably know that pound cakes are classically made with one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. I didn’t know that quick breads are also one of the standard baking ratios.
In his book, Ratio, Michael Ruhlman says that quick breads are, by weight, two parts flour to two parts liquid to one part egg to one part butter. And one part is another reason to get a kitchen scale! This recipe reduces the liquid just a bit because of the liquid in the kale.
The Food Network has gone away from these ratios and created a mix-and-match formula that anyone can use to create their own quick bread recipes. Scroll down to check out their list of 50 quick breads – I think I might want to bake everything on that list.
Variations and substitutions
- sub spinach or another green in the kale bread, treating it the same way.
- add chives, garlic, or herbs.
- sub in chopped bacon or ham for some of the cheese.
- replace the buttermilk with yogurt or milk.
- add chopped walnuts or pecans on top.
- use a muffin tin to make this recipe as kale and cheese muffins.
Recipe tips and tricks
This kale and cheese loaf is put together with the “muffin method” just my blueberry chocolate chip muffins and orange poppy seed muffins. The muffin method starts with all of your dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 2: Combine your wet ingredients and then add them to the dry. I keep the melted butter separate to avoid curdling the buttermilk.
Step 3: Stir the wet and dry ingredients together just until you can’t see any traces of flour. Do not over-mix your quick bread batter!
Step 4: add the grated cheese and chopped kale and stir to mix. Don’t be put off if your kale bread batter seems too stiff. I promise that it turns out right in the end. Add it to your prepared pan and top the kale bread dough with the grated Parmesan.
Step 5: Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top has browned and a toothpick inserted into the quick bread comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for ten minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack.
What to serve with this cheesy kale bread
- With butter, a cheese like Gruyère or cheddar, and the salty Parmesan, this quick bread makes a great appetizer to pair with a dry martini.
- Have it for breakfast with scrambled eggs.
- Serve as a side to a soup or salad like this broccoli almond soup or rainbow salad bowl.
- Serve with cast iron chicken breasts or baked panko chicken tenders and a side of apple pie baked beans.
Recipe FAQs
No. You only would if you made it as one big loaf. Or reduce it if you’re making small ones or turn this recipe into kale muffins.
This kale and cheese quick bread should be refrigerated wrapped or in an airtight container for up to one week.
Greens don’t freeze particularly well straight. It would be better to make this recipe and freeze the loaf. Once it cools, double wrap it in plastic wrap, put it in a freezer bag, and remove all the air. It will keep in the freezer for about three months.
Related recipes for kale and other greens
If you’re looking for more recipes using kale and other greens, check out:
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-heart 💜💜💜💜💜 rating in the recipe card below. Let me know how much you loved it, or any problems you had, in the comments section further down.
Recipe
Kale and Cheese Quick Bread
Equipment
- 8½ by 4½ inch loaf pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) bleached, all-purpose flour plus more for dusting the loaf pan
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted plus more for greasing the pan
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 4 ounces hard cheese (e.g. gruyere, cheddar, or swiss), shredded
- ½ cup chopped kale (about two large leaves) stems removed and discarded
- 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Butter and flour an 8½ by 4½ in loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.2 cups (250 grams) bleached, all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a small bowl (or in the measuring cup for the buttermilk), combine the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter.8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, ¾ cup buttermilk, 2 eggs
- Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix only until just combined and no traces of flour remain. Do not over-mix. It will be quite thick.
- Add in the shredded Gruyere or cheddar cheese and chopped kale, mix until distributed throughout, and put into the prepared loaf pan.4 ounces hard cheese (e.g. gruyere, cheddar, or swiss), shredded, ½ cup chopped kale (about two large leaves) stems removed and discarded
- Top with the grated Parmesan.1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the Parmesan is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove from the pan and cool.
Notes
Nutrition
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This cheesy kale bread looks delicious. Love cheesy breads. I never knew about quick bread ratios as well. Thanks for sharing
This quick bread looks delicious, and I like that you added kale to it. I am looking forward to trying it!
I love any way to get some extra greens in my diet and this looks amazing. I can’t wait to try it.
Your bread recipe sounds amazingly delicious, and I can almost guarantee it will be a massive hit with my family. Have a wonderful weekend! I’m looking forward to your new News Letter!
Heidy M
I love a good quick bread and this combo sounds insane!! I have all of the ingredients at home, so I am definitely giving this a go. Thank you so much for the recipe 🙂