Lucky You: 11 Green Recipes That Actually Taste Good

Don’t forget to eat your greens.

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Friends, when I started KaleJunkie back in 2015, I was a burned-out attorney in the middle of recovering from a 15-year eating disorder, and my entire definition of “healthy” was basically kale salads and green juice. So I named myself KaleJunkie. Even as my whole relationship with food completely transformed and even as I started making cookies and pasta and all the things I used to be terrified of, the name has stuck.

So when St. Patrick’s Day rolls around and everyone is suddenly very invested in eating green things, I feel like it was made for me. Even if I’m not exactly out here in a green hat drinking green beer.

What I do know about myself is that I will always be someone who really loves greens, but I’m also very much the person who will follow up a big kale salad with a big steak. This time of year though, I almost always crave something fresh and bright on my plate.

So I pulled together some of my favorite green recipes from the blog—a little something for every craving. Whether you’re leaning into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit or just ready for something that tastes like spring, this one’s for you.

• A high-speed blender. Several of these recipes — the green goddess dressing, the broccoli pesto, the matcha latte, the tropical smoothie — all come together in a blender. A good one makes everything smoother and creamier and is honestly one of the best kitchen investments you can make.

• A food processor. For the pesto and the Green Goddess Chicken Salad dressing especially, a food processor gives you that perfectly chunky-but-creamy texture that a blender can’t quite replicate.

• A large sheet pan (plus parchment paper). The Sheet Pan Warm Kale Salad is built on a sheet pan, and it could not be easier. Parchment means no scrubbing. Always line it.

• A good skillet or cast iron pan. The smashed broccoli needs a hot pan to get those crispy, caramelized edges. A cast iron is ideal, but any heavy skillet will do.

• A matcha whisk (chasen) and bowl. Technically optional, but if you’re going to make the iced matcha latte, whisking the matcha properly is what gives it that smooth, non-bitter flavor. It also makes the whole thing feel like a little ritual, which I am very into.

• An air fryer. You’ll need one for the salsa verde.

You can shop all of my kitchen favorites over on my Amazon Storefront — I keep it updated with exactly what I’m actually using.

Despite the fact that my name is KaleJunkie, I’ll be the first to admit that kale has a PR problem, and this salad is my answer to it. Finely chopped curly kale, toasted panko breadcrumbs, freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and a lemon-basil dressing with anchovies that adds this deep, savory flavor you can’t quite put your finger on. And, it comes together in 15 minutes!

This Sheet Pan Warm Kale Salad is what I make when I want something that feels cozy but is still packed with good stuff. Tender roasted butternut squash, mild Italian sausage, tangy feta, crunchy pistachios, and a creamy maple dijon dressing—all built on one sheet pan.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you could sneak broccoli into something and have nobody notice, the answer is yes and this 10-Minute Broccoli Pesto is how you do it. Everything you love about classic pesto, but made with broccoli florets for an extra nutritional punch. It’s vibrant green, deeply herby, and comes together in literally 10 minutes. Toss it over pasta, spread it on a sandwich, use it as a dip. And if your kids are picky eaters, they will not taste the broccoli. I promise.

This High Protein Green Goddess Chicken Salad is a recipe I genuinely make on a regular basis. Shredded rotisserie chicken (so we’re already keeping it easy) tossed in a Greek yogurt and avocado-based Green Goddess dressing that’s loaded with fresh basil, dill, and green onions. Serve it on lettuce leaves, on sourdough toast, or honestly just eat it straight out of the bowl. The dressing alone is worth making.

If you follow me on TikTok or Instagram, you know that I have become mildly obsessed with matcha. I went to Japan, I came home with a suitcase full of tins and a new bamboo whisk, and I have not looked back. This Easy Iced Matcha Latte is the one I make almost every afternoon — ceremonial grade matcha, a little honey, vanilla almond milk, over ice. If you’ve been spending $8 at the coffee shop for this, please stop and make it at home. You will be shocked.

Muddled cucumber, fresh jalapeño, lime, tequila, and a Tajin rim, it’s crisp and refreshing and just spicy enough. This is the cocktail I make when grilling season kicks back into gear and I need something in my hand that isn’t wine. The cucumber makes it way more hydrating than your average margarita, which I’m choosing to count as a health benefit.

This Cucumber Edamame Salad is five minutes, one bowl, and completely addicting. Crunchy Persian cucumbers, protein-packed edamame, fresh herbs, and a sesame-ginger dressing that is tangy and salty and just a little sweet. It works as a side dish alongside salmon or chicken, or honestly just as a snack straight from the fridge. I have made this so many times and it is so good every time.

If you’ve been on Instagram, you’ve probably seen this one circling around—and for good reason. Flaky baked salmon, crunchy Persian cucumbers, creamy avocado, edamame, and the crispiest chili-sesame rice, all tossed in a blended creamy soy dressing.

I grew up eating a lot of salsa, and I will never buy a jar of store-bought salsa verde again after making Easy Air Fryer Roasted Salsa Verde. Tomatillos, jalapeño, and serrano peppers all go into the air fryer, and 20 minutes later you have this bright, tangy, slightly smoky salsa that is SO much better than anything from the grocery store. Use it on tacos, with chips, over eggs, on fish. The air fryer makes the whole thing almost effortless.

You know that glossy, garlicky Chinese restaurant broccoli? This Better Than Takeout Broccoli is that, but you know… better. Crispy-tender broccoli tossed in a sweet, savory sauce made with dark soy sauce, garlic, and a little chili crunch on top. One pan, ready in minutes, and super addictive. My boys go through a whole batch of this in one sitting.

It felt wrong not to include an actual kale smoothie in a green recipe roundup. This Ultimate Kale Smoothie is packed with fresh kale, frozen mango or pineapple, medjool dates, protein powder, lemon, and ginger. The lemon cuts right through the kale and the fruit sweetens everything up. This is my go-to when I want something that checks every box: filling, good for you, and actually something I look forward to.

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