Red Russian Kale

Red Russian Kale History

Red Russian Kale is a beautiful Siberian Kale that came to Canada in the 1800’s by way of Russian traders. It has dark blue-green leaves resembling an oak leaf that are split by purple veins and stand about 2-3’ tall. The origin of the first Kale is unknown, but Kale has been around since at least the middle ages during which time it was one of the most common green vegetables in Europe.

Planting Russian Red

Frost tolerant to 0 degrees in our NW Illinois trials. This cultivar has similar requirements to other types of kale. You should plant it in full sun and provide it with about half an inch of water a week. However, as with all crops, water more in hotter weather and less in cooler weather. “Red Russian” is cold hardy, just like other varieties. It can tolerate some heat, but it does best in colder conditions. This article will teach you how to grow Red Russian Kale in a container.

Preserving And Storing Your Kale For Later Use

If you only want to use your kale for smoothies, dehydrating it is an excellent option. Using a dehydrator or your oven at a low setting, wash and lay out the kale in a single layer. Once it’s dried crisp, pulverize it with a mortar and pestle. This allows you to store a huge amount of kale in a very small space. Alternatively, be sure to check this out if you want to learn more about one of the best ways to freeze kale.

Red Russian Kale Recipes

Here’s a recipe that will show you how to cook Red Russian Kale with garlic and lemon.

Kale Nutrition

Red kale is a low-calorie, low-carb, low-fat food that also supplies protein. An 85-gram serving, or about 3 ounces, has 45 calories. Of the 9 grams of carbohydrates in a serving, 2 grams are from dietary fiber, which improves digestive health and keeps you feeling full longer. A serving of kale has less than a gram of fat, 3 grams of protein, 35 milligrams of sodium and no sugar. You can learn more about the nutritional benefits of kale here.

Other Kale Worth Checking Out

Dwarf Blue Curled