Kale flowers in Spring vegetable garden

Kale flowers are edible, and they offer a delightful addition to your culinary repertoire!

Kale buds, also known as kale flowers, kale florets, or kale raab, are the unopened flower heads that appear on mature kale plants. They emerge when kale starts bolting (producing flowers) in late spring to early summer.

These tightly wrapped, green clusters of tender little flowers are called florets and have a delightful texture and flavor when young.
 
You can eat kale flowers, and you’d be missing out if you didn’t. They belong to the Brassica family, which includes other familiar veggies like broccoli, mustard greens, and cabbage.
Kale flowers like broccoli raab (rapini).

Rapini is  the flowering top of the broccoli plant, and it’s sold with tight clusters of flower buds. Similarly, Chinese broccoli (gailan) is enjoyed for its little flower buds.

Fun fact is: The head of broccoli and cauliflower is actually the flower bud of those plants! They were selectively bred to produce large amounts of flowers compared to other Brassica cultivars.

Enjoy Kale Flowers: like

Raw: You can pick kale flowers as soon as they appear and eat them raw. They add a unique texture and slightly sweet flavor to salads.

Cooked: Kale flowers are also delicious when cooked. Try them in stir-fries or incorporate them into other dishes.

Nutritional Benefits: These little blossoms contain vitamins, antioxidants, and nutrients like calcium, contributing to a healthy diet.

When to Harvest Kale Flowers: Kale flowers are most commonly seen in the spring, as plants naturally complete their growth cycle.

Incorporating kale flowers into your cooking is a unique opportunity to utilize every part of the plant.