Slow Cooker Smoky Kale Stew
A hearty, smoky stew with a warmth and depth.
Category
Main Course
Prep
15 minutes
Cook
480 minutes
Style
American
Technique
Slow Cooking
Diet Friendly
Low-Carb
Daily recipe · February 25, 2026
A little about this dish
Embrace the cold season with our innovative 'Slow Cooker Smoky Kale Stew'. This dish combines nutrient-rich kale, succulent smoky pork belly, and heirloom beans that provides a balance of comfort, nutrition, and rich American flavors.
Ingredients (for 4)
- Kale — 2 cups — stemmed and torn into pieces
- Smoked pork belly — 1.5 pounds — cut into 1-inch cubes
- Heirloom beans — 2 cups — soaked overnight
- Large onion — 1 — finely chopped
- Garlic — 4 cloves — minced
- Smoked paprika — 1 teaspoon
- Ground cumin — 1 teaspoon
- Beef broth — 4 cups
- Olive oil — 2 tablespoons
- Salt and pepper — to taste
Preparation
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Step 1 — 🍳🥩🔥Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add cubes of smoked pork belly and sear until brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
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Step 2 — 🍳🧅🥬In the same pan, sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic until softened.
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Step 3 — 🥘🥬🍲Combine the browned pork belly, sautéd onion and garlic, kale, smoked paprika, cumin, beef broth and soaked beans in your slow cooker.
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Step 4 — ⏲️🍲🔥Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until the beans are tender and the flavors are well combined.
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Step 5 — 🧂🍽️🔪Prior to serving, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as per your liking.
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Step 6 — 🥣🧀🔥Serve the stew hot with a good sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano.
A final fox tip
This dish can be customized easily based on dietary needs. For vegetarians, replace the pork with mushrooms or vegan sausage. You can also add additional vegetables like zucchini or carrot to pump up the nutritional value. Kids can have fun tearing up the kale and mixing the ingredients together in the slow cooker.