Fingerling Potatoes and Crispy Kale in Foil Packets
May 15, 2015, Updated May 19, 2026
The ultimate grilled potato side dish. Perfectly seasoned with caramelized shallots and garlic… and kale that comes out crispy! The best Grilled Potatoes and Kale in Foil Packets
The ultimate grilled potato side dish. Perfectly seasoned with caramelized shallots and garlic… and kale that comes out crispy!
Potatoes and Kale in Foil Packets
Creamy Fingerling Potatoes are an excellent choice as a tasty side dish, their narrow size cooks quickly and marries with many flavors.
The Method:
- Quickly steam the potatoes (mostly cooked yet firm), slice in half, blend with assertive kale, garlic and shallots
- Fold up in foil packets drizzled with your favorite fruity extra virgin olive oil
- Simply place on a hot grill and leave to develop a rust colored crust – this adds a fabulous rich flavor!
- Open the packets and serve!
- YES – this dish can be assembled early in the day and tossed on the grill when the family or company calls
The vegetables will all caramelize from the heat of the grill – lovely and tasty.
The KALE will crisp up in the packets, exploding in a rich, assertive depth of flavor. When crisp, it’s almost transparent in color and a wonderful jolt of jade green. Beautifully crinkled with a ruffled texture – kale will add extra fiber and a dose of protein as well.
I have used Russian Banana fingerling variety, slender with an yellow hue.
Potatoes are one of the richest sources of starch, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Low in calories, they contain very little fat and no cholesterol. You may think of citrus fruits as the vitamin C powerhouses, but potatoes, including the skins, are good sources of this immunity-boosting vitamin. They provide good sources of potassium, iron and niacin – and half the fiber is in their skin.
Originally cultivated in France, they have been available here since the 1950’s, and have been coming very popular since the 1980’s. Easily found by organic growers in farmers’ markets in a variety of shapes and beautiful marbled colors (another favorite: Rose Finn Apple with a beautiful rosy skin.)
Enjoy the BEST potato side-dish cooked in packets on the grill,
Karen
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Fingerling Potatoes and Crispy Kale in Foil Packets
Equipment
- 1 outdoor grill
Ingredients
- 1 pound fingerling potatoes, organic if available
- 3 large leaves curly red kale, organic, cleaned, stemmed – torn into 2″ pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
- 1 medium shallot, peeled 1/3″ round slices
- 3 medium fresh garlic cloves, peeled, sliced 1/4″ thick
- 2 teaspoons lemon rind, grated zest from 1 medium lemon
- balsamic glaze**, (see below; optional)
Instructions
Steam, Toss, Fold, Grill!
- Preheat the grill to the high. Scrub potatoes and steam them whole in a basket with boiling water beneath, covered, for about 8 minutes (depending on size.) I have used 2 1/2" lengths. The potatoes should be mostly cooked through – give them a pinch to test, but still firm. Remove from basket and place in the sink in a colander, run cold water over until cooled a bit.
- Slice them in half lengthwise. Cut TWO sheets of heavy foil – 18" x 16" – place on a work surface. Add all cut potatoes evenly to both foil sheets. Add the rest of the ingredients over the potatoes on the 2 sheets: kale, olive oil, salt, pepper, smoked paprika (if using), shallots, garlic and lemon rind. With your hands blend all ingredients, coating all well.
- Fold up packet to enclose all well into a 8" x 10" flat packet. At this point you can set aside, or refrigerate and grill later. Cook on the hot grill until golden and crusty on the bottom of the foil – quickly open a packet to check. Re-crimp, and turn over and cook on the second side until golden and crusty. (Total cooking time: about 10 -12 minutes.) Unfold the foil and serve immediately. Taste for salt.
- Drizzle with Balsamic Glaze** (see below) if desired. Optional addition: 2 slices of crisp bacon, or turkey bacon, crumbled.
- **Balsamic Glaze: In a small skillet, add 3T. balsamic vinegar, 2 t. coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar) and 3/4 t. minced garlic. Simmer over moderate heat until reduces by half to a glaze. Drizzle over the cooked potatoes.
- For a Smokey Flavor: Soak 3/4 cup wood chips in water for 1 hour, Drain, make a foil packet with chips inside, fold into a 4" x 8" rectangle. Puncture with holes. Place on hot coals or briquettes underneath the grates of the grill. Close the grill. Will start to smoke and add essence in 15 minutes.
- * with concerns about gmo’s and processing of oils, use a vegetable oil which has not been chemically treated, this is called “expeller pressed”.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Karen, always LOVE your recipes. Have fallen off the face of the earth for a while but am back. Can this recipe be adapted for indoors and if so what temp would you bake the foil potato packets on? Also what if I used Yukon Gold any special size to cut them up? Would you make any other changes? Strikes me as great comfort food for the winter also. Love your new forMat and website. Beautiful photography. Do you photograph your food also? Thanks Karen!!
Yes, this recipe would work beautifully in a hot oven. I would preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the yukon gold potatoes in large chunks, about 1 1/2″. Steam as directed and proceed with the recipe, placing the “packet’ on a rimmed sheet pan. Photography is mine! I try to capture images in natural light next to my kitchen. Best to you, Karen