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Kale and Kalamata Olive Turnovers

Leafy green kale, briny olives and salty cheese tucked inside pastry, but not the pastry you would expect, these kale and Kalamata olive turnovers are made with egg roll wrappers! Using paper-thin purchased dough sheets means plenty of flavorful filling and a delightful oven-crisp crust.

Kale and Kalamata Turnovers on platter with turquoise table runner

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It’s picnic season! Time for portable food that we can take with, something easy to tuck into a basket and carry. Individual pastry packages like these savory turnovers perfectly fill the bill. I like that you can prepare them ahead of time and pop them in the freezer. When you’re ready, bake them straight from the freezer without letting them thaw. How convenient is that?

Kale and Kalamata olive turnovers baked and cut to show filling

Empanadas, calzones, hand pies, and pasties, different names from various world cuisines, they’re all turnovers. They’re all about yummy fillings folded in some sort of dough, sometimes a flaky pie dough or puff pastry, sometimes, like for calzones, a pizza-type dough.

Filled with sautéed greens, salty black olives, and goat cheese, then baked inside large egg roll envelopes, these pastries are easier time-saving turnovers. Knife or fork not required, grab a napkin and eat them out of hand. Enjoy!

How to form turnovers using egg roll wrappers:

Using scissors, trim the square skins into large circles. Spoon some filling on the lower half and fold the upper part over on top. Seal the edges together and then fold about ¼-inch of the edge up and in. Seal tightly using your fingers first and then crimp using the tines of a fork. Brush with melted butter and bake, in this recipe it’s paprika-spiked butter.

How to assemble in 4 photos-- Kale and Kalamata Olive turnovers

Recipe details for Kale and Kalamata Olive Turnovers:

  • Feel free to substitute other greens like spinach, arugula, beet greens, chard, etc. or pre-washed packaged greens like super greens or spinach and arugula.
  • Portion the filling out before you begin filling the egg roll wrappers. Pre-portioning saves time in the end and insures you put the same amount of filling in each turnover.
  • Both olives and cheese are salty, you may not need to add salt after tasting the mixed filling.

*** Using this same kale and olive filling try making a rolled up filled pizza dough baked in a long loaf—Whole Wheat Stromboli.

More recipes to make with Kalamata olives:

More recipes using kale:

** This recipe is adapted from a Deborah Madison recipe in my number one go-to cookbook, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. I am forever in awe of Deborah’s lyrical writing and approachable vegetarian recipes.

Just so you know, the cookbook link is an Amazon affiliate link. When you purchase products via my links, it doesn’t cost you anything and I earn a tiny commission, which helps me continue to provide free content here on Letty’s Kitchen. Thank you!!


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** This is an updated version of the Kale and Kalamata Olive Turnovers I posted here years ago. I rewrote and edited the recipe and gave the photos lighter exposure.

PS If you make this recipe and love it, please consider leaving a blog post comment. Your comments help other readers learn more about the recipe. If you’d also give the recipe a ✮✮✮✮✮ rating, I’d be delighted!

Nutrition Facts
Kale and Kalamata Olive Turnovers
Amount Per Serving
Calories 147 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 26mg9%
Sodium 216mg9%
Potassium 305mg9%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 5915IU118%
Vitamin C 67.7mg82%
Calcium 108mg11%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

18 comments

  • I have been making a point of eating kale and recently I read an article which advised people to check kale and and any meds they take. I suppose true of anything.
    Chris, your biggest carrot cake fan Reply · 17 June, 2014

    • Letty

      Chris, I know that kale is loaded with Vitamin K, which helps keep your blood thin. I think the biggest contraindication is with blood thinning meds.
      If I understand it, if one regularly consumes kale and other veggies full of Vit K, the med level can be adjusted. E.G. Coumadin. Good question to ask your doctor. Reply · 18 June, 2014

  • Judi G.

    The Kale and Kalamata Olive Turnovers sound yummy! Reply · 17 June, 2014

  • omg. omg. omg. These look amazing and I want them. Kale and Kalamata…my faves! Reply · 19 June, 2014

  • Letty, you have OUTDONE yourself! These look so, so good, and your pairing of the Hearty Greens with Kalamata and goat cheese is inspired! Also like your paprika butter gloss on top. Can we just say YUM!

    As always, we’ll be sharing this on our social media sites with a link here. This is the picnic recipe of the summer!

    –Your friendly Southern California farmers at Cut ‘N Clean Greens Reply · 19 June, 2014

  • Really delicious and so very “handy”. GREG Reply · 19 June, 2014

  • Ricardo

    Look yummy! Got any demos? Reply · 19 June, 2014

  • savvy

    Made these with rainbow chard and kale mix, and olive oil/paprika. Stashing recipe for a bit cooler weather! Temps hovering @ 100 do not make for a terrific baking day. Fall hiking?? you bet! Reply · 3 July, 2014

  • Letty these are gorgeous. I was looking for a vegetarian nibble to make for concert in the park this week. Can’t wait to give these (or some variation) a whirl! Reply · 7 July, 2014

  • kathleen

    I’m looking for an appetizer I an make ahead, and freeze for during the holidays. Do you think this would freeze well?
    Thanks! Reply · 9 November, 2014

    • Letty

      Kathleen,
      I think they will freeze just fine, baked or before baking. If you put them in the freezer filled but not baked, do’t thaw them much. Those doughs dough, phyllo too, like to go from freezer to oven direct. Reply · 10 November, 2014

  • looks very good Reply · 19 November, 2015

  • try it soon Reply · 19 November, 2015

    • Thanks Katelyn–let me know how they come out for you! Reply · 19 November, 2015

  • Suzanne Halloran

    Thanks for the great recipe! Was delicious and even the kids liked it. We have some leftover which will hopefully make a great snack during the week. Reply · 20 June, 2016

    • Hi Suzy,
      Thanks for the letting me know you all liked the recipe. And the kids–bonus!! Reply · 22 June, 2016

  • Carolyn

    Loved these. Have to find a sub for the wrap as gluten doesn’t like me much (but had to risk it once). Delicious! Reply · 10 July, 2019

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