Kale Casserole

  4.4 – 13 reviews  • Side Dish
Tender kale and sweet butternut squash come together in this creamy casserole. We added a touch of nutmeg to enhance the squash’s natural sugars, then a generous dose of salty Parmesan for balance. Serve alongside your favorite main for an equally beautiful and flavorful side dish.
Level: Easy
Total: 50 min
Active: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

  1. 1 1/2 pounds curly kale
  2. Kosher salt
  3. 12 ounces butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  4. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  5. 3 cloves garlic, minced
  6. 1 medium onion, finely diced
  7. Freshly ground black pepper
  8. 1 cup heavy cream
  9. 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  10. 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  11. 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  12. 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
  13. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Remove the tough, fibrous ribs from the kale leaves and discard the ribs. Tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. Reserve any tender stems and finely chop. Keep the leaves and chopped stems separate. 
  3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the kale leaves to the boiling water and cook until tender and bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer the kale to the ice water bath. Once completely cool, drain well. Bring the water back to a boil, then add the squash. Cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well and reserve the pot.  
  4. Place the pot over medium-high heat. Melt the butter, then add the reserved kale stems, garlic, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the kale leaves, squash, heavy cream, cream cheese, Parmesan and nutmeg until well combined and smooth. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 
  5. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish. Stir together the breadcrumbs, parsley and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl until combined, then sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole. Bake until golden brown and bubbling at the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 of 6 servings
Calories 467
Total Fat 37 g
Saturated Fat 22 g
Carbohydrates 27 g
Dietary Fiber 6 g
Sugar 7 g
Protein 13 g
Cholesterol 114 mg
Sodium 671 mg

Reviews

Melissa Porter
This was one of the best & tastiest recipes I’ve ever made and I’ve been cooking for awhile. Just gave it a try on the first time following the directions and it turned out awesome.
Jeremy Hardy
This was delicious! Made as written.
Michael Maxwell
Super yummy!
Eric Rosales
Everyone loved it!
Ricardo Montes
1.5 pounds of kale is a lot of kale.  Is it really 1.5 cups or bunches?
Shane Williamson
Can this recipe be made a head of time?  I am preparing my side dishes for Thanksgiving and was wondering if I can make this the day before?
David Garrett
I’ve finally found a way to eat kale and butternut squash! The combo is so good and all the creamy sauce is heaven! I had it with fried chicken and biscuits with honey. I’ll definitely make this again, maybe for Thanksgiving. 
Sandra Burton
Loved this recipe. Bit of work getting everything prepped  but well worth the final result. Will definitely make this again, just wish they had included the nutritional info.
Crystal Castaneda
This was an awesome recipe and will be making this again for Thanksgiving
Jill Lowe
Very rich and cheesy. Substituted kale with kale and spinach, substituted squash with sweet potato, substituted parmesan with mozzarella, and lastly cheated with stovetop stuffing on top. I would have it again, just not right away. Son thought it would be good as deep fried cassarole balls. 🙂

 

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top