Perfect for your holiday table, this rich and creamy Kale Gratin features nutrient-dense kale in a velvety cheese sauce. It's a great low carb and keto side dish option to have for Thanksgiving or any fall or winter meal!
Preheat the oven to 400F. Spray the inside of an 8 by 8-inch or equivalent baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
Heat the oil in a 5-quart pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Stir in the kale, vegetable broth, salt, and black pepper. Cover the pot and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the half and half, and let it come up to a simmer. Stir in the cream cheese until incorporated. Add the shredded cheddar half at a time, stirring until fully incorporated. Cook until the cheese is melted into the sauce, stirring constantly.
Transfer the kale mixture to the prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle the Parmesan on top. Bake until the casserole is bubbling throughout, about 15 minutes. After that, broil it for a couple minutes to brown the top.
Notes
Net Carbs: 8g per serving
Serving Tip: The sauce in this gratin thickens up gorgeously if you let this sit for about 10 to 15 minutes once it's out of the oven!
Storage: Store this recipe covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating: To reheat this dish, preheat the oven to 350F. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake until warmed throughout, about 10 minutes.
Make Ahead: To make this dish ahead of time, make this recipe through step 5 above. Let it cool to room temperature, and then wrap it and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days before continuing with the recipe.
Original Version: The original version of this recipe on my website wasn't keto friendly! I made a couple quick and easy changes to make it low carb, but if you want to make the original version, it's easy! To so so, omit the cream cheese, and instead of half and half use whole milk. You will need to make a Béchamel sauce; to do so, melt 1 ½ tablespoons of unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in 1 ½ tablespoons of all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Whisk in the milk, bring up to a gentle boil, and then turn the heat down to simmer for 1 minute, whisking frequently. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sharp white cheddar half at a time. Continue on with the rest of the recipe.