Creamy Kale and Gnocchi Bake
Forget boring, bland dinners! Creamy Kale and Gnocchi Bake is here to tantalize your taste buds with a symphony of comfort and flavor. It's like a warm hug in a casserole dish, perfect for cozy nights in or impressing your friends with your culinary prowess (even if you're a total kitchen newbie).
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons 30 ml olive oil
- 2 bunches about 500 g kale, stems removed and leaves torn
- ½ teaspoon 3 g salt
- 3 tablespoons 45 g unsalted butter
- 2 large shallots finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons 45 g all-purpose flour
- 4 cups 946 ml whole milk
- 2 teaspoons 10 g Dijon mustard
- Pinch of nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon 4 g black pepper
- 1 454 g package refrigerated potato gnocchi
- 8 ounces 227 g Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 1 ounce 28 g Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about ¼ cup)
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Remove the stems from the kale and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces. You should have about 24 cups of kale total.
- Grate the Parmesan cheese.
Cook the kale:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the kale a handful at a time, using tongs to toss the kale until it wilts slightly before adding the next handful. Continue until all the kale is added and bright green, about 5 minutes total.
- Season the kale with ½ teaspoon of salt and transfer it to an 11" x 8" baking dish.
Make the sauce:
- In the same pot over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring often, until they are tender and light golden, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the milk until the mixture is combined and smooth.
- Whisk in the mustard, nutmeg, ¾ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper.
Assemble and bake:
- Stir the gnocchi into the sauce and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.
- Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in 1 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese until it melts.
- Return the cooked kale to the pot and stir it to combine with the sauce.
- Pour the kale and sauce mixture into the baking dish.
- Top with the Parmesan cheese and the remaining 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese.
- Bake the dish for 16-20 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
- Let the dish cool for 10 minutes before serving.