How to Cook Kale Gratin at Home

When you think of a gratin, you might picture thinly sliced potatoes layered with cream and cheese — pure comfort food. But did you know you can make a gratin without potatoes? In fact, one of my favorites is made with kale!

Kale is one of those love-it-or-hate-it foods. But it’s hard to hate something that’s slathered in gooey, melty, creamy cheese. If you’re trying to convert someone — or convince yourself — start with this recipe.

What is Gratin?

Essentially, a gratin is a vegetable cooked together with cream. There’s often some sort of crisp, golden cap on top, created with bread crumbs, cheese or butter. Everything is baked in a shallow dish until thick and bubbling.

The word gratin is a form of the French word “gratter,” which means to scrape or grate. The word gratiné means crust or skin. Basically, the most important part about a gratin is the top crust — which is always my favorite.

This recipe starts with fresh lacinato or Tuscan kale. First, you’ll need to remove the tough ribs: Hold the thick stem, then pull on the frilly greens. It should easily pull off the rib. If a bit of stem comes with it, that’s fine.

To the kale, you’ll add a generous helping of cream and cheese. I add a bit of tomato paste for flavor and there’s also a touch of nutmeg, which pairs beautifully with greens.Place the gratin dish on a baking sheet to catch any cream that drips out as the gratin cooks. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour; you want the cream to thicken and the cheese to brown nicely. The outer shell of kale will crisp up, like kale chips.