3/2 Sweet Potato Kale Bake
Ever since I welcomed kale into my life I have admired the combination of sweet potatoes and kale. The sweet and the funky, the chewy and the soft. They are a perfectly unlikely pair that fit like a hand in a glove. I have paired the two before for a kale stuffed sweet potato but this dish is a bit more suave and dinner party worthy. In addition, it has a creamy element that is soul satisfying. This is an amazingly inexpensive meal that you can even assemble ahead of time then bake when you are ready. We made them in individual casserole dishes but feel free to make it in one larger dish if you prefer.
Photo By: S. Duquet
Sweet Potato Kale Bake
By: S Duquet & Boulton
Ingredients
6 C thinly sliced sweet potatoes, cleaned, skin on
6 C kale torn, vein removed, rinsed
6 Tbsp of chopped walnuts
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 C veggie broth (we used a No Chik’n broth cube)
Approx 1 C nutritional yeast
3 Tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp fennel seed, crushed (run your knife through it several times to crush the seeds and release the flavor)
6 tsp bread crumbs
Several grinds of black pepper to taste
Make it Happen
Photo By: S. Duquet
Using six single serving baking dishes, pour a little broth to just coat the bottom of the dish. Add the first layer of sweet potato, like a lasagna layer. Then sprinkle each with about 1/2 tsp of garlic powder and about a 1/3 tsp of fennel. Add a layer of kale. Sprinkle the walnuts onto the kale. Sprinkle 1 tsp of nutritional yeast on top. Add another layer of sweet potato and pour some broth over top. Add more kale and the bell peppers and a few grinds of black pepper. Sprinkle more nutritional yeast. Put another layer of sweet potato and kale and one final layer of sweet potato. Pour broth over top. Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 min in 350 degree oven, until sweet potato is soft, but still a bit al dente. Remove from oven, uncover, sprinkle bread crumbs on top, re-cover and bake another 5-7 minutes.
Photo By: S. Duquet
This dish is sweet and earthy. It is comforting without the usual fat content that is so often a tag along with comforting foods. It is an incredibly healthful and decadent meal that requires very few ingredients and time. My kind of meal.
Have a delicious day.
Tags: compassionate eating, dairy free, Engine 2 diet friendly recipe, going veg, kale recipe, oil free entree recipe, oil free vegan recipe, plant based diet, Sweet Potato Kale Bake, vegan challenge, vegan dinner recipe, vegan entree recipe, vegan experience, vegan wannabe, vegetarian entree
March 2nd, 2012 at 3:47 pm
It’s hailing outside…and dark…and dismal. I need comfort food like this pronto!
I don’t have much experience cooking with kale. If I’m making this for someone who doesn’t like peppers, would you suggest just leaving them out, or replacing them with something like…I dunno, mushrooms? Something that won’t mess with the good sweet potato-kale karma. Many thanks for posting this one!
March 5th, 2012 at 10:09 pm
Hi Nik,
I would just eliminate the peppers. You don’t need them. We probably had an abundance of them so we threw them in. The sweet potato and kale are the stars in this dish.
March 21st, 2012 at 11:36 pm
Hi there… I really love sweet potato and love searching for some great menus with this tuberous plant. And your recipe is kind a new thing to me. I live in Asia and Im afraid I cant find this kale. Is it okay if I replace it with other green leaves vegetables? Lettuce, cabbage, spinach, or… can you give me ideas? Thanks for the answer. Will love to try this one soon.
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:51 pm
Hi Sweet Potato Fries, welcome and thank you for your kind words. Spinach will be most like kale in flavor, but I bet the green part of bok choy would also be very tasty. Let us know how it goes.