Looks good, doesn’t it? Alright, it’s not the “healthiest” concoction. But I promise you, the kale balances out the other stuff. And if you have a picky eater in your house, this will surely convince him to not only try kale, but love it as well.
I had never even tried it myself until four years ago. My youngest was a newborn and we had joined a CSA at a local organic farm for the first time. I figured that by pre-paying for our veggies, it would force us to eat more of them–and a greater variety, too. There were some failures from the deal–kohlrabi comes to mind–but for the most part, it worked well for us. I ate more greens that summer than ever before, even with a new baby and a two-year-old under foot.
The inspiration for this dish comes from a meal that was made for us when my son was just days old. The mommy group I hung out with at the time made it a point to set up new moms with 1-2 weeks’ worth of meals. Each of us would pick a day and volunteer to bring over something for the family to help out. Every mom should be so lucky, whether it’s for her first or tenth child. Their outpouring of love and support really touched us. And the meals were delicious–more so because we didn’t have to worry about putting together something at such a hectic time.
This one in particular became part of our dinner routine for a while, but for some reason I cannot recall, I stopped making it. Recently, there were a few requests for kale recipes, though, so I figured it was time to resurrect it. I can see this becoming a regular again.
I originally made this recipe using sweet Italian sausage but the hot Italian sausage adds some depth. Either will work depending on your tastes. Sure, it’s not diet food, but it’ll definitely satisfy appetites. And the kale makes it somewhat good for you, right?
Sausage Kale Potato Casserole
- 3-4 russet potatoes, sliced thin
- 2-3 Tbsp Kerrygold unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 1 lb bulk hot Italian sausage (or 4-5 links, casings removed)
- 1/2-2/3 bunch of curly-leaved kale, pulled off the stems
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
Wash potatoes but do not skin them. Slice thinly and arrange in a single layer in the bottom of the baking dish. Drop a few thin pats of butter across the top of the potatoes. Bake for about 30 minutes.
While the potatoes are baking, brown the sausage. I prefer my large cast iron pan for this. Just make sure whatever you use is a big one. As that’s going, pull the kale off the stems and wash and dry it. If you have a Salad Spinner, use it. It makes the job so much easier. Set the kale aside.
Remove the sausage from the pan to a bowl and set it aside. Sauté the kale in the same pan in the sausage drippings until wilted to about half its original size. Remove from heat.
At this point, about 30 minutes should have passed. Take the baking dish out of the oven and layer on top of the potatoes the kale, sausage, and cheddar cheese. Return to the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
In our house, this dish serves about 4. It is a huge hit. I imagine it reheats well but we never have any leftovers.
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Angela
17 April, 2011 at 3:34 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
mmm..looks good! I’m going to try this, but with sweet potato instead of regular potato!
Deepika@everydaydelightful
20 April, 2011 at 2:54 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
what a simple but perfect dish! I am going to make this soon…thanks for sharing it.
Jennifurla
20 April, 2011 at 3:09 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
This looks so super good, thanks for sharing
Jennifurla recently posted..Red Velvet Brownie Bunny with a White Chocolate Frosting
Ryan
20 April, 2011 at 11:00 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Oooh! I’m bookmarking this because I love me a good casserole!
This looks delicious and so comforting! Yum!!
Caroline Calcote
4 September, 2012 at 6:31 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Made it tonight with turkey sausage and it was delicious. I can’t stop eating it. My two kids, 8 & 11, loved it too! They commented that their friends complain about casseroles, but they love them. Thanks so much.
Caroline Calcote recently posted..Biking and back to (volunteering at) school
The Poet Herself
4 September, 2012 at 9:46 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! That’s a family favorite around here, though I don’t make it anywhere near often enough.
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