Gluten-Free Kale and Butternut Squash Gratin

Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Servings: 8
Yield: 8 servings

Description

A white sauce made with arrowroot flour, almond milk, and ricotta cheese is layered with kale, onion, and butternut squash in this gratin recipe.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil, or as needed
5 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons arrowroot flour
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups almond milk
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
12 ounces kale, torn into small pieces
1 onion, quartered and sliced
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
5 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease an 11x13-inch glass baking dish baking with olive oil.
2 Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook until bubbling and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir arrowroot flour into the butter until completely moistened; season with 1 teaspoon marjoram, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.
3 Pour almond milk over the arrowroot mixture, whisking continually to integrate. Bring mixture to a boil, stir ricotta cheese into the mixture until smooth, and immediately remove saucepan from heat.
4 Pour about 1/3 of the ricotta mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Layer about half the butternut squash, kale, and onion atop the sauce, respectively; top with about 1/2 of the ricotta mixture. Layer remaining squash, kale, and onion over the second layer of ricotta mixture and then cover with remaining ricotta mixture. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
5 Bake in preheated oven until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard aluminum foil.
6 Mash the almond meal, nutritional yeast, 5 tablespoons butter, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon marjoram, thyme, and sea salt together with a fork or pastry cutter; spread in a layer atop the gratin.
7 Continue baking until the gratin is bubbling and the topping is browned, 5 to 10 minutes.