By Andrea Kirkland, M.S., RD, EatingWell

This colorful gratin dish livens up any holiday plate. Creamy melted Gruyere is comforting, while a blend of cumin, nutmeg and cayenne pepper lends a warm, spicy note.

Kale-Butternut Squash Gratin

Serves 8

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 cup chopped onion

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 (5-ounce) packages baby kale

3/4 cup whole milk, divided

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 cups very thinly sliced butternut squash (about 1 1/4 pounds)

1 slice stale bread (1 ounce)

1 teaspoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until tender and golden, about 6 minutes. Stir in kale by the handful; cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 5 minutes.

3. Whisk 2 tablespoons milk and flour in a small bowl. Heat the remaining milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until little bubbles form on the surface, about 3 minutes. Whisk the flour mixture into the hot milk; cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in cheese, salt, cumin, nutmeg, and cayenne; cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir the cheese sauce into the kale mixture.

4. Layer half of the squash in the prepared baking dish; top with half of the kale mixture. Repeat with the remaining squash and kale mixture. Cover with foil. Bake the gratin until the squash pierces easily with a fork, 40 to 50 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, place bread in a food processor and process until it forms coarse crumbs. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs; cook, stirring, until toasted, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

6. Sprinkle the gratin with the toasted breadcrumbs and let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Tasty tip: If you don’t have stale bread, bake a slice at 275 F until dry to the touch, 8 to 10 minutes.

Recipe nutrition per serving: 119 Calories, Total Fat: 5 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 11 mg, Carbohydrates: 15 g, Fiber: 4 g, Total Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 6 g, Sodium: 322 mg, Potassium: 423 mg, Iron: 1 mg, Folate: 23 mcg, Calcium: 259 mg, Vitamin A: 8318 IU, Vitamin C: 20 mg.

(EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com.)

©2025 Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.