I love greens of all kinds, and kale is no exception. I’ll eat kale raw in salads or green smoothies, and I often add it to soups too, but until now I haven’t been a huge fan of cooked kale as a side dish.
This delicious low carb creamed kale recipe was a game changer for me – and I hope it will be for you too!
Now full disclosure, kale isn’t always my first choice for greens because it’s surprisingly high in carbs for a leafy veggie.
It was definitely worth the splurge in this recipe though, and it can’t be argued that kale is one of the healthiest greens around, so you definitely don’t have to feel bad about it.
That being said, if you’d prefer to spend your carbs on cookies rather than kale, you can definitely make this recipe with collard greens, chard, or even spinach – though you’ll have to adjust the cooking times accordingly for each.
Whatever greens you choose to use, there are several elements to this recipe that make it so great.
The creamy sauce of mascarpone and parmesan cheese is almost alfredo-like but also has a hint of nutmeg which adds another level of complexity.
It goes so very perfectly with the flavor of the kale (or any green) and hides in silky pockets among the nooks and crannies.
The creamed kale is delicious on its own but when you add the crunchy topping of salty bacon and earthy walnuts to it…just WOW.
A fantastic blend of flavors and textures, this low carb creamed kale recipe will be the hit of any meal, but goes especially great with the baked ham recipe I posted the other day!
I’m always happy to get your feedback on my recipes but I’m especially excited to hear what you guys think of this one – I know you’re going to be surprised at how good it really is!
Now go buy some kale and report back ASAP!!!!
Low Carb Creamed Kale with Bacon and Walnuts
- Yield: Ten 1/2 cup servings 1x
Description
This easy low carb creamed kale is a delicious way to get your healthy greens in! Your family and friends will love it!
Ingredients
- 4 slices raw bacon, chopped
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 10 cups raw kale, chopped
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large saute pan until golden but not quite crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside for the topping.
- Add the butter and garlic to the bacon grease in the pan and cook for about 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the almond milk and nutmeg and stir well.
- Pile the kale into the pan, it’s ok if it’s heaped up, just let it cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until completely wilted.
- Stir in the mascarpone and parmesan cheese until well blended.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a greased casserole dish.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven for about 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and top with the bacon and walnuts. Put back in the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Approx nutrition info per 1/2 cup: 200 calories, 16g fat, 6g net carbs, 6g protein
- Category: Low Carb Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
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Alex says
Can you use frozen kale for this recipe?
Cindy says
I never thought I would overeat on kale…. until I made this recipe. Seriously, good stuff.
Jarrod says
Love, love, love this recipe. I made it a few days ago and have had it as a leftover both days and it gets better each day. I had no mascarpone, so I used goat cheese and had no walnuts. I can’t get enough of this. It is amazing. My wife loves it just as much. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Regina says
Made this for brunch….used cream cheese because that’s what I had here. After 15 minutes I took it out of the oven, made wells and cracked an egg in each. Then back in the oven and finished as instructed. It worked, tho I will play with the timing on the eggs a bit.
Bel says
Tastes awesome!! I have also used it with silverbeet and it worked a treat.
Judy says
I made a single version of this and LOVE IT!! Now I´ll have to make the full version for me and my husband. Thanks (btw, I used cream cheese instead of mascarpone)
Jessica Furubotten says
What were the measurements for a single serving? I am doing keto but my husband is not and I don’t want 5 days of eating the same thing LOL
robyn says
I was hesitant to make this because I thought it would be like creamed spinach but it was so amazing. it tasteS so perfect and so fancy. Thanks for the recipe. I’ve never commented before. But I can’t get enough of this one
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Robyn! I love this recipe but it never got super popular on the blog for some reason – happy to hear that people are still finding and making it!
Gayle says
I don’t review recipes too often but this one demands that I do! I adore it as does my family (especially the men!). I add onions and a little garlic and I love the nutmeg accent. Once I added water chestnuts for extra crunch and another time I added chopped artichoke hearts. Yum!!!
Tonya A Savino says
Absolutely delicious. Substituted cream cheese, always have it on hand. My family couldn’t get enough.
Kandee Bahr Worley says
Absolutely to die for. I just can’t get enough. And the husband who doesn’t like kale? Well he got seconds.
Lisa says
Fresh out of mascarpone. Going to try creamed cheese instead.
Kelley says
What would be a good substitute for the unsweetened almond milk? we dont drink it, and it doesnt come in small containers :(.
Jamie says
Can you use frozen kale instead of fresh?ifso, how much frozen kale should I use?
Thanks!!
Jarrod says
I used frozen and it came out great for me.
yesenia says
I made this today with substitutions since I didn’t have mascarpone or parmesan. I used ricotta and shredded mozzarella instead. But let me tell you…if you want to incorporate kale but are not keen on its texture or robust flavor, this is the recipe that makes it delectable. Not at all like creamed spinach which is mushy. This creamed kale has great texture and flavor. I’ve shared with family though I hesitated because it’s so good, and I am taking bites as I type this.
Judith says
I’m not sure where you draw your net carb line in the sand but according to USDA, 1/2 cup cooked curly kale ( scotch type) has 2.63 net carbs and flat leaf kale has 2.86 net carbs per half cup which I wouldn’t consider to be high net carbs. Mustard has almost zero, collards have 2.0 net carbs while most varieties of spinach have < 2 net carb to <1. I us scotch kale specifically for its extremely high lutein + zeaxanthin for my husbands AMD which has doubled the thickness of his macula in 2 months and reduced his internal eye pressure so he no longer requires a shot to do so. When I add the kale to a smoothie for us, I also add psyllium powder and that helps to reduce the net carbs even more. Just a different opinion for a 1/2 c serving of cooked kale. But kale and bacon, pure ambrosia of the gods.
kristen says
As soon as I saw this headline in my inbox, I said ‘YES! I am going to make then have me some of that. Thanks so much for the ongoing wonderfulness of your recipes. I’ve been making a ton of them lately. And they are delicious.
Alie says
This looks great!
I’m always amazed by how high carb kale is. I still eat it, but it’s always interesting to compare it to other greens. I’d really like to try this with mustard greens, which come in at 1.5 net carbs per 100g. They’re my favorite green, but I can only get them in the winter.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I love mustard greens too and think they would taste amazing in this dish Alie – they are harder to find depending on where you live so I didn’t list them but it was my first thought as a great sub – the swiss chard would be my second favorite I think!