• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Healthy Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe

Easy Cheesy Vegetarian

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Healthy Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Vegetarian Side Dishes

    Dec 14, 2020 · Modified: Apr 6, 2021 by Becca Heyes · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Creamed Kalettes

    • Share
    • Tweet
    Total time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    5 from 1 vote
    Jump to Recipe Rate this Recipe

    These luxurious creamed kalettes are the perfect side dish for your Christmas dinner or Sunday roast - made with a Brussels sprout + kale hybrid!

    A pan of creamed kalettes with a wooden spoon.

    This is an advertisement. Find out more here.

    Have you ever tried kalettes? Or even heard of them?! They're a hybrid of Brussels sprouts and kale, and they're fab - little frilly sprouts that can be used in all sorts of ways. Since it's the time of year when everything is topped with a healthy splash of cream, here are my creamed kalettes, with mushrooms and caramelised onions.

    A bowlful of creamed kalettes with caramelised onions.

    What are kalettes?

    Kalettes are a fairly new vegetable, created by cross-breeding kale and Brussels sprouts. The end result, as you might expect, is a mixture of the two vegetables.

    Kalettes have been available in the UK since 2010, but only for a few months each year - they're available from now until the end of February in Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, M&S and Co-op. 

    Kalettes on a chopping board with some cut in half.

    What do kalettes look like?

    Kalettes come in little balls, just like Brussels, but with the frilly leaves of kale. They actually look rather beautiful, with deep green leaves, and vibrant purple stems.

    They vary a lot in size - some of them are barely bigger than my thumbnail, whereas others are a good few inches across.

    I cut any particularly big kalettes in half, but I actually really love a bit of variation in my veggies, as it gives a bit more texture to the finished dish - the smaller kalettes cook more quickly, whereas the bigger ones still have a bit of bite.

    Collage showing the different sizes of kalettes.

    What do kalettes taste like?

    Kalettes taste pretty much how you'd expect them to - a combination of sprouts and kale! They have a more subtle flavour than regular sprouts, but with a little more of the irony richness you get in kale.

    Since the flavour of green veg isn't usually super strong, I always like to add some tasty extras to my kalettes / sprouts / kale / any other similar veg. Some garlic and a splash of cream goes a long way to transforming a simple green vegetable into something really irresistible.

    Creamed kalettes in a frying pan with a wooden spoon.

    How to cook kalettes

    If you boil your kalettes to oblivion, just like overcooked sprouts, they won't be particularly enjoyable. But if you roast or sauté them, they're much tastier, and keep a bit of texture too.

    Here, I sautéed them in a pan, along with some mushrooms, onions and plenty of garlic. This softens the kalettes, but they don't end up at all mushy, so they're much more enjoyable than when they're boiled.

    Sauteed kalettes, onions and mushrooms in a frying pan.

    Creamed kalettes

    To make your kalettes extra irresistible (the perfect festive side dish?!), add a good slosh of cream, and some grated parmesan (well, a vegetarian version, of course).

    If anyone in your family is a green veg hater, try serving them coated in a cheesy cream sauce, and see if that helps... How could it not?!

    Creamed kalettes in a frying pan with a crispy, cheesy topping.

    Cheesy topping

    The pièce de résistance is to add a nice crispy cheesy topping to your creamed kalettes. Because when has crispy cheese ever not improved a dish?!

    Just sprinkle a little more parmesan over the top of your creamy vegetables, and pop the whole thing under the grill (broiler) for a few minutes.

    Perfect served as a side dish for your Christmas dinner, Sunday roast, or any other meal that you want to feel a bit special!

    Creamed kalettes being scooped with a wooden spoon.

    What if I can't find kalettes?

    Kalettes are readily available in the UK all through the winter, but if you'd like to cook this recipe at any other time, it's really easy to adapt.

    You could swap the kalettes for standard Brussels sprouts or kale, or any other green veg - cabbage, spinach, broccoli, green beans... whatever you can get your hands on.

    A mixture of all of the above would be amazing too!

    Creamed kalettes in a bowl.

    Creamed Kalettes

    These luxurious creamed kalettes are the perfect side dish for your Christmas dinner or Sunday roast - made with a Brussels sprout + kale hybrid!

    If you've cooked this recipe, don't forget to leave a star rating!

    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Comment
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 185kcal
    Author: Becca Heyes
    (prevents your screen from going dark)

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon oil
    • 1 onion, thinly sliced
    • 210 g (~ 7 ½ oz) kalettes (or other green veg) (halve any large kalettes)
    • 5 medium mushrooms, sliced
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 150 ml (~ ⅔ cup) single cream
    • 100 ml (~ ½ cup) vegetable stock
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 60 g vegetarian parmesan-style cheese, finely grated (~ ½ cup when grated)

    Instructions

    • Heat a dash of oil in a large frying pan, and add the sliced onion. If you're in a rush, just cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft. Or, if you've got time to spare and you'd prefer your onion to caramelise further, keep the heat very low, and allow it to cook slowly until it's a deep golden brown - depending on how hot you have the pan, it could take a full hour.
    • When the onion is soft, add the kalettes, mushrooms and garlic. Cook over a medium heat for another 10 minutes or so, until the vegetables are all fairly soft.
    • Add the cream, vegetable stock, thyme, pepper, nutmeg, and about half of the grated cheese. Mix thoroughly - as the cheese melts into the liquid, it should give a smooth, glossy sauce. Simmer gently until the vegetables are all cooked to your liking.
    • Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and put the pan under a grill (broiler) set to a medium heat for a few minutes, until crispy and golden brown.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 portion - Calories: 185 kcal - Carbohydrates: 12 g - Protein: 9.9 g - Fat: 11.8 g - Saturated Fat: 5.3 g - Cholesterol: 25 mg - Sodium: 189 mg - Potassium: 425 mg - Fiber: 4.1 g - Sugar: 2.3 g - Calcium: 282 mg - Iron: 3 mg

    Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @EasyCheesyVeg or tag #EasyCheesyVegetarian!

    Love adding a bit of luxury to your vegetables? This creamy vegetable bake is another one you might enjoy!

    More Vegetarian Side Dishes

    • Roasted frozen green beans with feta and lemon.
      Roasted Frozen Green Beans (with Feta and Lemon)
    • Bowl of tarka dal topped with fresh cilatro.
      Easy Tarka Dal (Vegan Red Lentil Curry)
    • A hand scooping creamy cowboy caviar with a tortilla chip.
      Creamy Cowboy Caviar (with Avocado Dressing)
    • Easy Homemade Parmentier Potatoes
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Becca! I've been a vegetarian for 20+ years, and unlike most of my other childhood pursuits, I actually stuck with it! I love cooking vegetarian food that's full of flavour, but doesn't take a lot of effort to make.

    More about me →

    As Featured In

    Healthy Recipes

    • Creamy spinach dip in a bowl.
      Cold Spinach Dip (with Greek Yogurt)
    • Mushroom stroganoff in a bowl with rice and parsley.
      Slow Cooker Mushroom Stroganoff
    • Mediterranean scrambled eggs.
      Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs with Feta
    • Creamy mushrooms on toast, topped with fresh chives.
      Creamy Mushrooms On Toast
    • Creamy Three Bean Stew
    • Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Casserole
    • A hand squeezing lemon juice over some roasted chickpeas and salad.
      10 Minute Lemon and Black Pepper Chickpeas
    • A portion of vegetarian shepherd's pie on a plate served with fresh arugula.
      Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

    Most Popular

    • A bowlful of rich mushroom bourguignon stew served over mashed potato.
      Mushroom Bourguignon
    • A serving bowl full of crispy roast potatoes.
      How to Make Perfect Roast Potatoes
    • Crispy fried halloumi in a frying pan.
      How to Cook Halloumi Perfectly
    • How To Fry Gnocchi (and why you should want to!)
    • How to Make a Perfect Baked Potato
    • Mexican Bean and Potato Bake
    • A creamy vegetable bake in a baking dish, with a scoop removed.
      Creamy Vegetable Bake
    • 15 Minute Mushroom Stroganoff

    Hi, I'm Becca! I've been a vegetarian for 20+ years, and unlike most of my other childhood pursuits, I actually stuck with it! I love cooking vegetarian food that's full of flavour, but doesn't take a lot of effort to make.

    More about me →

    As Featured In

    Healthy Recipes

    • 15 Minute Peanut and Sesame Noodles
    • 15 Minute Creamy Pasta Primavera
    • Roasted Vegetable Fattoush
    • Veggie-Packed Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
    • Sweet Potato Curry
    • Slow Cooker Ratatouille
    • Veggie Burrito Bowls
    • 20 Minute Vegetable Stroganoff

    Most Popular

    • A bowlful of rich mushroom bourguignon stew served over mashed potato.
      Mushroom Bourguignon
    • A serving bowl full of crispy roast potatoes.
      How to Make Perfect Roast Potatoes
    • Crispy fried halloumi in a frying pan.
      How to Cook Halloumi Perfectly
    • How To Fry Gnocchi (and why you should want to!)
    • How to Make a Perfect Baked Potato
    • Mexican Bean and Potato Bake
    • A creamy vegetable bake in a baking dish, with a scoop removed.
      Creamy Vegetable Bake
    • 15 Minute Mushroom Stroganoff

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    • Subscribe for recipes by email

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Easy Cheesy Vegetarian