Hearty Veggie Bake

You might as well call this a garden bake because Hearty Veggie Bake is packed with all sorts of fresh sprouts! Your plate will be ladened with a harvest of freshly picked veggies, a creamy cheese sauce, and a crispy breadcrumb topping. So, whether it be at your local farmers market or your very own patch, get to pickin’! There are good things waiting to flourish with this Heary Veggie Bake!

Ingredients

For the bake:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1 (8-ounce) package fresh cremini mushrooms, stemmed and halved
• 5 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more, to taste
• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups fresh kale, collards, or mustard greens, chopped
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1 (14-ounce) can butter beans, drained and rinsed

For the cheese sauce:

• 1/3 cup dry vermouth
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups pepper jack cheese

For the panko topping:

• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Step 2 -Grease two jelly roll pans and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Step 3 -In a medium bowl, add the cauliflower, the mushrooms, 2 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper and toss to combine.

Step 4 -Spread the seasoned cauliflower in a single layer on one of the prepared jelly roll pans.

Step 5 -In a second medium bowl, add the sweet potatoes, 2 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the remaining cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper and toss to combine.

Step 6 -Spread the seasoned sweet potatoes in a single layer on the remaining prepared jelly roll pan.

Step 7 -Bake the seasoned sweet potatoes and the seasoned cauliflower, turning once, until they are browned and just tender, about 10-12 minutes.

Step 8 -Transfer the jelly roll pans to a wire rack and let the roasted sweet potatoes and the roasted cauliflower cool, about 10 minutes.

Step 9 -Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Step 10 -In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.

Step 11 -Add 2 cloves of the garlic to the heated oil and cook, stirring often, about 1 minute.

Step 12 -Add the kale to the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is tender.

Step 13 -Add the extra salt and the extra pepper to the kale, then stir in the red wine vinegar.

Step 14 -In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the vermouth and the remaining minced garlic and bring to a boil.

Step 15 -Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the vermouth-garlic mixture until it has reduced to about 1 tablespoon, about 7-10 minutes.

Step 16 -In a small bowl, whisk the half-and-half and the cornstarch together.

Step 17 -Whisk the slurry mixture, the remaining 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper into the vermouth-garlic mixture and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly.

Step 18 -Boil the sauce mixture, whisking constantly, until it has thickened, about 1 minute.

Step 19 -Add the cheese to the sauce and reduce the heat to low.

Step 20 -Simmer the sauce, whisking constantly, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.

Step 21 -Transfer the skillet from the heat.

Step 22 -Layer 1/2 of the roasted sweet potatoes, 1/2 of the roasted cauliflower, 1/2 of the butter beans, 1/2 of the kale, and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese sauce in the prepared baking dish. Repeat the layers once.

Step 23 -Top the layers with the remaining 1/2 cup of the cheese sauce.

Step 24 -In a small bowl, combine the panko, the cilantro, and the extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle it over the veggie bake.

Step 25 -Bake the veggie bake until it is thoroughly heated, bubbly, and golden-brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Step 26 -Let the veggie bake stand, about 5 minutes.

Step 27 -Serve.