Gratin’s are usually loaded with butter and cream, this lightened Butternut Squash Gratin is healthier and flavorful, you won’t miss all the cream! A perfect side dish for Turkey or Roasted Chicken.
Butternut Squash Gratin
More gratin recipes I love are classic scallop potato au gratin, spinach gratin, brussels sprouts gratin and Winter veggie gratin.
If you have a butternut squash and your not sure what to do with it, this is a great recipe that really goes well with any protein. If you don’t have butternut but another squash, that should work fine as well.
The quickest and easiest way I found to cut the butternut is with the Inspiralizer . You may have seen me do that on my noodle-less butternut squash lasagna recipe I posted a few weeks ago, it is so much easier than using a knife. If you don’t have one it will take a bit more time and make sure to slice evenly.
More Butternut Squash Recipes you might enjoy:
- Spaghetti with Butternut Leek Parmesan Sauce
- Stuffed Turkey Breasts with Butternut Squash and Figs
- Pasta with Butternut Squash Sauce, Spicy Sausage and Baby Spinach
- Butternut Squash Risotto
- Maple Soy Glazed Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash with Bacon
Butternut Squash Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 pound 1 medium butternut squash, peeled
- ½ cup 2% reduced fat milk
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Cooking spray
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup whole wheat or gluten-free panko
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Slice butternut squash into 1/4-inch thick slices. You can do this with a knife, I did this with my spiralizer which is much easier, click here for directions.
- In a large bowl, combine the milk, garlic, shallot, thyme, ½ of the parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Add the squash and toss to coat. Spray a medium oven-safe casserole dish with cooking spray. Transfer squash mixture to casserole dish and set aside.
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt butter. Add breadcrumbs, remaining parmesan, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Evenly spread breadcrumb mixture over squash, cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and broil 2-3 minutes to brown top (watch carefully because it browns quickly!)
This was absolutely delicious! Our priest came to dinner and he loved it. Not difficult to make. Will be bringing it to Thanksgiving dinner.
am I using the bulb as wells the neck of the squash
Made this last night with a pork loin & a cherry-almond slaw. It was delicious but my Inspirializer would not hold the squash firmly enough to use it. It took forever to slice with a knife- my pork loin was almost done before I even got this in the oven. I was incredibly frustrated. I will use pre-cubed squash it I make it again.
I’ve made this 3 times already, and brought it to 2 family dinners and everyone loved it. Cutting the squash is a pain but well worth it. Also good with dried thyme.
Wonderful way to make butternut. I even went with preseason ed panko so skipped the butter and cheese in the topping. I used asiago laughing cow wedges (2) to mix into the milk, shallots and herbs. I love any winter squash and am glad I tried this one. Would be a nice one to take to a potluck too. I did use the spiral cutter and it worked out just fine. I think adding blanched kale chopped might be good in this too. Had this with your dijon lime chicken legs and a kale salad also from the web site.
This recipe was perfect with a pork loin.
My guests had 2nds
It was good, we liked it and it was easy to make!
This was DELICIOUS!!! Everyone in my family gobbled this up, even the ones who don’t normally love squash. Thanks for this!!!
I made this tonight as a side for dinner. It was relatively easy and so delicious! My only recommendation would be to use a shallow casserole dish. I used a medium one that was deep and it took over and hour and half to cook. An absolute keeper!
Absolutely loved this recipe!
This recipe is excellent! I have made it three times in three weeks (when it hit Facebook ?), once with company. Raves all around! A true winner!
Easy to make, tasts good and can be reheated.
I have the Butternut Squash Gratin recipe from 2011 and it seems to have changed some. Previously, I have 3/4 inch cut squash and 2 tbsp. mayo, no thyme, sweet onion instead of shallots and no garlic. Did you change the recipe or have I mistaken where I got my original recipe? Thx!
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was wonderful! Definitely making this for Thanksgiving. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Can I make this the day before (minus breaded topping until I go to cook)?
I made this again last night but used light coconut milk instead of milk, and I cooked ground turkey with fresh thyme and garlic/salt/pepper and kind of made it like an au gratin / lasagna! I layered the squash with the meat and it was really good!
Sounds good!
This was delicious!!!!!
Can I use cubed frozen butternut squash with a similar result? I am trying your recipe in two days. Thank you.
Yes.
Hi Gina! This is Vera, from Lisbon, in Portugal.:) This recipe was on my to-do list since you published and tonight I finally managed to try it. It was very nice and mild-flavoured, so everyone seemed to like it. Thanks for all your good (and healthy!!) ideas! 🙂 🙂
Thanks Vera!
Made this dish for Thanksgiving. I’ll be making this again… for sure! ‘I used a combination of park and adiago cheeses.fantastic
That was parmigiana and adiago
I bought the frozen cubed butternut squash to use. Should I go ahead and cook it then make the casserole? Thanks!
You can use it uncooked and increase the bake time.
Thank you! How long do you think to increase to? I am making your no bake cheesecake for tomorrow too!
Great! Hard to say as I didn’t test it this way, I would use a fork to test the squash to be sure it’s tender
Love! Love! Butternut squash gratin…making this for thanksgiving… Never knew I liked butternut squash till I got the recipe to roast them…now I can’t wait to try butternut squash lasagne roll ups.
It was bland for us – not much flavor at all My husband doesn’t want to fix it again but I like that it’s a veggie that’s good for us and easy to make. I would love to fix it again if we could add something to give it more flavor. Any ideas? I was thinking about adding onions or cheese with the butternut squash, but what other veggies and SEASONINGS could I throw in to kick up the flavor? I would even be willing to throw in some Ranch dressing dry mix if you think that would help. I’m a new cook so I’m really not sure where to start. Please give me some ideas. It’s really not bad as it is, but my husband needs some flavor in his food to eat it. (I don’t love it enough “as is” to fix it for myself, but it’s a GREAT base recipe.. Please help.
Hi – this looks amazing! Can you bake it the day before and reheat on Thanksgiving?
Great question! I was wondering the same since I’m only blessed with on oven m and the turkey will be in it, lol.
It would be best to prep it the day before but I would bake it the day of. 🙂
Do you think you could steam the squash and assemble when it cools? I only have one oven and won’t have 45 minutes to cook the casserole.
I loved this recipe! Will be doubling it and serving it for thanksgiving this year. Another winner Gina, thank you!
Thanks, glad you like it!
HiGina
i have used Rice chex cereal for a parmesan for GF. cant find panko GF,, would this work ok?
and should i just coarsely grind it?
tnx
this looks yummy
Just made this tonight, followed recipe exactly and it was DELICIOUS!!! I will be making this again and again and again!!! Thanks Gina for another homerun!!!!
You’re welcome!
Didn’t see an answer to whether the pre cut cubed butternut squash would work, thanks
I made this the other night and could not stop eating it!!! I could have eaten the entire casserole dish!
Great recipe I know I’ll be making all fall!
🙂
I was a little scared to try this recipe because I don’t have a spiralizer and I’m new to the whole butternut squash scene–but I’m so glad that I did. This is one of those recipes that’s better than any of its parts individually. The panko gave a crunchy contrast to the cooked squash, and the parmesan and shallot gave it an incredible savory flavor. Who says being healthy has to be bland?!
Angela–great idea. I’m totally making this for my family for Thanksgiving this year.
Gina, this was fabulous. I made it last night and my new husband and I enjoyed it very much. I wanted to taste this ourselves first before adding it our menu for Thanksgiving dinner next month. It made the cut!!! I also enjoyed meeting you at your book signing this past Sunday at Stew Leonards. Happy Cooking!
Making this RIGHT now!
We’re lactose intolerant. Some times I can handle parmesan, but, is there there anything you could use in place of it? I”d also use unsweetened almond milk.
Thanks!
Perhaps that would work fine but I haven’t tested so don’t want to steer you wrong.
Can I use cubed butternut squash?
I made this last night, and it was so good!! I used dried thyme because Sprouts didn’t have any fresh, and I used half an onion chopped instead of shallots and dried garlic instead of fresh (only because of what I had on hand). It seriously tasted like thanksgiving stuffing!! it rivals a scalloped potato dish I make that has heavy cream and gruyere. THAT good! Thanks for another great recipe!
Great!!
This was so delicious! I used unsweetened almond milk. It tastes exactly like the butternut squash casserole my grandmother would make for thanksgiving but without all the mayo, sour cream, butter, etc. Amazing!!
Great!
I made this tonight for a family meal and everyone loved it. Served it with skinnytaste turkey meatloaf and blue mashed potatoes. Made for a very colorful, healthy dinner. Absolutely love all your recipes, I have yet to make one that we didn’t enjoy. Had the tortellini mushroom soup last night for dinner (and again for lunch today). My only problem is choosing which recipe I want to try next. Again thank you!
Thank you so much Carol!
Is this freezable – perhaps at the before baking stage?
Should be ok, without the topping.
I’ve found butternut squash to get quite waterlogged when frozen. At least that’s when I’ve tried to thaw it and then cook. I’d say freeze, top and cook from frozen so your resulting gratin isn’t too squishy. Squashy, yes. Squishy, no! 🙂
What size casserole dish did you use? Can you make in a round one? What would be the baking time difference?
Would this recipe work with sweet potatoes? Trying to come up with a sweet potato dish for Thanksgiving that would be a low Smartpoint alternative to candied sweet potatoes.
Such a good idea! I bet it would. You should test run it!
Sure.
“Gratin’s”? Seriously?
Come on, Karen. That’s very rude. I’m very thankful for Gina’s recipes even if she makes a type every once in a while. Life is too short to tear people down.
Well said Amy.
Yuck, Karen. Just yuck.
It’s easy to forgive typos when the recipes are so good!
I’m roasting a chicken this weekend and didn’t know what side I wanted to make until I saw this post, what perfect timing! Thanks!
The number of servings seems to be missing.
6 servings.
Would a nondairy milk work for this recipe?
I wonder if defrosted frozen pureed butternut squash work as well?
Often a tad difficult for us Brits to understand the ingredients!! What is panko?
Japanese style bread crumbs. They have a coarser texture than regular breadcrumbs and will create more of a crunchy effect!
Panko is Japanese-style breadcrumbs.
You can buy them through Amazon UK. I’m in a wee village in Scotland…that’s how I get them. ?
This looks wonderful! I am adding this to the menu on Thanksgiving.
Can u use kabucha squash instead?
You can, but it would take longer.
These look delicious, but how are these gluten free with whole wheat panko breadcrumbs?
There are GF panko breadcrumbs available.
Do you think unsweetened almond milk would be good in this?
Or some other type of non-dairy milk such as unsweetened soy, rice or coconut milk?
I found this on the internet: Baking. Almond milk can be used in cakes, breads, muffins and other baked goods. Replacing dairy with almond milk is easy because there is no need to adjust the quantity. Simply replace the amount of cow’s milk the recipe calls for with an equal amount of almond milk.
I used unsweetened almond milk last night and it was great.
Wonder about coconut milk instead of Almond. I can’t get used to the taste of almond milk lol
Is this really gluten free with the whole wheat panko breadcrumbs?
There are GF panko breadcrumbs available.
where do you find GF breadcrumbs? I am looking for some!+
Ian’s brand makes gluten free Panko crumbs made with rice flour. It has a nice crunchy texture. I have found it at health food stores like Sprouts and Mother’s Market in Southern California
Could this be made with the pre-cut Butternut Squash cubes I just found at Costco? Would the cooking time need to be adjusted?
I would LOVE to know the answer to this question! I’m thinking of this for Christmas dinner and any shortcut is appreciated.
If you can’t find GF breadcrumbs at your local supermarket, check Amazon.
I would just take the pre cut cubes and put through slicer in cuisinart. Still saves a ton of time having it precut.