Butternut Squash Gratin with Sage Pesto & Gorgonzola

5 from 1 vote
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This week, #SundaySupper is Squashing Winter with recipes featuring all of our favorite winter squash. I suppose I could have gone out of the box with kabocha or canary hubbard or delicate, but I chose to stay with a basic that is one of my favorites and then to reinvent a tried and try recipe that is also one of my favorite, hopefully bringing new life to both staples with this Butternut Squash Gratin with Sage Pesto & Gorgonzola.

Butternut Squash Gratin with Sage Pesto & Gorgonzola | cupcakesandkalechips.com | #sidedish #glutenfree #vegetarian

I told you a little while ago about how I have a million cookbooks and never cook anything out of them. Well guess what – this recipe is from a cookbook! Or the original version is from a cookbook, but naturally I had to change it up a bit. I have made the Butternut Squash Gratin with Pesto from Giada’s Family Dinners many times, and I LOVE it. Honestly, I am not sure what possessed me to make it. In my opinion, the combination of flavors sounds totally bizarre – basil pesto and parmesan with butternut squash?! Weird! But it works ridiculously well.

So naturally I had to go and make it completely different…

#foodbloggerproblems

Butternut Squash Gratin with Sage Pesto & Gorgonzola | cupcakesandkalechips.com | #sidedish #glutenfree #vegetarian

Sage is the herb that most evokes the essence of autumn and winter for me, and it pairs so perfectly with butternut squash, with it earthy herbaceous flavor as a perfect counterpoint to the natural sweetness of the squash. Then you get the pungent bite of gorgonzola. I love Giada’s original version, but I may love this one more! The Hubby loved it, too, and The Bug devoured it both the night I first made it, and a couple nights later when we polished off the leftovers!

Butternut Squash Gratin with Sage Pesto & Gorgonzola | cupcakesandkalechips.com | #sidedish #glutenfree #vegetarian

The chill is definitely in the air now, just the season for all of these lovely winter squash, but we actually enjoyed Butternut Squash Gratin with Sage Pesto & Gorgonzola on one of the warmer days we’ve had in the past few weeks, so I sent The Hubby outside to grill some flank steak. However, this would also be a lovely side dish to a roast chicken, slow cooked pork tenderloin, or maybe even if you are looking to modernize your Thanksgiving menu.

Butternut Squash Gratin with Sage Pesto & Gorgonzola | cupcakesandkalechips.com | #sidedish #glutenfree #vegetarian

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

And make sure you check out the entire menu for Squashing Winter at the bottom of this post!

Butternut Squash Gratin with Sage Pesto & Gorgonzola | cupcakesandkalechips.com | #sidedish #glutenfree #vegetarian

What is your favorite winter squash?

5 from 1 vote

Butternut Squash Gratin with Sage Pesto & Gorgonzola

Smooth, creamy butternut squash puree layered with sage pesto and gorgonzola is the perfect bold and unique combination of fall and winter flavors. This cheesy Butternut Squash Gratin is one of my favorite veggie side dishes!
Prep: 45 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the gratin:

  • 3 pounds butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cut into large chunks
  • kosher salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup sage pesto
  • 4 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese

For the sage pesto (makes about 1/2 c):

  • 1 cup packed fresh sage leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

For the gratin:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F, and coat an 8-inch baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
  • In a large pot with a steamer insert, bring a couple of inches of water to a boil, add the squash to the steamer rack, and steam about 20 minutes, until very tender.
  • Transfer squash to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Spread half of the squash in the prepared dish. Top with half of the pesto, dropped in small dollops then carefully spread over the squash. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the pesto.
  • Repeat the layers.
  • Bake for about 40 minutes, or until heated through and browning around the edges.

For the sage pesto (makes about 1/2 c):

  • In a blender of food processor, combine all of the ingredients except the cheese and puree until smooth.
  • Stir in the cheese, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

The sage pesto make about 1/2 c. You only need 1/4 c for this recipe, so use the rest on a pizza or some pasta.
Nutrition Facts
Butternut Squash Gratin with Sage Pesto & Gorgonzola
Amount Per Serving
Calories 316 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 6g30%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 11g
Cholesterol 17mg6%
Sodium 390mg16%
Potassium 875mg25%
Carbohydrates 28g9%
Fiber 5g20%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 24286IU486%
Vitamin C 48mg58%
Calcium 276mg28%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Categories:

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Gratin with Sage Pesto & Gorgonzola | cupcakesandkalechips.com | #sidedish #glutenfree #vegetarian

Do you love butternut squash as much as I do? Then check out these recipes…

Butternut-Squash-Soup-with-Sage-and-Thyme-1-title-wm.jpgRoasted-Butternut-Squash-Pomegranate-Quinoa-2-title-wm.jpgBrowned-Butter-Whipped-Butternut-Squash-Cupcakes-Kale-Chips-2013-2-title-wm.jpg

Plus an entire menu of Winter Squash goodness from the #SundaySupper team:
Breakfasts and Breads

Appetizers, Starters, and Condiments

Soups, Sandwiches, and Salads

Main Dishes

Side Dishes

Desserts

Wine Pairing Recommendations for Squashin’ Winter #SundaySupper from Enofylz Wine Blog

54 Comments
  1. Katie

    I am so with you – I have a few shelves filled with cookbooks – I read them and mark good recipes when I get them, but do I ever make anything from them? Nope. What is wrong with this picture????

  2. Sunithi

    That looks really good ! love all the flavors going on! Also love the way you neatly displayed it in layers. I would have just smushed it up!

  3. I have lots of cookbooks too and seem to always go for the same ones. I need to start going through the others and finding gems. And speaking of gems, I love the gorgonzola and pesto on top of the butternut squash.

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