Description
A creamy, savory Thanksgiving side dish featuring roasted butternut squash puree, rich brown butter, and fresh sage, topped with a crispy panko crust.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large butternut squash (3–4 lbs / 1.5–2 kg), peeled and cubed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup fresh sage leaves, packed
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- Freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for roasting squash)
- Optional: 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs tossed with 1 tbsp melted butter
- Optional: 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut squash in half, remove seeds, peel, and cube into 1-inch pieces. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Roast squash on a sheet pan for 45-60 minutes until tender and caramelized. Let cool slightly.
- Puree the roasted squash in a food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Swirl occasionally until it turns amber and smells nutty (about 5-7 minutes). Do not burn.
- Immediately add sage leaves to the brown butter; they will sizzle and crisp in about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, combine squash puree, brown butter with sage, heavy cream, garlic, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Pour in the mixture and spread evenly.
- If using toppings, sprinkle panko breadcrumbs and chopped nuts over the top.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and crispy.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Roasting the squash concentrates flavor and prevents a watery texture. Brown butter goes from perfect to burnt quickly, so watch it closely. This dish can be assembled the night before and refrigerated; let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. It does not freeze well due to the dairy.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 320
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 4
Keywords: butternut squash, sage, brown butter, Thanksgiving side dish, casserole, fall recipes, vegetarian, holiday cooking