Butternut Squash Gratin

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This rich vegetable casserole recipe is made with half-and-half and creme fraiche.

Butternut Squash Gratin
Photo: Kim Cornelison
Prep Time:
40 mins
Bake Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
50 mins
Servings:
8

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ - 2 pound butternut squash

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • Salt and ground black pepper

  • 16 cup fresh spinach

  • 1 cup half-and-half or light cream

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

  • 1 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

  • ½ cup creme fraiche*

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degree F. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish; set aside. Peel the squash. Slice to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove seeds from slices and halve large slices. Arrange slices in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes. Remove. Increase oven temperature to 475 degree F.

  2. Meanwhile in a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven cook the spinach in lightly salted boiling water, half at a time, for 1 minute or until wilted. Drain and cool slightly; squeeze out excess liquid. Coarsely chop the spinach; set aside. In a medium saucepan combine half-and-half and cornstarch; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in spinach; spread mixture in bottom of prepared dish. Arrange squash over spinach mixture.

  3. In a small bowl stir together Parmesan cheese and creme fraiche. Spread mixture over squash in dish. Bake, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes or until squash is tender and topping is lightly browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Tips

To make your own creme fraiche, in small bowl stir together 1/4 cup whipping cream (not ultrapasteurized) and 1/4 cup dairy sour cream. Cover with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature for 2 to 5 hours or until mixture thickens. When thickened, cover and chill in the refrigerator until serving time or up to 48 hours. Stir before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

408 Calories
28g Fat
11g Carbs
29g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 408
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 28g 36%
Saturated Fat 17g 85%
Cholesterol 72mg 24%
Sodium 1297mg 56%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 29g
Vitamin C 16.5mg 83%
Calcium 959.2mg 74%
Iron 5mg 28%
Potassium 608mg 13%
Folate, total 20.2mcg
Vitamin B-12 1.1mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.3mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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