Rosemary Parmesan Butternut Squash Gratin
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A fresh spin on butternut squash gratin—roasted squash, shallot-garlic butter, and crunchy rosemary Parmesan crumbs. Comforting, lighter, and so good.
Also try Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole and Roasted Parsnips with Chive Gremolata.
What you are looking at right here is the official new addition to the Pappa family Thanksgiving. My mom (the head turkey day master) doesn’t know it yet, but this butternut squash is happening this year. In a big way! This will be the ultimate test as to whether or not my Mom reads any of my blog posts ? If she doesn’t… well… surprise! Thanksgiving is about to be lit!
I cannot believe that we are only 10 days away from Thanksgiving, which leaves us with about 7 days to get the menu together. I am here to tell you that this butternut squash gratin is the side dish you have been looking for, trust me.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Perfectly roasted butternut squash coated with a shallot garlic butter and then topped with parmesan rosemary breadcrumbs. Come on! This is some serious deliciousness right here.
What I love most about this perfect side dish is that it isn’t cloyingly sweet or mushy. I love Thanksgiving, I really truly do. The stuffing and mashed potato and cranberry sauce, OMG seriously one of my favorite meals ever. The challenge, however, is that most side dishes for turkey day are either sweet or mushy or both sweet and mushy (hey there marshmallow sweet potato madness, you know what I’m talking about!). I feel like the meal needs something with texture and more savory goodness.
Enter rosemary parmesan butternut squash gratin. This is it. Look no further. The earthy rosemary is designed to compliment all of the Thanksgiving flavors and the crunchy parmesan breadcrumbs provide the texture you are after.
Ingredients
- medium butternut squash
- olive oil
- butter
- shallot
- garlic
- panko breadcrumbs (or GF breadcrumbs)
- grated parmesan cheese
- chopped fresh rosemary
- sea salt and pepper
A few simple ingredients, a recipe that doesn’t have to be perfectly followed (more cheese, sure. Less rosemary, if you want), and an end product that will please a crowd.
How to Make
STEP 1: Preheat oven to 350°, prepare a baking dish by coating lightly with olive oil. (I used a 8.5×8.5″ square baking dish)
STEP 2: Peel the butternut squash, and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds, and cut into 1/2″ thick “half moon” slices. Arrange squash in the baking dish in an overlapping fashion.
STEP 3: In a skillet over medium heat warm 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil. Add shallot and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes or until shallot is translucent and garlic is fragrant. Being careful not to burn garlic. Remove from heat and set aside.
STEP 4: In a small bowl combine breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, and chopped fresh rosemary, spoon 3 tbsp of reserved shallot butter mixture into the breadcrumb mixture and stir until well combined. Set aside.
STEP 5: Pour the remaining shallot garlic butter over the butternut squash, lifting squash slices to coat all squash with mixture. Season squash with salt and pepper.
STEP 6: Next take the reserved breadcrumb mixture and sprinkle over the butternut squash.
STEP 7: Bake uncovered for 55 minutes or until squash is tender and breadcrumbs are browned and crisp.
STEP 8: Serve immediately with a sprinkle of additional fresh rosemary on top.
Make Ahead
You can easily double or triple this recipe (we have 35+ people for turkey day so I would in fact triple this), and if you don’t feel like slicing the squash you could easily use pre-cut squash. If using pre-cut the dish will look more like a casserole than a pretty layered gratin, but time-saving may just trump style.
More tasty dishes:
Butternut Squash Stuffing
Maple Butter Roasted Butterkin Squash
Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan
For more tasty dishes, check out my Thanksgiving recipes, healthy Christmas recipes, fall recipes, Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Side Dishes and November recipes roundups!
I hope your whole family loves this healthy, yummy, perfectly fall, ideal Thanksgiving side dish.
Thanks for reading Abra’s Kitchen! If you make this recipe tag #abraskitchen on Instagram 🙂
Rosemary Parmesan Butternut Squash Gratin
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup shallot, chopped (1 medium shallot)
- 1/4 cup garlic, chopped (5 cloves)
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (or GF breadcrumbs)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (plus more for garnish)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°, prepare a baking dish by coating lightly with olive oil. (I used a 8.5×8.5″ square baking dish)
- Peel the butternut squash, and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds, and cut into 1/2" thick "half moon" slices. Arrange squash in the baking dish in an overlapping fashion
- In a skillet over medium heat warm 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil. Add shallot and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes or until shallot is translucent and garlic is fragrant. Being careful not to burn garlic. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a small bowl combine breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, and chopped fresh rosemary, spoon 3 tbsp of reserved shallot butter mixture into the breadcrumb mixture and stir until well combined. Set aside.
- Pour the remaining shallot garlic butter over the butternut squash, lifting squash slices to coat all squash with mixture. Season squash with salt and pepper
- Next take the reserved breadcrumb mixture and sprinkle over the butternut squash.
- Bake uncovered for 55 minutes or until squash is tender and breadcrumbs are browned and crisp
- Serve immediately with a sprinkle of additional fresh rosemary on top
Notes
- If breadcrumbs don’t brown, finish the dish in the broiler for 2-3 minutes to achieve a toasty breadcrumb top.
- In a pinch substitute finely chopped onion for the shallot
Nutrition
Meet Abra Pappa, MS, CNS, LDN
Abra is a licensed nutritionist, seasoned home cook, and forever flavor-chaser. She’s spent more than two decades exploring the connection between food and health—and just as long obsessing over what makes something truly delicious. Abra’s Kitchen is where those two loves meet, with recipes that celebrate vegetables, follow the seasons, and make you excited to cook.
I made this with gluten free breadcrumbs and so yum! The squash got soft before breadcrumbs got crispy, so I did as you said increasing the temperature every 5 minutes, and that seemed to do the trick!
I will be making this at same time as roasting brussel sprouts at 425 degrees. What would the cook time be at this temperature? Would it be better to add the breadcrumb mixture a little later so it doesn’t burn? Can’t wait to try this!!
hmm… I would add the breadcrumb mixture at the very end so it doesn’t burn and I would say it should be done in around 35-40 minutes at 425°, but I can’t say for sure. I would just pierce the squash with a knife and when it is super tender it is done. Then add the breadcrumbs and bake for another 5 minutes.
Can this be made ahead of time? Do the bread crumbs on top at the last minute?
I’ve never tried making it ahead of time, but it should work. Yes, I would add bread crumbs when you reheat it.
I love how beautifully this butternut is presented. I’m going to make this for Christmas!
Thanks Amelie!
This looks SO delish and I love that I can user Gluten Free breadcrumbs! And all that garlic! YUM!
It’s all about that garlic 🙂
İ like your idea using butter nut squash for gratin.. the great new idea to try
Gratins are so great and I really like having a recipe for a low-calorie one. This is the type of dish everyone would enjoy.
Just a heads up – not sure if it’s intentional or not, but you repeat the paragraph ending with the hashtags four times in your post. It might be a new SEO tactic, but I just thought I’d point it out in case it was a cut and paste error!
Definitely not an SEO tactic! Thanks for pointing this out, but on my end I’m not seeing any repeats? I’ll look into it on different browsers.
Thanks again!
So yummy – this didn’t make it to my Thanksgiving spread, but I’ll be making it really soon!
I love roasted butternut squash and this sounds so yum. Love the Parmesan and rosemary combination
I just love the herbal kick you get from rosemary and your recipe looks so good! If you need a fall cocktail with your leftover rosemary try this grapefruit rosemary mojito! https://ethnicspoon.com/grapefruit-rosemary-mojito/ Happy Thanksgiving!
I love the idea of that mojito Analida! Grapefruit cocktails are my favorite.
i love butternut squash in general but this parm crust is making me want to try this ASAP
hope your family will be delighted with the recipe…if not, more for you 😛
I just made something similar this week. What a great side dish for all the holiday meals.
Thanks Gloria!
This looks absolutely delicious. I was just looking for a new butternut squash idea!
Thanks Sarah! I love a savory squash dish 🙂
Oh wow yummmmm. Now this is what I want on my Thanksgiving table in two days!! Glad I saw this recipe now! 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving Dominique!! Thanks for reading 🙂
Such a good idea to use butternut squash for a gratin! Potatoes are so last year. 😉 Can’t wait to try this out and see what everyone thinks!
hahah, potatoes are totally last year!