Winter squash shines in this vegetarian Butternut Squash Galette with Caramelized Onions, thyme, and sharp cheddar. The preparation is incredibly forgiving, so it makes a beautiful centerpiece for brunch or a dinner party, or a simple seasonal vegetarian dinner.
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We’ve been making a concerted effort to visit our little farmer’s market on Sunday mornings. Mom and Dad are happy because we get out out of the house, and the kid is happy because he gets to visit the donut truck. #winning.
Two weeks ago I saw the first butternut squash of the season and I squealed like a kid on Christmas morning. I am an unapologetic butternut squash enthusiast, and while I know I can get them from Whole Foods or the local supermarket nearly year-round, the ones fresh from the farm are just so damn good. And that color? It’s stunning.
The first thing I made was butternut squash soup, and I literally yelled at Cameron to come into the kitchen and admire the color of the finished soup. He was kinda like “whatevs, it’s orange”. But me? I knew the difference, and it’s one you can taste as well as see.
Fresh butternut is incredibly sweet and tender, with a deep, rich orange hue. When the squash is super fresh it’s even a bit juicy. And the taste is out of this world.
After the soup, I roasted up the second squash to make this butternut squash galette, one of my favorite ways to dine a la vegetarian in the fall. I implore you – find thee a farmer’s market and buy some fresh butternut squash. Then run to the kitchen and make this butternut squash galette to shove into your piehole. You’re welcome.
Butternut Squash Galette Recipe Notes
Galettes are basically the lazy lady’s pie. The last time I made a pie was like four years ago, because reasons. And one of those reasons is the ease of the galette.
Whether I’m stuffing it with fruit in the summer or savory squash in the fall, the galette such an elegant, but easy way to take advantage of seasonal produce. You can’t really screw it up presentation-wise, and even if you do it still looks good.
You can put basically anything into a galette. Like I said, it’s fool-proof.
Except.
Yes, there’s always an exception to every rule, and the galette rule (like pies) is this – don’t muck up the dough.
This dough is quite simple, but it requires a few precise elements to make sure it comes out right:
- the best quality ingredients you can afford
- super cold butter
- super cold water
- a good chilling
- the proper thickness
Getting lazy about any one of these things is that like that damn domino that just won’t stay upright. It’s all gonna fall apart (or just not taste as awesome as it could).
I pre-roast the squash before incorporating into the galette. This does a few things. First, it enhances the natural sugars in the butternut. Second, it eliminates some of the water in the squash, which would seep into the crust, making it a bit soggy. With fruit, you WANT the juices to run out and thicken up with a little flour or cornstarch. But with a savory squash galette, it just gets messy.
This butternut squash galette makes for a lovely centerpiece to a dinner party, served with a simple arugula salad dressed with good balsamic and olive oil. It’s easy enough to prepare in advance. Simply prepare the galette through step 4, then place into the fridge. 15 minutes before your guests are set to arrive, pop it into the oven for a tasty and gorgeous centerpiece.
FYI – my child ate this meal. And that, my friends, is reason enough to make it again and again.
Dietary Accommodations and Variations
- Vegetarian and kid-friendly
- One serving supplies a full day’s dose of Vitamin A and a third of Vitamin C
- Substitute cheese of your preference, such as gouda, parmesan, or goat cheese
- Prepare the crust with half whole wheat flour for a nuttier texture
- Double the dough, and stash half in the freezer. It doubles like a dream, and you’ll pat yourself on the back one-day. Pinky promise.
More Butternut Squash Recipes
- Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Fritters
- Mini Butternut Squash Tarts with Caramelized Onions and Ricotta
- Butternut Squash Noodles with Sage Butter
- Butternut Squash Soup with Pomegranate
- White Bean and Butternut Squash Ragout
Did you make this Butternut Squash Galette? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Butternut Squash Galette with Caramelized Onions
Description
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 stick, grass fed butter (I like Kerrygold)
- 1 ¼ c all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ice
- 1 egg, pastured
Filling
- 1 small butternut squash, about 4 cups
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ c sharp cheddar, grated
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
- sea salt, to taste
- cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Dough
- Cut the butter into ½″ cubes and then re-chill for about 5 minutes. Pour ½ cup of water into a small dish and along with a handful of ice cubes.
- Add the butter to the flour along with 1 teaspoon sea salt, and then use your fingers or a pastry cutter to break up the butter until it is coarsely incorporated. You want largish chunks of butter to remain, as these will melt and create tiny little pockets of amazingness once the dough cooks.
- Working with a tablespoon at a time, add water to the flour/butter mixture until it just comes together. Do not overwork the dough. You want enough water so that the dough barely stays together when formed into a ball.
- Wrap the ball of dough in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
- When you’re ready to make the galette, remove the dough from the freezer, dust some flour on your work surface, and roll out the dough in a circle to a scant ½″ thickness. The dough will be about 12″ in diameter. Transfer the dough to a parchment lined baking sheet.
Filling
- While the dough is chilling (or just before you remove it from the fridge), prepare the filling. Preheat the oven to 400 and the prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Peel and seed the butternut squash. Cut lengthwise, and then slice to about ½″ thick. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and spread over one baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes, flipping pieces halfway through.
- While the squash is cooking, prepare the caramelized onions. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook the onions until browned and soft, 20-25 minutes. In the last couple of minutes, add the balsamic vinegar and allow it reduce and thicken.
- Once the vegetables are cooked, prepare the galette. Place the caramelized onions on the center of your galette, spreading to a circumference of about 8″. Top them with some fresh thyme, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the cheese over the onions. Then, top the cheese with the squash slices and more fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Fold up the edges of the dough towards the center, gently pleating as you make your way around the galette.
- Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush the crust with the egg wash.
- Bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Let stand for 5-10 minutes and then slice and serve.
Heather
this looks so good! Just wondering if I can make this a whole day in advance (up to step 4 like you said)?
Shilpi
I made this galette as a thanksgiving main, and Y’ALL. It. Did. Not. Disappoint.
Great show stopper that will make everyone happy. Super flaky crust. Great filling. Do yourself a favor, make the dish. If you like a bit of heat, I’d recommend hot sauce.