Thinly sliced butternut squash is enveloped in a sea of caramelized onions and garlicky cream sauce. This side dish is loaded with amazing aroma and delicious flavors.
Have you been enjoying squashes to their full potential?
This Scalloped Butternut Squash with Caramelized Onions is bursting with flavor.
If you’re impartial to butternut squash, I urge you to give this dish a try. The sweet smelling fragrance of the evergreen thyme and copious amount of cream can revamp the most of undesirable vegetables, or gourds for that matter.
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Scalloped Butternut Squash with Caramelized Onions
Caramelized Onions
Caramelizing onions takes time as you are slowly coaxing the flavor out of them and turning the sugars into caramel type flavor and appearance. Don’t take them off too early – they should yield a rich brown, soft but not mushy product. This usually takes 20-30 minutes. Towards the end, more flavors are added and then thickened with tapioca starch. Followed by a nice dose of cream — this creates lush, decadent creamy mixture that will envelope the squash slices.
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One Tip on Cooking Squash
There’s a second-and-a-half between perfection and perfect mush when it comes to cooking squash. Don’t overbake the gourd! Remove the casserole dish from the oven and leave it covered to rest at room temperature for a few minutes. This will also allow the cream to settle before digging in.
Note: If using a small casserole dish, you may want to line the bottom oven rack with a large piece of foil to catch any overflow from the cream.
Oh, this dish will win the hearts of all butternut squash skeptics.
Scalloped Butternut Squash with Caramelized Onions
Thinly sliced butternut squash is enveloped in a sea of caramelized onions and garlicky cream sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons pastured butter
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or another neutral, high-heat oil
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme OR
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons real salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 small butternut squash
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 F degrees and butter a 5X8 deep casserole dish. Set aside.
Onion Cream Sauce
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Melt butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and season with salt to release juices. Cook, stirring occasionally.
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Caramelize onions until they are golden brown, stirring occasionally. (approximately 25 minutes)
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Add garlic, thyme (fresh or dried), and season with salt and pepper.
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Reduce heat to low-medium. Add tapioca and quickly coat onion mixture.
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Add half & half and whisk to combine everything, keeping heat at low-medium. Cook and whisk occasionally for approximately 5 minutes. Sauce should slightly thicken.
Preparing Butternut Squash
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Peel butternut squash and cut lengthwise. Remove seeds and pith.
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Thinly slice crosswise creating half moons.
Scalloped Butternut Squash
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Spoon 1/3 of the onion cream mixture to the bottom of the casserole dish. Arrange butternut squash slices.
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Pour remaining onion cream mixture, creating pockets between the pan sides and slices to allow the sauce to drip through.
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Bake uncovered for 40 minutes in the middle rack. Allow to rest for 5 minutes for sauce to settle before cutting into it.
Recipe Notes
Depending on the size of the butternut squash, you may want to line the bottom oven rack with a piece of foil to catch any overflow from the cream.
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How have you been enjoying all the seasonal squashes? Let me know in the comments.
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Other Squash Recipes You Might Enjoy
Pressure Cooker Butternut Squash & Lamb Curry
Nourishing Pastured Chicken Stew
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I love the simplicity of this dish, but that it still will provide a hearty meal. Butternut squash is a favorite of mine too! The fact that is can be made dairy free is great option.
Thanks for stopping by The Healthy, Happy, Green And Natural Party Blog Hop !
Yes – I agree dairy or not – it makes for a great side dish.
Sounds like an amazing way to enjoy butternut. 🙂
Thanks Raia – that has been one of our fave ways lately.
Oohh this sounds yummy!!! I’ll have to give this a try. What kind of cream do you recommend?
I used heavy whipping dairy cream. Though I’m sure you can use coconut cream and make this completely dairy free. 🙂
Yum! This looks so great, and I’ve been looking for squash recipes. I don’t have heavy cream on hand – do you have any suggestions for substitutions?
Coconut cream would work great too! Half and half would work well as well. In a pinch, you can also try mixing 1/2 cup of sour cream with approximately 1 cup of milk together – it’ll have a more buttermilk flavor but it should still work. Let me know how it goes. 🙂
Wow, Anya, not in a million years would I have thought to do scalloped squash dish – fabulous! This looks so darn delicious that I want to make it right this minute. Great recipe!
It’s delicious. Hope you love it as much as we do.
Hi Anya,
i love this recipe. This sounds delicious and I love butternut squash, but my husband doesn’t. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Tweeted & pinned.
Thanks Marla. I’m not a [big] fan of butternut but this dish won me over. 🙂
This sounds delicious! That snail!!! 🙂
This looks amazing!
I have been imagining a recipe similar to this..YUM!! I want this!! I am featuring your recipe this week on Allergy Free Wednesday, thanks for sharing it!
Thanks Tessa. 🙂
Your Scalloped Butternut Squash with Thyme and Caramelized Onions looks amazing! Hope you are having a great day and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Who can resist this dish! I am so delighted that you shared your healthy and delicious Scalloped Butternut Squash with Thyme and Caramelized Onions recipe with us at the Healthy Happy Green and Natural Party!Thank you so much for sharing your gems and for your support! All the best, Deborah
Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you are having a great day and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Oh my goodness, this looks so good. I have a bunch of Seminole Pumpkins (Florida native version of butternut squash). I’m going to have to give this a try. Pinning!
Thanks for sharing on the Homestead Blog Hop.
Thanks for visiting Bonnie. Hope you enjoy this.
Thanks so much for sharing it with us at Savoring Saturdays, Anya! 🙂 I have a butternut on my counter waiting to be made into this. 🙂
Enjoy!
This looks very like the butternut squash recipe I take to holiday dinners. It’s always a hit! I think it’s the cream and herbs that put it over the top, don’t you? Just sheer, rich goodness.
I agree, Kathryn, the cream and the herbs are divine!