Hasselback Butternut Squash w/ Crispy Sage & Brown Butter
Hasselback Butternut Squash
with Crispy Sage & Brown Butter
Low-carb | Sugar-free | Gluten-free | Soy-free
Welcome back to my kitchen! This recipe is all about transforming the humble butternut squash into a show-stopping centerpiece. The dish? Roasted Hasselback Butternut Squash with Brown Butter and Crispy Sage. This recipe is not just a feast for the palate but a visual delight, perfect for those cozy evenings or when you want to impress your guests with something unique yet utterly comforting.
A Twist on a Classic: Butternut squash, with its sweet, nutty flavor, has always been a staple in the realm of comfort food. But when sliced Hasselback style, it doesn't just absorb flavors more effectively; it also presents an aesthetic that's sure to draw admiration from anyone at your dining table. This technique, commonly used for potatoes, creates a fan of thin, interconnected slices that crisp up beautifully while the inside remains tender and succulent.
The Magic of Brown Butter: The real stars of this dish are the brown butter and crispy sage. If you haven't cooked with brown butter before, you're in for a treat. It's regular butter that's been melted and cooked until it takes on a gorgeous golden-brown color, emitting a rich, nutty aroma that's absolutely intoxicating. Pair that with crispy sage leaves, which add a subtle earthy and slightly peppery flavor, and you've got a combination that elevates the butternut squash to new heights.
Simplicity Meets Sophistication: What I love about this recipe is its simplicity. It requires minimal ingredients yet delivers maximum flavor. The key is in the preparation – taking the time to carefully slice the squash, watching the butter as it browns to perfection, and frying the sage leaves until they're just the right amount of crispy. It's a meditative process that results in a dish that's as satisfying to make as it is to eat.
Pairing and Serving Suggestions: This dish is versatile. Serve it as a stunning side to your main course – it pairs beautifully with roasted meats or a hearty grain salad. Or let it shine as a vegetarian main, perhaps accompanied by a simple green salad and a glass of your favorite white wine.
This dish is more than just a recipe; it's a celebration of flavors and textures, a testament to the beauty of simplicity in cooking, and a reminder that comfort food can be both easy to make and elegantly sophisticated.
So, preheat the oven, and let’s get cookin’!
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4 people
2 - Butternut squash
2 Tbsp - Olive Oil
½ tsp - Sea salt
¼ tsp - Black pepper
½ tsp - Sweet paprika
¼ tsp - Pumpkin pie spice (optional)
½ cup - Salted butter
¼ cup - Fresh sage leaves, stems removed
¼ cup - Pine Nuts, toasted (pecans also work great!)
2 Tbsp - Pomegranate seeds (optional, for garnish)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425 F (218 C). For this recipe you will need a sharp knife, vegetable peeler, wooden chopsticks, baking sheet, and a small frying pan.
Prep the butternut squash by carefully slicing the squash in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to remove and discard the seeds in the middle. Peel off the outer skin off the squash with a vegetable peeler.
‘Hasselback’ the squash by placing a wooden chopstick along each side of the halved squash, then carefully slicing the squash into thin slices, using the chopsticks to ensure you do not slice all the way through. Repeat until all four squash halves have been sliced (see video for more detail).
Place the ‘hasselbacked’ squash onto a lined baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil until fully coated on all sides. Then dust the squash evenly on both sides with the salt, pepper, paprika, and spices. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the squash is ‘fork tender’.
While the squash is in the oven, make the brown butter by melting the butter in a small pan on medium heat. Once the butter starts to become foamy, look for brown “specks” to collect on the bottom of the pan, and immediately lower the heat.
Stir in the sage leaves, and let them fry in the brown butter for 10-20 seconds, and place them on a paper towel lined plate to drain - they will get crispy as they cool.
In the same butter, add in the pine nuts (or pecans), and let them toast until they are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat, remove the pine nuts, and set everything aside, saving the brown butter as well.
Once the squash is finished, carefully move them onto a serving platter, and top the squash with the butter, nuts, and fried sage leaves. Lastly, garnish with any additional toppings - I like pomegranate seeds, but you can also do anything from parmesan to crumbled bacon or chorizo. Serve and enjoy!
