Yes to Yolks

a food journal

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy Policies

Butternut Squash Gratin with Caramelized Onions & Gruyere

November 16, 2023 by Molly 1 Comment

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

This Butternut Squash Gratin with Caramelized Onions & Gruyere is a dish to remember! Tender butternut squash, sweet caramelized onions, sage-infused cream, and nutty gruyere cheese make this one very special. It is the side dish of all side dishes – perfect for the holiday season!

When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner (or any dinner really), I think the sides play just as big of a role as the main protein.

I am definitely the one who fills my plate with one serving of turkey and goes back for seconds of all the sides.

This Butternut Squash Gratin with Caramelized Onions & Gruyere is just the sort of side dish I go back for time and time again.

It’s rich and decadent, creamy and satisfying, and a little bit unexpected. A fun and new way to have your gratin – no potatoes in sight.

And while I love potatoes more than most foods, this potato-less gratin right here is perfection.

This gratin is not a low maintenance dish, but I think the same can be said for most gratin dishes out there. You have to caramelize onions, break down a butternut squash, grate cheese, and then assemble everything.

I know, I know. Not exactly simple. But the results are SO worth it! AND you can prep it entirely ahead of time. On a busy day like Thanksgiving, this is exactly the sort of dish I try to do ahead.

Ingredients You Need to Make This Butternut Squash Gratin:

For the Caramelized Onions:

  • Butter
  • Fresh sage
  • Yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • Light brown sugar
  • Pinch of salt

For the Gratin:

  • Heavy cream
  • Fresh sage
  • Nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper
  • Butternut squash — peeled and cut into thin slices (I used a 3-lb squash)
  • Gruyere cheese
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Panko breadcrumbs

How to Make This Butternut Squash Gratin:

For the Caramelized Onions:

  • Add the butter to a skillet and set over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook for a few minutes or until they are crisp. Remove the sage leaves and set aside – we will use these as garnish later.
  • Add the sliced onions, sugar, and salt and cook, stirring every few minutes, for 25-30 minutes, or until the onions are softened and lightly caramelized. Be patient – this can take some time (and can also be done ahead of time).

For the Gratin:

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a large round baking dish (10-12 inches in diameter).
  • In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the cream, sage, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Pour a couple tablespoons of the cream over the bottom of the greased baking dish.
  • Add a layer of the butternut squash slices. Add roughly a third of the caramelized onions. Sprinkle over roughly ⅓ of the grated gruyere cheese. Pour over roughly ⅓ of the cream mixture.
  • Continue layering two more times: squash, onions, cheese, cream.
  • Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese and panko breadcrumbs over the top layer. Cover the pan loosely with tin foil and then place the pan on a baking sheet. 
  • Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a sharp knife goes through the squash easily. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the top is golden and the gratin is bubbly around the edges.
  • Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Just before serving, garnish with the reserved crispy sage leaves.

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:

  • Warm Butternut Squash Ricotta Dip with Spiced Sage Butter
  • Thai Butternut Squash Dip
  • Butternut Squash, Sage, & Goat Cheese Lasagna
  • Cheesy Mashed Potato Gratin with Sage Butter
  • Roasted Garlic & Gouda Potato Gratin

This gratin is everything the holidays should be: special.

@yestoyolks ✨BUTTERNUT SQUASH GRATIN WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS + GRUYERE✨ A side dish to remember! Tender butternut squash, sweet caramelized onions, sage-infused cream, and nutty gruyere cheese make this one very special. It is the side dish of all side dishes – perfect for the holiday season! FULL RECIPE on yestoyolks.com! #foodtiktok #recipes #cookingvideo #cookingtiktok #recipeideas #recipesforyou #thanksgiving #holidays #thanksgivingsides #sidedish #sidedishrecipe #butternut ♬ Falling Leaves – Glenn Miller & His Orchestra

FOLLOW ME ON TIKTOK FOR MORE VIDEOS!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Butternut Squash Gratin with Caramelized Onions & Gruyere


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Molly
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This Butternut Squash Gratin with Caramelized Onions & Gruyere is a dish to remember! Tender butternut squash, sweet caramelized onions, sage-infused cream, and nutty gruyere cheese make this one very special. It is the side dish of all side dishes – perfect for the holiday season!


Ingredients

Scale

For the Onions:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 8 large sage leaves
  • 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • Pinch of salt

For the Gratin:

  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh sage (roughly 2-3 whole sage leaves)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into thin slices (I used a 3-lb squash)
  • 6 oz grated gruyere cheese
  • 2 oz grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

For the Onions:

  1. Add the butter to a skillet and set over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook for a few minutes or until they are crisp. Remove the sage leaves and set aside – we will use these as garnish later.
  2. Add the sliced onions, sugar, and salt and cook, stirring every few minutes, for 25-30 minutes, or until the onions are softened and lightly caramelized. Be patient – this can take some time (and can also be done ahead of time).

For the Gratin:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a large round baking dish (10-12 inches in diameter).
  2. In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the cream, sage, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Pour a couple tablespoons of the cream over the bottom of the greased baking dish.
  3. Add a layer of the butternut squash slices. Add roughly a third of the caramelized onions. Sprinkle over roughly ⅓ of the grated gruyere cheese. Pour over roughly ⅓ of the cream mixture.
  4. Continue layering two more times: squash, onions, cheese, cream.
  5. Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese and panko breadcrumbs over the top layer. Cover the pan loosely with tin foil and then place the pan on a baking sheet. 
  6. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a sharp knife goes through the squash easily. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the top is golden and the gratin is bubbly around the edges.
  7. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Just before serving, garnish with the reserved crispy sage leaves.

Notes

To make this ahead, I recommend prepping and assembling the gratin in its entirety – except for the breadcrumb topping. Cover and refrigerate the baking dish until you are ready to bake it. Allow it to come to room temperature before baking and add the breadcrumbs just before you put it in the oven.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Category: side dishes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @yestoyolks on Instagram and hashtag it #yestoyolks

Related

Filed Under: Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: butternut squash, gratin, gruyere cheese, holidays, sage, side dishes, Thanksgiving, vegetarian side dishes

« Blackberry Mochas
No-Bake Cookie Butter Cheesecake Bars »

Comments

  1. Sabrina says

    November 16, 2023 at 8:11 pm

    really like gruyere and onion paring, and works well as a gratin too, so thank you!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi there. I’m Molly. Welcome to my little space devoted to all things FOOD! More about me...

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • Blueberry Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
  • Strawberry & Pistachio Galette
  • Sesame Ginger Pork with Wasabi Soba Noodles
  • Crispy Halloumi Grain Bowls with Creamy Dill Dressing
  • Guinness Brookies
  • Pepperoni Pizza Lasagna Rolls

Archives

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Connect

Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg! Read More…

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
Copyright © 2025 Yes to Yolks