Butternut Squash Gratin - gluten free, soy free, vegan
By: Jessica Glick
Published: Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - 3:01pm

Ingredients




Makes one 9 x 13 baking dish
1/4 cup (approximately) Earth Balance Soy Free Spread
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, thinly sliced (with a mandoline)
2 medium onions, peeled, thinly sliced halves
1 cup Daiya shredded mozzarella cheese handful fresh sage, stems removed, torn into pieces by hand
2 slices gluten free bread (I used Food for Life Brown Rice Bread), toasted
2 tablespoons xylitol
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon granulated garlic

Preparation

1 Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F 2 Spread some Earth Balance liberally into a 9 x 13 inch oven-proof baking dish. 3 Reserve the rest for layering the gratin. 4 Cut the peeled butternut squash in half, crosswise, where it just begins to round. Slice that section thinly with a mandoline, or in your food processor. 5 Cut the seeded section in half, lengthwise, and slice. Keep the seeded lengthwise slices separate, they will go on the bottom layers. 6 Use all of your round pretty slices for the final top layer. 7 Combine all the spices, xylitol, and kosher salt in a small bowl. Set aside. 8 Put a thick even layer of the squash bottom slices in the baking dish. 9 Add 2-3 cut teaspoons of Earth Balance across the squash. 10 Note: I did a two-slice layer of the slices for each layer. 11 Add a few cut up teaspoons of Earth Balance between layers. 12 Then a thick layer of the sliced onions.

About

This recipe came about due to a great sale on butternut squash at my local market. I feel with a family of six stocking up is a safe bet! I thought what better way to showcase this sweet, flavorful vegetable  than to layer it in a gratin type dish. I took notes as I went along on this new out-of-the-blue recipe, and am SO glad I did, it was a winner! The butternut squash layered with the sweet onion, oozing vegan cheese was just perfect with that hint of savory from the sage, and crunch from the breadcrumbs on top. You will be surprised how filling this dish is. This makes from an amazing Meatless Monday meal or even brunch that is sure to impress!