Butternut Squash Gratin made with fresh sage, grated Pecorino Romano cheese and a buttery Panko crumb topping is super creamy and makes the perfect Fall side dish.

It's almost here; Fall. My favorite time of year. Not only because of the beautiful foliage that surrounds where we live, but the food. It's different and comforting like this recipe for Butternut Squash Gratin.

I'll admit that I don't cook this type of squash often. Mostly because our youngest is fairly picky about the food she eats; squash being one of them.

As she got older I found ways to sneak it into recipes; though not many of them are healthy unfortunately.

Zucchini bread is one of her favorites, but of course it also has chocolate chips in it. Her favorite new recipe is for this spaghetti squash and can't get enough of it.

So much so that for a while I was making it at least once a month and that speaks volumes. I wanted to branch out a bit and try a new recipe and decided on this Butternut Squash Gratin. Let's face it, everything tastes better with cheese right?

What ingredients do you need?

For this recipe you'll need butternut squash, milk, fresh sage, butter, flour, grated Pecorino Romano cheese and Panko breadcrumbs. You can either purchase the squash already seeded and peeled or do it yourself.

Also, you can use heavy cream or half & half, but with cream sauces made with cheese I find milk is sufficient. And less calories!

How do you peel Butternut Squash?

Cut a thin slice off of the bottom and the top of the squash on a sturdy cutting board.
Stand the squash upright; then take a sharp knife and slowly run it down the side of the squash from top to bottom. Repeat this process in strips until all of the skin has been removed.
Cut the squash in half horizontally; then cut again vertically to get four sections.
Scoop out any seeds; usually found in the bottom sections and discard.

How do you make Butternut Squash Gratin?

Now that you have all of your ingredients prepared, let's make the gratin. Start by slicing the squash into discs; approximately ½-inch thick. Place them in the bottom of an 8"x8" oven safe baking dish; fanning them out to cover all sections.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium high heat. Add the fresh chopped sage, cook until it starts to become fragrant (approximately 30 seconds); then add the flour to form a roux.

Next, add the milk and cheese; then whisk until the sauce has thickened (approximately 3 minutes). Pour the sauce over the squash; making sure it's evenly coated.

Melt the remaining butter in a microwave safe bowl; then add the breadcrumbs and mix until crumbly. Top the squash with the breadcrumb mixture.

Finally, bake in a preheated 425 degree F oven for 20-25minutes or until the squash is soft when the tip of a sharp knife can pierce through effortlessly.

What can you serve with this side dish?

This recipe would go perfect on your Thanksgiving table, but don't wait until then to try it! I made this to go with those Chicken Vermont chicken thighs, but any chicken, beef or pork recipe made with apples, pumpkin or sage would taste great.

Suggestions are these recipes for Brown Butter & Sage Pan Seared Pork Chops, Feta and Sage Mini Chicken Meatloaf or Pumpkin Braised Short Ribs.

We loved this recipe for Butternut Squash Gratin. It was super creamy, delicious and fresh sage always reminds me of Fall.

So much so that our youngest proclaimed that we "must make this as a Thanksgiving side dish this year!". That's how I know she REALLY liked this recipe and hope you will as well. ~Enjoy!

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