Pumpkin-and-Winter Squash Gratin Recipe

Layers of pumpkin, butternut squash, and potatoes are baked in a rich, cheesy sauce until meltingly tender. Serve as a side dish with roasted chicken or pork, or as a vegetarian main dish alongside a green salad.

Pumpkin-and-Winter Squash Gratin
Photo: Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Active Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs 25 mins
Yield:
8 serves

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk

  • 5 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1 1⁄4 cups), divided

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

  • 2 ounces French bread, torn into small pieces

  • 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

  • 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted

  • 4 cups (about 20 oz.) russet potato, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 3 cups (about 14 oz.) butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 3 cups (about 14 oz.) sugar pumpkin, cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium. Add flour, nutmeg, and cloves to pan. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add milk; bring to a boil, and cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Add 3⁄4 cup of the cheese, 1⁄4 cup at a time, stirring with a whisk until melted after each addition. Whisk in 1 1⁄2 teaspoons of the salt.

  2. Preheat oven to 425°F with an oven rack about 8 inches from heat.

  3. Combine bread, parsley, and thyme in a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with melted butter. Set aside.

  4. Place potato, squash, and pumpkin in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Pour milk mixture over squash mixture, and sprinkle with remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, pressing mixture into an even layer. Cover and bake in middle of preheated oven until squash is tender, about 1 hour. Remove baking dish.

  5. Preheat broiler to HIGH. Uncover dish, and sprinkle top of gratin with bread-herb mixture and remaining1⁄2 cup cheese. Broil on rack 8 inches from heat until top is browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

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