This winter has been kind of insane. From our family in New England experiencing colder-than-the-North-Pole temperatures to rain deluges in California, I think we’re all just holding on for dear life (as well as ski poles). While extreme weather is no bueno, I do love winter and colder weather. Especially when it comes to cooking. And what is one of the coziest foods out there? Butternut squash. Truly one of my favorite vegetables, I’ll take it in any form and, if it’s on a menu, I’m ordering it. 

Case in point: I once had a butternut squash dish at a restaurant in San Francisco that was simply prepared in brown butter. The squash was divine and one I will never forget. As I was thinking of ways to use squash other than soup, that dish came to mind and it seemed like the perfect springboard for gnocchi. Gnocchi just goes with the richness of brown butter and squash. 

This brown butter gnocchi would make for a delicious side dish or a full vegetarian meal. The best part is you only need one skillet to cook the entire thing. It really is quick and easy to prepare – you’ll have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. Bonus: your house will smell like heaven!

And, in case you’re wondering, my kids enjoyed this gnocchi recipe as much as we did. 

Quick question before I hand over the recipe: Does anyone have a good brand for gluten-free gnocchi that you like? Or a recipe that is good? Please share in the comments, I’m desperate to enjoy this once again with the rest of my family. Thank you!

One-Skillet Brown Butter Gnocchi with Butternut Squash

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Serves 2 for dinner, 4 as a side dish

Author: Jane Maynard

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed into ½” pieces
• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• 16-ounce package frozen gnocchi
• 2 tablespoons sliced shallots
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon dried sage
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 packed cup roughly chopped fresh spinach

Instructions

1. Prep squash and set aside, making sure squash pieces are cut uniform in size to ½” cubes.
2. In a deep 12-inch skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Let butter cook for about 5 minutes until it is browned. Butter will bubble and foam, then bubbles will subside at about the same time that the butter is browned. Stir regularly during the cooking process to avoid scorching.
3. Once butter is browned, add squash, cover pan and cook for 7 minutes, stirring once or twice during the cook time.
4. While squash is cooking, slice the shallots. After squash has cooked for 7 minutes, add the frozen gnocchi, shallots, thyme, sage, pepper, salt. Push the garlic clove through a garlic press and add to the pan. Stir well, cover and cook for 7 more minutes, stirring a few times during the cook time.
5. While everything is cooking, roughly chop the spinach and set aside.
6. During the last minute of the cook time, remove the lid and add the fresh spinach, cooking and stirring until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute.
7. Serve immediately. Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese if desired.

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Last week I met some friends for dinner at an Italian restaurant in San Francisco. We ordered a salad appetizer to share, which was topped with squash cooked in brown butter. The salad was good, but honestly, I could have eaten a pound of that brown butter squash for dinner and been happy.

Since squash pretty much screams autumn, I decided brown butter squash would make for a great Thanksgiving side dish. It’s easy, it’s wholesome, it’s comforting. And that bit of sage sprinkled in? That seals the Thanksgiving deal. I don’t know about you, but all I have to do is smell a bit of sage and I’m immediately transported to Thanksgivings past.

Owen and I are eating the squash that is pictured for lunch today. He’s gobbling it up.  Pun intended. In fact, I’m going to see how many times I can use the word gobble before Thanksgiving arrives…get ready!

Brown Butter Squash

 

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From Jane Maynard, This Week for Dinner

Author: Jane Maynard

Recipe type: Side Dish, Squash

Ingredients

• 1 acorn squash (or any kind of winter squash you like), peeled, cored and cut into small cubes (about ½”³ in size) – my acorn squash yielded about 4 cups of cubed squash
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ teaspoon dried sage
• salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a medium-large-ish skillet over medium heat. Add butter and whisk until butter browns. Here’s what will happen”¦the butter will melt, then it will start to bubble, then it will really start to bubble and foam, then that bubbling and foaming will stop (although there will still be residual bubbles) and THEN the butter will brown. Take it off the heat at this point – you don’t want it to burn. This whole process takes about 5 minutes.
2. Whisk in the sage, then add the cubed squash to the pan and toss to coat in the butter. Return the pan to the heat, heat the pan back up to medium, then turn the heat down to medium-low, cover the pan and cook until the squash is soft. This will probably take about 5-10 minutes. Once it’s the consistency you want it, take the lid off, sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste, carefully stir and flip the squash to coat, let cook 1-2 more minutes, then transfer to serving dish. Be sure to pour all that yummy browned, seasoned butter over the squash because, darn, that is some good butter.
3. Probably about 4-6 servings if used as a side dish. Feel free to use more squash, just up the amount of butter and spice accordingly!

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