Chinese five spice is a warm and spicy-sweet blend of ground cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise, and szechuan peppercorns. It can be found in the spice section of just about any well-stocked supermarket. We’ve combined this all-star spice blend with a smooth and silky butternut squash puree, then topped it off with a crunchy, sweet, buttery crust. This recipe is perfect for the holidays, or whenever you’re craving something comforting and delicious. It’s truly the world's best side dish!
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
4 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
6 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons Chinese five spice
1 ½ cups pecans
½ cup walnuts
2 tablespoons chopped sage, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons maple syrup, or honey
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt
Instructions:
Note: You can substitute 2 ½ pounds of sweet potatoes for the butternut squash.
Preheat oven to 400℉
Boil or steam the cubed butternut squash until completely tender, then purée the squash in a food processor with the butter, salt, Parmesan cheese, egg yolk, and Chinese five spice. Transfer to a gratin or baking dish and set aside.
For the topping, combine half of the pecans in a food processor with the remaining ingredients. Pulse until combined. Spread the topping over the butternut squash purée and sprinkle the remaining pecans on top. Garnish with a few sage leaves for color, optional.
Bake in a 400℉ oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.