With a smooth, light texture that straddles the line between flan and soufflé, this dairy-free, maple-sweetened butternut squash kugel manages to look elegant while feeling like total comfort food.
Serve it as a side dish with roast chicken or brisket, or add it to your next brunch buffet. It's also a natural fit for seasonally inspired Sukkot or Thanksgiving menus.
Ingredients
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1 medium butternut squash, about 3 pounds
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2 tablespoons coconut oil, olive oil, or grapeseed oil, plus extra for the squash
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1/3 cup pure maple syrup, preferably Grade B
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3 large eggs, lightly beaten
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1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
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1 pinch salt, optional
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1/3 cup all-purpose flour
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1/4 cup chopped raw pecans, optional
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
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Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish, or similarly sized casserole dish and set aside.
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With a large chef's knife, carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and rub the cut sides with a little oil.
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Place the squash halves cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.
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Scoop the butternut squash flesh from the skin. Transfer 4 cups of roasted squash to a large bowl. (Don't worry if your squash yields slightly more or less. If you have a little extra squash, feel free to include it in the recipe, but if you find you've got a lot, save it for another use.)
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Add the oil and maple syrup to the squash and whisk together until well combined.
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Slowly add the beaten eggs, whisking constantly until well-incorporated. If the squash is still fairly warm, the slow addition of the eggs while mixing is important, otherwise, you may end up with bits of cooked egg in the batter.
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Stir in the vanilla extract and salt (if using).
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Sprinkle the squash mixture with the flour and stir well to combine, making sure no lumps or streaks of flour remain. If you prefer a very smooth kugel, puree the mixture with a regular or immersion blender.
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Pour the squash batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula.
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Sprinkle the top with the pecans, if using.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the kugel is firm, the top appears dry and golden, and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Serve and enjoy.
Tip
- If you prefer a kugel that slices into clean squares, use coconut oil, which is semisolid at room temperature and imparts a subtle flavor dimension that you won't get from neutral liquid oils. Using grapeseed or olive oil also produces a delicious kugel, albeit a softer one that you may need to spoon out to serve.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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221 | Calories |
6g | Fat |
41g | Carbs |
4g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 221 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 6g | 7% |
Saturated Fat 4g | 20% |
Cholesterol 31mg | 10% |
Sodium 23mg | 1% |
Total Carbohydrate 41g | 15% |
Dietary Fiber 7g | 27% |
Total Sugars 16g | |
Protein 4g | |
Vitamin C 34mg | 171% |
Calcium 117mg | 9% |
Iron 2mg | 10% |
Potassium 704mg | 15% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |