Many Thanksgiving side dishes tend to be a bit heavy. We all expect this on turkey day, but it’s nice to have a few things on the table that are a little bit lighter. This recipe has very few ingredients, and it happens to be Weight Watchers friendly too. If you’re following the Weight Watcher Freestyle program, one serving of this Roasted Butternut Squash Gratin will cost you 2 Freestyle SmartPoints on any color program.
This recipe calls for mashed butternut squash. This is really great because that means you can roast your butternut squash ahead of time (even the day before making this recipe), and preparation will be so much easier. You’ll need 3 cups of mashed butternut squash for this recipe. That translates to about 3 pounds of uncooked butternut squash. Just weigh it at the grocery store, and you’ll be good to go.
What’s the Best Way to Roast Butternut Squash?
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cut your butternut squash in half, scrape out the seeds and discard. Place them cut-side-up on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven until squash is fork- tender and lightly browned, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool, scoop out the pulp, and then mash it up for your recipe!
How do you make Roasted Butternut Squash Gratin?
This recipe is so easy! Combine mashed butternut squash with a little bit of Parmesan cheese, fresh rosemary, salt and pepper. Spread it into a casserole dish, and top it with a little bit more Parmesan and some Asiago cheese too. Bake for 20 minutes, and that’s it! I think your dinner guests will be happy to have something on the table that isn’t heavily laden with cream or butter. This is a nice, lighter side dish that is still plenty filling.
Be sure to plan a variety of side dishes to add to your holiday menu. Browse my Thanksgiving category for inspiration. There are plenty of recipes to choose from! If you’re looking for more delicious side dish recipes for your holiday table, you might like to try my Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes or this Quick and Easy Make Ahead Gravy. Thanksgiving Punch, Parker House Rolls and Classic Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing are great side dish recipes too!
