Can you eat the skin on a stuffed butternut squash?

Yes, butternut squash skin is edible. The skin can be a bit tough, so make sure to roast skin-on squash until both the skin and flesh are soft. This works well for roasting half a squash, as the longer cook time allows the skin to be tender, too.

Should I bake butternut squash cut side up or down?

Cooking butternut squash cut side down allows for it to cook faster and retain more moisture so it doesn’t dry out. Be sure to oil the squash before placing it on a baking sheet so it doesn’t stick to the pan.

What can I substitute for the dry sherry?

Dry sherry is a key ingredient in Frenched Onions , but you can use any type of dry fortified wine, such as Marsala or Madeira, in its place. If you are opting to skip alcohol altogether, try using white grape juice.

French Onion Stuffed Butternut Squash

Active Time:

40 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 50 mins

Servings:

Sweet, nutty butternut squash gets the French onion treatment when it’s stuffed with slow-cooked onions, Gruyère cheese, and toasted croutons. It doesn’t matter what type of onion you use for the caramelized onions. We chose a combination of yellow, red, white, and Vidalia for complexity of flavor, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand. You can also swap the butternut squash for delicata, acorn, and honeynut, or any other squash.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you eat the skin on a stuffed butternut squash?

Yes, butternut squash skin is edible. The skin can be a bit tough, so make sure to roast skin-on squash until both the skin and flesh are soft. This works well for roasting half a squash, as the longer cook time allows the skin to be tender, too.
Should I bake butternut squash cut side up or down?

Cooking butternut squash cut side down allows for it to cook faster and retain more moisture so it doesn’t dry out. Be sure to oil the squash before placing it on a baking sheet so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
What can I substitute for the dry sherry?

Dry sherry is a key ingredient in Frenched Onions, but you can use any type of dry fortified wine, such as Marsala or Madeira, in its place. If you are opting to skip alcohol altogether, try using white grape juice.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Stir the onions frequently to make sure you get even browning. If they start to stick to the bottom of the pan or burn, add some broth or water and scrape them off the bottom of the pan.

Make ahead

Each component of this recipe — the roasted squash, caramelized onions, and croutons — can be made up to three days in advance. Refrigerate the squash and onions separately in airtight containers, and store the croutons in a ziplock bag at room temperature. Assemble the stuffed squash and bake until hot, about 25 minutes at 400°F.

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Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter
4 pounds onions, thinly sliced (about 14 cups) (such as yellow, red, sweet, or white)
1/2 cup dry sherry
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 fresh bay leaf
1 cup beef broth, divided
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
2 medium (2 pounds each) butternut squash, stem trimmed, cut lengthwise, and seeded
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
1 garlic clove, grated
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups cubed (3/4-inch pieces) crusty bread
4 ounces low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
4 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F with racks in top third and lower third positions. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add onions, dry sherry, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf, and cook covered over medium, stirring occasionally, until all liquid has evaporated and onions begin to brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add 1/2 cup of the beef broth. Continue cooking, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and become dark golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes, adding 1/4 cup of the remaining broth as needed when broth has evaporated. Remove from heat, discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Stir in sherry vinegar and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and set aside.
Meanwhile, brush cut sides of butternut squash evenly with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange squash, cut-side down, on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven on lower rack until a paring knife inserted into flesh meets little resistance, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating pan back to front halfway through cooking. Let rest on baking sheet until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes.
Whisk together chopped thyme, garlic, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large bowl. Add cubed bread and toss to coat, spread in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake on top rack until golden, about 12 minutes, stirring croutons on baking sheet halfway through cooking.
Scoop out butternut squash flesh with a spoon leaving about a 1/2-inch border attached to skin (save flesh for another use). Season scooped squash evenly with 1/2 teaspoon remaining salt. Spoon onion mixture evenly into scooped squash and spread into an even layer. Top each evenly with croutons, then sprinkle each evenly with mozzarella and Gruyère cheese. Return to bottom rack of preheated oven, and bake until cheese is melted and browned in spots, about 12 minutes. Garnish with more thyme.