Here’s an inspired appetizer or light meal that tastes great warm or room temperature- Butternut Squash Crostini tastes decadent and has a tumble of sweet, crispy shallots and Parmesan cheese on top.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Once upon a time, I made way too much roasted squash, and had a pretty good sized bowl of leftovers. Yes, I could have put them in a salad with some greens and a little vinaigrette, but since I graduated from the school of Everything Is Better On Toasted Bread, I came up with this recipe for Butternut Squash Crostini, and trust me, it’s a keeper.
Here’s why you should try this delicious thing:
- Lunch, dinner, snacks. Yep, it’s all that. It’s a great option for any of those occasions, and also a perfect appetizer with smaller slices of baguette for a crowd.
- The squash is warmed, the shallots are crispy, the Parmesan is shaved. A delicious twist on bruschetta!
- Did I mention the bread is warm and toasty?
- The sage leaves are quick-fried and optional, but man,…..so good!
- Next time you bake some squash, make extra and try this amazing toast
- Toast is good for so many occasions – when the weather’s warm, try this incredible Fruit Toast, and when you’ve got friends coming, make these very good Goat Cheese Toasts with Cranberry. There’s a wonderful toast with fresh figs here too. Definitely bookmark and give these a try 🙂
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the full recipe, ingredients, and instructions, please scroll to the recipe card below.
- Cooked squash: I tested this recipe with Butternut and Acorn squash, and both were outstanding. I think almost any variety would work, really.
- Bread: Get a nice round of sourdough or other plain artisan type of bread. Avoid those with extra ingredients like garlic or olives.
- Thick, one inch slices is what we’re after, drizzled with olive oil and toasted under the broiler for a couple minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.
- Olive Oil: Good quality EVOO adds a lot of flavor you won’t get anywhere else
- Parmesan Cheese: Just the perfect flavor for this squash toast. Perfect.
- Shallots: Sweet and savory, and pan fried just until the edges are crispy.
- Fresh Sage: Yes, get the fresh kind at the grocery store. If you’ve never tasted sage that’s flash fried, well, we really need to change that 🙂
- Seasonings: Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper is all you need to elevate the flavors of this toast
Step-By-Step Instructions
For the full recipe, please scroll down to the recipe card below.
To prepare the cooked shallots, here’s all you do:
- Add the sliced shallots and 2 tablespoons of butter into a large non-stick skillet, single layer with salt and freshly ground pepper
- Cook on medium high heat until they start to sweat, about 5 minutes.
- Add a tiny bit of sugar to the shallots, then lower the heat a bit and continue cooking for about 20 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
- Remove from the pan and set aside until you’re ready to assemble the toasts
Tips For Prepping Squash
For the squash part of this recipe, you’re options are: t
- Roast Your Own: Here’s a good recipe for this. Leave the maple syrup out (unless you want your toasts a little bit sweeter). You can bake either acorn or butternut squash on a sheet pan
- Buy It Frozen: Squash usually comes pureed or cubed in the freezer section. Go with cubed, defrost, then smash with the back of a fork in a large bowl before proceeding with the recipe.
Tips For This Recipe
- When cooking the shallots, start on medium high heat, then go for a lower setting. You have to gently coax onions of any kind to caramelize them. Be sure to slice them thin, and adding a little bit of sugar that the recipe calls for helps this process along.
- This recipe calls for 2 medium shallots. Sometimes there’s only small shallots at the grocery store, so be sure to grab several!
- While we’re talking about it, don’t leave the cooking shallots unattended, and be sure to stir them occasionally. Overcooking or burning can happen before you know it!
- Use a plain artisan round loaf for this recipe, not sandwich bread. You’ll need the sturdiness of a loaf that you’ll cut about an inch thick to stand up to these ingredients and flavors.
- Use any variety of cooked squash you’d like, but keep it chunky, not pureed.
- This recipe can be halved or doubled, or made smaller for amazing appetizers!
- When you’re ready to assemble, just toast the bread, scoop on the squash mixture, remove the onions from the skillet with a slotted spoon and add a few on top, then shave some Parmesan cheese and a quick fried sage leaf or two, drizzle more olive oil and enjoy!
Serving Ideas
- I love toast of any kind with soup. Try this Chicken Sausage Tortellini Soup, this easy & creamy non-dairy Pumpkin Soup, a chunky, delicious Corn Chowder, or this warm and tasty Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe that’s made in a slow cooker. Serve these Goat Cheese Toasts with Cranberry and maybe a tray of these easy Crunchy Crab Sushi Rolls too.
- A big, juicy piece of Butternut Squash Bruschetta sounds perfect with a mug of Non Dairy Hot Chocolate for dessert. (Followed by a nice, fluffy bed.)
- You can go the toast and salad route, too. Start with a roasted pear salad, a refreshing celery, hazelnut and Parmesan salad, this simple and tasty Italian Green Bean salad, or just lots of greens and vinaigrette like in this Superfoods Salad.
- Cookies make an easy dessert, and some soft, delicious Lemon Shortbread would be outstanding, or some Macadamia Shortbread Cookies (that have a drizzle of white chocolate) or live a little and make some of the best Rice Krispy treats you’ve ever had (according to my neighbor), or go all-out cozy and make these Best Cider Apples, or these outstanding Mini Caramel Apple Pies.
- Then again,is always a crowd-pleaser 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, almost any kind would work. I tested this with both Acorn and Butternut varieties, and both were very good.
Just make enough toasts for the amount of people you are serving. If you have leftovers, keep them separate (don’t assemble the toasts, the bread will get soggy). Store the cooked squash in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
You can! But please try them first, they are wonderful and add a lot of flavor to the finished toasts. If you want to try canned crispy onions instead of cooking the shallots, try it and let me know how it turned out!
More Recipes To Try:
- Pumpkin Spice Milkshake: Just as delicious as it sounds!
- Overnight Brioche French Toast Casserole Recipe: A wonderful weekend breakfast.
- Parmesan Potatoes with Roasted Broccolini: A very tasty side dish recipe.
- Pasta and Broccoli Recipe Italian: An easy, fresh pasta recipe.
- Deviled Eggs Candied Bacon: Just an outstanding deviled egg!
- Cornmeal Pancakes with Strawberry Jam: These pancakes are outstanding!
- Skillet Taco Bake: Great with chips as an appetizer, or a full meal!
- Deviled Eggs Candied Bacon: Just an outstanding version of deviled eggs!
- Fresh Figs, Three Ways: Lots of great figgy ideas here!
- Fig Banana Bread: Moist and full of great flavor!
- Party Olives: Guests get obsessed with these…double the recipe!
- Vegetables to Serve with Turkey: A delicious list of favorite side dish recipes.
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Butternut Squash Crostini
Ingredients
- 4 slices Sourdough Bread, best quality, 1/2" slices cut from a round
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Flaky Sea Salt
- 2 cups Roasted Squash, cooked & mashed, any variety
- ¼ cup Water
- 2 medium Shallots, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons Butter, unsalted
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Lemon Pepper, freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 8 Fresh Sage Leaves, whole
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, for serving for serving
- Flaky Sea Salt, for serving
Instructions
- PREPARE THE TOAST
- Drizzle or brush the olive oil over four slices of sourdough bread and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and set aside until onions and squash are prepared.
- When ready, toast the bread in your broiler on the middle rack of the oven until crispy and slightly brown around the edges. Remove from oven and set aside.
- FOR THE SQUASH
- Place 2 cups of cooked squash in a medium-sized non stick skillet with 1/4 cup of water. Turn heat to medium and let the squash heat through until the water is absorbed and the squash is warmed all the way through, about 4 minutes.
- Cook the Shallots Add the sliced shallots to the 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium-sized non stick skillet with the salt and pepperCook on medium high heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar and stir and continue cooking on low heat, stirring often for about 20 minutes until brown on the edges and soft. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Fried Sage Garnish Using the same pan as the onions, add the olive oil to the pan on medium heat until the oil is hot. Add the sage and fry until bubbling and crispy, gently turning them over once with a fork, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from oil and gently place on paper towels until ready to assemble.
- To ServePlace 1/2 cup of squash on top of each warmed toast, followed by a generous tablespoon of caramelized shallot.
- Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on each toast, and 2 of the fried sage leaves Drizzle with a little olive oil over each toast and a final pinch of flake sea saltServe Warm
Notes
- When cooking the shallots, go for a low stove setting, and slice the shallots thin. The little bit of sugar will help them crisp up on the edges.
- This recipe calls for 2 medium shallots. Sometimes there’s only small shallots available at the store, so double it and get 4.
- While we’re talking about it, don’t leave the cooking shallots unattended, and stir them occasionally. Overcooking or burning can happen before you know it!
- Use a plain artisan round loaf for this recipe, not sandwich bread. You’ll need the sturdiness of a loaf that’s been cut about an inch thick to stand up to these ingredients and flavors.
- Use any variety of cooked squash you’d like, but keep it chunky, not pureed.
Nutrition
- Super important to read the whole recipe before you begin
- Pay attention to the ingredient list and photos for the recipe
- If possible, prep your ingredients a little before you start
- Always use a sharp knife for safety
- Use the size of pan called for in the recipe
- For savory recipes, taste and season as you go
- Buy fresh, organic ingredients, locally sourced whenever possible
Please rate this recipe and thanks for leaving a comment!