I’ve always been a fan of butternut squash, and while it’s naturally sweet in taste, this cool-season vegetable also goes beautifully in savory recipes.
I normally like to use this vegetable in soups and hearty stews, or to make a puree, but this time, I wanted to do something different. Instead, I made a rustic butternut squash and leek galette.
This recipe is simple and uses few ingredients, but the final product is out-of-this-world amazing.
And it’s healthy too, with vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber offered by the colorful vegetables.
Sure, there’s some saturated fat and cholesterol in the eggs and the butter in the crust, but a little fat helps to absorb those fat-soluble vitamins! And there’s no cheese in the filling, like you’ll find in many savory galettes, so it’s safe to say we’re still on the healthier side of guilt-free.
The crust is made with all-purpose flour, cold butter, salt, egg yolks, and iced water. When baked, it is beautifully buttery, flaky and crispy.
The filling is made with cubed winter squash and chopped leeks that have been sautéed until they’re tender, and later perfumed with the natural fragrance and taste of minced garlic.
If you’ve never made a galette before, don’t be afraid. A galette is simply a free-form tart typically made with a fruit filling like plums, grapes, or berries – so it doesn’t have to look perfect. In fact, the more rustic it looks when you’re shaping and filling it, the prettier the outcome will be.
Simply make sure to knead the dough firmly until it comes together, and then let it chill for a while before rolling it out into a circle.
Next, place the filling in the middle, fold the edges inwards, and you’ve got your very own homemade galette!
Serve this the next time guests are coming over for lunch or a light dinner, and they are sure to be impressed.
Ready to make your own galette? Let’s go straight to the recipe now!
The Recipe
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 servings | 25 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 50 minutes |
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This savory galette has a buttery crust filled with sautéed butternut squash, leeks, and garlic. It’s the perfect way to use this delicious fall squash!
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- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour sifted
- 1/2 cup cold butter cubed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon iced water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 cups cubed butternut squash
- 3 cups chopped leeks
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- salt to taste
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cubed cold butter, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut butter into the flour until the mixture becomes crumbly and has a sand-like texture.
- Add the egg yolks and iced water, and mix well until the dough starts to come together.
- Sprinkle a cool, flat surface with flour, and use floured hands to knead the dough firmly for a few seconds, then shape it into a ball.
- Flatten the dough into a round disc and then wrap it in plastic wrap before chilling in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat up the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and saute the cubed butternut squash and chopped leeks until the squash is tender (about 20 minutes).
- Add the minced garlic and stir well for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add salt to taste and then remove skillet from heat and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- While the oven is preheating, remove the chilled dough from the plastic wrap and place it on a piece of floured parchment paper. Using a floured rolling pin, roll it out into a ¼-inch thick circle (it doesn’t have to be perfectly round).
- Place the butternut squash and leek filling in the middle of the circle and spread it out, leaving 2 inches of space between the filling and the edges.
- Gently fold the edges inwards to create the galette, and transfer the galette and parchment paper onto a baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the dough is golden brown.
- Cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Nutritional Info*
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 –Prepare the Mise en Place
Get your ingredients ready.
For the crust, measure out the ingredients: flour, cold butter and salt.
For the butternut squash and leek filling, peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut the flesh into small cubes. Chop the leeks and mince the garlic.
Step 2 – Prepare the Dough
Combine the flour, cold cubed butter, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Use a pastry cutter if you have one (or two knives if you don’t, like I did) to cut the butter into the flour until you get a crumbly mixture with the texture of coarse sand.
Add the egg yolks and iced water and then mix well until the dough starts to come together.
Sprinkle flour on a cool, flat surface like a marble slab or countertop, and transfer the dough to the floured surface. Flour your hands well and knead the dough firmly until smooth, then shape it into a ball.
Flatten the dough into a round disc and then cover it with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3 – Cook the Butternut Squash and Leek Filling
Meanwhile, heat up a little vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the cubed butternut squash and chopped leeks until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally. This will take you around 20 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Throw in the minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, until the aroma of the garlic rises from the pan. At this point, remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside to cool.
Step 4 – Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Sprinkle a piece of parchment paper with flour. Remove the chilled dough from the plastic wrap and place it on the floured parchment paper. Use a floured rolling pin to roll it out into a ¼-inch-thick circle.
Don’t worry about the circle being perfect. Since a galette is a rustic tart, the less perfect the better.
Step 5 – Fill the Crust and Fold the Edges
Place the vegetable filling in the middle of the circle. Spread it out, but be sure to leave at least 2 inches of space between the filling and the edges of the dough.
Gently fold the edges inwards to create a galette. If the dough breaks, don’t worry – simply used wet fingers to press the dough back together.
Remember, the more rustic it looks, the prettier the final results will be, so don’t worry about making it perfect!
Step 6 – Bake the Galette
Transfer the galette together with the parchment paper onto a baking sheet and place on the middle rack of the oven.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
Serve and Tuck In!
After the galette has cooled briefly, use a sharp serrated knife to slice it into four wedges, and enjoy! Its buttery, flaky crust perfectly complements the sweet and savory filling that’s complete with a wonderful aroma, texture, and flavor.
This savory pastry is also incredibly pretty in a rustic way, which makes it great for serving guests when they come over. It’ll be obvious that it’s homemade with love!
How else do you like to eat butternut squash? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to check out some of these tasty recpes:
- Roasted Butternut and Beet Couscous Salad (Vegan)
- Squash Pancetta Mac and Cheese
- Hearty Argentine Lentil Stew (with Vegan Option)
Photos by Felicia Lim, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details.
*Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Felicia Lim
Felicia Lim is a Singaporean who moved to Argentina for love. Based in Buenos Aires, also known as “the Paris of South America,” she fills her days with freelance writing, recipe development, and food photography – three passions that give her endless joy. When she isn’t typing away at her computer, cooking in the kitchen, or shooting in her balcony-studio, you can probably find her curled up on the couch, lost in the pages of a good book.
