This savory galette is full of tender, roasted kabocha squash slices, sautéed spinach, and red onions. Sage, garlic, and Parmesan cheese add to the flavor. A tender simple pastry crust serves as the base for all this warm, comforting, and nutrition-packed deliciousness.
Kabocha squash (also known as Japanese pumpkin) has become my favorite squash. Like its inner color, its flavor is very vibrant and deep–kind of a cross between a sweet potato and a pumpkin, and its texture is my favorite part–fluffy but at the same time rich and smooth. Also, the skin is edible, so if you don’t want to peel it, you don’t need to.
The nutritional benefits are substantial too. Kabocha squash is full of beta carotene, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium. When paired with spinach, this squash galette delivers some good, positive energy! The only challenge is that the kabocha squash is a bit tough to slice, so a good knife and careful attention are helpful. This recipe only uses half of a small to medium sized kabocha squash, so save the other half in the refrigerator, and then use it for something like squash soup or roast it and fill it with your favorite filling, as I did with an acorn squash a couple weeks ago.
My fascination with galettes has not yet diminished. I love the endless variations and versatility. They can be sweet or savory, decadent or nutritious (sometimes both at the same time!), simple or more complicated, all depending on what you need or desire. The pastry crust is like the blank canvas, and the filling can be whatever you want–your favorite flavor combinations or the ingredients you need to use up before they spoil, all spun together with herbs and spices.
For me, any kind of squash paired with red onions is a great combination, both flavor-wise and visually. Adding bright green spinach makes it even more colorful and healthy. This kabocha squash galette is on the savory, nutritious side, and it makes a lovely fall or winter lunch, or with a salad or a bowl of soup, can be part of a hearty dinner. It tastes best warm, fresh from the oven, but can be eaten at room temperature as well.
It is already December(!) and we are in the season when it is dark as we wake up and dark before dinner time. Lights, coziness, and warm food are more important than ever now. I took our dog out the other night, and noticed that our neighbors put Christmas lights on a tree way in the back of their property. (They must have a really long extension cord!) It looks so pretty to see a tree all lit up out in the middle of the darkness. And then I looked up at all the stars. I don’t know why, but stars look brighter to me on cold nights. It is a truly beautiful time of year. I hope you all have a great weekend! I am sharing this recipe over at Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Linda @ La Petite Paniere and Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook.
Kabocha Squash Galette
Ingredients:
For the pastry crust:
- 2 cups of all purpose unbleached flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 2/3 cup of unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 6 to 7 tablespoons of cold water
For the filling:
- 1/2 of a small to medium sized kabocha squash, unpeeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup of red onion, sliced
- 1 and 1/2 cups of fresh spinach
- 2 teaspoons of fresh sage, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg (to spread around the edges of the dough, if desired)
Directions:
For the pastry crust:
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and the salt. With a pastry cutter or fork, cut in the butter and continue until the mixture resembles pieces about the size of small peas. Gradually add the water, a tablespoon at a time, gently mixing with a fork after each tablespoon. Add water until the dough is moistened and holds together but is not slimy. Form the dough into a ball. If desired, cover the dough with plastic and let it chill in the refrigerator while you are preparing the filling. (This makes it a bit easier to roll out.)
For the filling:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrub the kabocha squash well, since you will be keeping the skin on. Then cut the squash in half. Store one half in the refrigerator for future use. With the other half, scoop out the seeds. Then very carefully cut it into fourths, and then into thin slices. It can be a kind of tough squash to cut, so use caution! Toss the squash slices in a bowl with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. Place them in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake in your 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Pull it out of the oven and set it aside.
While the squash is roasting, slice your red onion, wash your spinach and pat it dry, wash and chop your sage, and mince your garlic. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion slices and sauté for about 7 minutes, or until tender. Add the spinach, sage, and garlic, and continue to cook over medium heat until the spinach is just wilted, just about 3 more minutes or so. Remove from the heat.
Assemble:
Raise your oven temperature to 400 degrees. Lay a large piece of parchment paper on your counter. Roll your ball of dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Keep the dough on the parchment paper. Carefully transfer the paper with dough on it to a baking sheet. Place the squash slices on the circle of dough, leaving a border of dough an inch or 1 and 1/2 inch around the edges. Spoon the spinach mixture onto the squash pieces, and then sprinkle grated Parmesan over the filling. Gently fold and pleat the dough over the filling. It doesn’t have to look perfect–that is the beauty of the galette. It is elegant in a rustic way. Crack an egg into a bowl and brush the edges of the dough with the egg with a pastry brush if you want it to look kind of glossy and golden. Bake in your 400 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Let the galette cool for about 10 minutes, and then slice and serve. Enjoy!
Ohhhh!! I love anything squash! I might have to take the whole galette with me! 😀 Thanks for bringing such delicious dish at this week’s FF party. Enjoy the weekend! 🙂
Thanks, Jhuls! I hope you enjoyed your weekend, and thank you for co-hosting this week!
This Galette is stunning and I love the flavors! Definitely to make more galettes this season! Thanks for sharing this with Fiesta Friday! 🙂
Thank you, Linda! Thank you for co-hosting Fiesta Friday this week!
I think kabocha is one of the best tasting pumpkins, if not the best. It’s not as watery as the other kind, so using it in a galette is such a great idea! Sounds delicious, Jenny, and super healthy! ??
Thanks, Angie! Yes, I am really enjoying kabocha this year. I never tried one before. I think I have even converted one non-squash lover in my family. 🙂 Hope you had a good weekend and thanks for keeping Fiesta Friday going!!
I love squash! This looks delicious!
Thank you, Mary!
I’ve never made a savoury galette before, but this one looks like a great place to start.
Thanks Hilda, I enjoy the flexibility of galettes and there are endless flavor combinations. I hope you enjoy this if you try it! Happy New Year!
Love this. Came out great. Easy to make with such great flavor!
Great, so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know!😊