Butternut Squash Galette is a savory butternut squash galette with caramelized leeks, gruyere cheese and the flakiest pastry dough ever!

Butternut squash galette overhead cut into slices

In cooking school, I had an improvisational exam prep where I had to create a dish out of butternut squash and spinach with no recipe.  I made a savory galette, and I was so happy with it that I couldn’t wait to post it here.

I made it this butternut squash galette at home the weekend after I graduated, but it needed more squash and leeks.  This meant I needed to make it again to get the recipe just right, which I was more than obliged to do. 🙂

slice of butternut squash galette

We need to talk about the pastry dough for this galette first and foremost.  This dough was dubbed “Super Dough” in class because it can do no wrong.  It’s so buttery and flaky, and while it benefits from chilling, it’s not necessary.  

Super Dough is made in the food processor, so it comes together in minutes, which is I why I chose this particular dough to memorize for my improvisational exams.  

It’s the perfect for pastry novices, because it’s got plenty of butter in it, which makes it quite forgiving.  Even if your not a pastry novice, this is a pastry dough you need in your repertoire, because who doesn’t want a dough that’s super simple, forgiving, and doesn’t require chilling?  

It’s a dream come true.

This dough recipe calls for milk instead of water, and vinegar as well.  The milk helps the crust brown more quickly, and the vinegar makes it super flakey.  Super dough = super flakey. 🙂

How to make butternut squash galette collage

In the top left diagram, the flour and salt are placed in the food processor first and pulsed to combine, then the cold butter cubes are added.  The mixture is pulsed about 30-35 times, until it resembles a coarse meal and the butter is in pea-sized chunks.

The top center diagram is what the dough looks like after the milk and vinegar have been added and pulsed until the dough forms moist clumps.  You can do this further until the dough forms more of a ball, but I chose not to over process it, dump it out, and knead it gently into a disk by hand.  At this point, you can wrap the flattened disk in plastic wrap and chill it, or just keep on going. 🙂

I rolled out the dough to about 1/8″ thick, and it was about 16″ across.  It’s a lot of dough, so you can decide whether you’d like to make one large galette or smaller ones.

How to make butternut squash galette 2

The leeks are the next important thing, and these can be done ahead of time, even a day or two before.  Simply cut the dark green tops off the leeks, and cut them lengthwise down the center as shown in the first photo.  

Wash the leeks by placing them under running water and separating the layers so all of the dirt and grit can just flow out.  Halve the leeks, then slice thinly.  You’ll have a lot of leeks here, but they cook down to nothing, and you need plenty to top that dough, giving it lots of moisture.

The center diagram shows the leeks cooking with a parchment paper lid on very low heat.  What the lid does is helps the leeks steam and soften.  After 20 minutes, you can remove the lid and increase the temperature to get the leeks nice and caramelized, about another 15-20 minutes.

You’ll need quite a large butternut squash for this recipe as well, and I prefer one with a very long neck so I can get those pretty half moon pieces and fewer seeds.  I roasted them on two rimmed baking sheets because if they’re overcrowded in the pan they steam instead of roast.

How to make butternut squash galette 3

The squash should be soft, but not mushy, because it will continue to cook and caramelize during the galette baking time.  

I roasted the squash and cooked the leeks the day before so that all I needed to do on galette baking day was make the dough and assemble.  

How to make butternut squash galette 4

When assembling the galette, mix the leeks with a tablespoon or two of Greek yogurt.  If you don’t have that, you can use sour cream or creme fraiche.  This gives the leeks more moisture and some richness.  

Spread the leeks over the galette, leaving about an inch and a half of dough around the edges for folding.  Next, layer the squash in a decorative pattern, and top with the Gruyere cheese.  Fold the dough over, overlapping slightly, and brush with egg wash.  

In 30 minutes, you’ll have a beautiful, golden brown galette.

In school I served this galette with my spinach walnut pesto, which was delicious, but I think it’s great on it’s own as well.  

The best part about this butternut squash galette is that you can customize it to your liking. 

Or quite possibly the best part is the fact that this galette means it’s perfectly acceptable to eat pie for lunch or dinner. 😉

Slice of butternut squash galette

We all want an excuse to eat pie for lunch or dinner, don’t we?  

Consider this galette to be your perfect excuse. 🙂

More pastry recipes:

Blueberry Galette

Heirloom Tomato Galette

Quick and Easy Flaky Pie Crust

Ratatouille tart by Smitten Kitchen

Tomato tart by Pioneer Woman

Butternut squash galette overhead cut into slices

Butternut Squash Galette

Butternut Squash Galette is a savory tart with roasted butternut squash, caramelized leeks and gruyere cheese in the flakiest pie dough ever!
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Ingredients

For the Super Dough:

  • 10 ounces all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces 2 sticks cold unsalted butter cut into ½” cubes
  • cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 large egg yolk and 2 teaspoons of water for egg wash

For the Squash:

  • pound butternut squash peeled, seeded, and sliced into ¼” slices
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • sea salt to taste

For the leeks:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lb. leeks dark tops removed, washed, halved, and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt I used Chobani 0%
  • 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Instructions 

Prepare the dough:

  • Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Remove the lid and top with the cold butter chunks. Replace the lid and pulse 30-35 times, or until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with the butter in pea-sized chunks.
  • Mix the vinegar with the milk in a measuring cup. With the processor running, add the milk through the feed tube until the mixture begins to clump and form a ball. Remove from the processor on a lightly floured work surface and flatten into a disk. At this point, the dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled, or assemble the galette with the cooled roasted squash and leeks.

Prepare the squash:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the squash slices with the olive oil, honey, cayenne, and enough salt to season well. Place in a single layer on (2) rimmed baking sheets, being sure not to overcrowd the pan or the squash will steam instead of roast. Bake for 30-35 minutes until nicely softened but not mushy. Cool.

Prepare the leeks:

  • Heat the butter and oil in a large sauté pan over low heat. Add the leeks and salt, and sauté until coated with the butter and oil. Place a parchment lid over the leeks, which is a square of parchment paper with a small hole cut out in the center. This will steam the leeks gently to soften.
  • After 20 minutes, remove the lid, and increase the temperature to medium low, careful not to burn the leeks. When the leeks are caramelized, about 15 – 20 more minutes, remove from heat and cool.

Assemble the galette:

  • Roll the dough out in a large circle ⅛" thick, and roll it loosely around a rolling pin, then unroll it onto a large cookie sheet.
  • Mix the cooled leeks with the 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt, and add salt and pepper to taste. Spread over the dough, leaving a 1½" border around the edges to fold the dough over.
  • Layer the squash over the leeks in a decorative patter, overlapping slightly. Top with the grated cheese. Fold the dough over, crimping and overlapping the edges, then brush with the egg wash.
  • Bake at 400 degrees until the galette begins to brown, about 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake until golden brown on the top and the bottom, about 15-20 minute. Cool 5 minutes on wire rack, and serve warm. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Total time above includes cooking the leeks and the squash at the same time, and cooling the squash and leeks before assembling.
  • The dough, squash, and leeks can all be made ahead, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Just roll out the dough, assemble, and bake!
  • Super dough recipe adapted from Tante Marie Cooking School, San Franicsco, CA.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 422kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 90mg, Sodium: 293mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 7g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

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