Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Crostini

With Thanksgiving being less than one week away, my tastebuds have already started firing on all cylinders as we all get ready for the annual feast. Two of my favorite flavors that work well for a Thanksgiving dish are sweet and savory. The recipe that I’m sharing with you in this post brings both of those flavors together with an additional crunch factor to make for a fun and tasty appetizer.

If you are a fan of butternut squash, then you know that a beautiful and tasty sweetness comes through when seasoned and baked, especially when prepared with ingredients like cinnamon and maple syrup. Goat cheese, on the other hand, lends itself naturally to savory dishes. For me, it is an excellent spread for bread and crackers when accompanied by olives, crunchy vegetables, or seasoned with fresh herbs.

The key ingredient to this recipe, which helps bridge the sweetness of the butternut squash and the savory of the goat cheese, is fresh sage. If you’re not familiar with sage, it is a soft, almost velvety-like leaf that has an earthy flavor that is very complementary to butternut squash. A rich butter sage sauce screams all flavorful things autumn. The way that we are incorporating the sage in this recipe really helps drive home that savory taste.

In order to help bring out the flavor of the sage, we start by sautéing the leaves in olive oil for about 30-45 seconds, until the leaves become fragrant and start to crisp. After removing the leaves, the oil will retain the earthy sage flavor. The infused oil can now be used to coat the butternut squash prior to baking, enhancing the flavor of the butternut squash as it bakes. Adding a few of the chopped sautéed leaves to both the baked butternut squash and the goat cheese mixture will really help bring all of the flavors together.

Aside from representing some of the classic tastes and flavors of Thanksgiving, this recipe is also fairly easy to make (although a food processor is recommended), and the butternut squash and goat cheese spreads can be prepared up to a day in advance. By allowing yourself 10-15 minutes for assembly, your appetizer will be ready to go without much effort involved on the big day. You can even purchase toasted crostini chips from your grocery store if you are short on time to toast up your own baguette slices. Now that’s something to be thankful for!

Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Crostini

Makes approximately 36 Crostini

Ingredients:
1 medium-to-large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
6 fresh sage leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional as needed
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon maple syrup (you can add a bit more syrup for a sweeter taste if you prefer)
1/4 cup garbanzo beans
4 ounces goat cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup pecan pieces (optional, and toasted if you prefer)
One baguette or long thin loaf of crusty bread, cut into 1/2 inch slices (or you can purchase toasted crostini chips)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Peel, seed and cut up your butternut squash. Next, you will heat up the three tablespoons of olive oil in a small sauce pan. Add the fresh sage leaves to the heated oil for about 30-45 seconds, until they start to darken in color. Remove the sage leaves from the oil, pat them dry and set aside. Let the sage-infused oil cool slightly.

Place the cut up butternut squash into a large mixing bowl. Add the sage-infused oil, one teaspoon salt, black pepper, cinnamon and maple syrup to the bowl. Mix together so that all of the butternut squash is evenly coated. You can drizzle a bit more olive oil if necessary to help coat the squash. Spread the squash on a large baking sheet that is lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the squash is tender and starts turning a golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.

If you are toasting up your own crostini, leave the oven on, turning the temperature down to 350 degrees

While the squash is baking, you will prepare the goat cheese spread. Add the goat cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt (whichever you prefer to use), a pinch of salt, small drizzle of olive oil and three of the chopped sage leaves to a bowl. Mix well. For a creamier texture, you can mix it in a food processor. Adjust the salt and olive oil to taste. Set aside when mixed.

Once the squash has cooled, you will place the squash, garbanzo beans and three remaining sage leaves into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. You can season with additional salt, pepper and cinnamon to your liking.

If you are using purchased crostini chips, then you are ready for the assembly.

If you are toasting up your own crostini, place the slices of bread on a large baking sheet. Lightly drizzle each slice with olive oil and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Bake the crostini at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes, or until the bread is toasted. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes.

Now for the assembly! Spread a layer of the goat cheese mixture on each crostini. Add a dollop of the butternut squash mixture on top of the cheese. Sprinkle with chopped pecans if you desire. Plate, serve and enjoy!

Happy and blessed Thanksgiving wishes to you all!