‘Tis the season for strange and delicious combinations.
How many things can I reasonably put butternut squash into before you roll your eyes? Apparently a lot. I’ve been experimenting nonstop—roasting, mashing, topping, layering—just to see how far squash can go.
Happy Monday. Today we’re eating nachos.
Usually by November 1 I’m fully in the holiday mindset — sometimes I’m blasting Christmas tunes the day after Halloween, other years I cling to Thanksgiving until the very end. Thanksgiving remains a top contender for my favorite holiday, so I like to savor it.
This year feels different. Somehow it’s already November and I’m not mentally there yet; it makes me feel oddly old. To counteract that, I made nachos. It helps.
I’ve bought more squash this fall than the entire last year. I can’t resist roasting it for lunches, dinners, sides, mains or even snacks with a smear of coconut butter. It tastes like autumn in a bite — sweet, cozy, and so comforting.
I’ve long loved pairing squash with cheese—fontina, in particular, is heavenly melted over roasted squash. Adding mushrooms, especially when cooked in garlic and butter, elevates the combination. The mushrooms bring earthiness and richness that make the mix irresistible.
On a recent trip, I enjoyed a lasagna that combined squash and mushrooms, and it stuck with me. Since then I’ve been craving that same flavor profile. Instead of a full bake this time, I took a shortcut: piled the squash, garlic-butter mushrooms and melty cheeses over tortilla chips and broiled everything until bubbly. The result was layered texture and comfort — exactly what nachos should be.
Then there’s the cheese. Between fontina and a bit of gruyere, the gooey, nutty melt is addictive — I might very well be turning into a wheel of cheese someday. I also added crispy sage leaves for brightness and texture; frying sage briefly in butter until crisp makes a small but powerful garnish.
I finished the nachos with a generous drizzle of balsamic glaze. The glaze balances the squash’s natural sweetness with a pleasant tartness and pulls the whole dish together.
Spiced Butternut Squash, Garlic Butter Mushroom and Fontina Nachos with Crispy Sage
Pin Recipe
Leave a Review »
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- a pinch of cardamom
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
- 8 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
- 6 ounces gruyere cheese, freshly grated
- 12 to 15 fresh sage leaves
for serving:
- sour cream or Greek yogurt
- balsamic glaze for drizzling
Instructions
-
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the cubed squash, season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and cardamom, and toss. Cover and cook until just fork tender, stirring once or twice, about 10 minutes. Transfer the squash to a bowl and set aside.
-
In the same skillet, add another 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over low heat. Add the diced shallot and minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and, when melted, add the mushrooms, stirring to coat. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes, then remove from heat and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl.
-
In the same skillet, add the remaining olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once sizzling, add the sage leaves and cook about 30 seconds per side until crisp. Remove the leaves and drain on paper towels.
-
Preheat your oven’s broiler on high. Assemble the nachos by layering half the chips, a handful of cheese, some squash, mushrooms, more cheese, and repeat to create 2–3 layers so every bite is cheesy. Broil 2–3 minutes until the cheese melts and becomes bubbly and golden. Top with crispy sage leaves and serve immediately with sour cream or Greek yogurt and a drizzle of balsamic glaze if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to follow @howsweeteats on Instagram and tag #howsweeteats. I appreciate you so much!
Can you even? These nachos are that good.