I love Thanksgiving! I cooked my first turkey and stuffing when I was 16 years old. From there, I added to my Thanksgiving Dinner responsibilities yearly by taking on more and more side dishes and desserts. Somewhere along the way I started making a root vegetable casserole as part of my traditional Thanksgiving dinner. And this Root Vegetable Casserole recipe is my Nutrivore take on my old recipe.
Root Vegetable Casserole
Nutrivore Score – 528
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or oil of choice
- 1 onion sliced into half moons
- 1 pound summer squash or peeled zucchini, diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1 cup parmesan or romano or sharp cheddar cheese, divided (optional)
- 4 pounds root vegetables (use at least 4 different kinds, such as sweet potatoes, any variety of winter squash, green plantain, parsnip, carrot, boniato, etc.), diced into 3/4” pieces, about 10 cups
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until browned, about 10 minutes.
- Remove onions from the skillet and place in a 9”x9” casserole dish; set aside. Add another 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and add summer squash to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes.
- Add broth and wine to the summer squash. Simmer until liquid reduces by two thirds, about 15 minutes.
- Carefully pour the contents of the skillet into a blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until completely smooth.
- Add salt and ½ cup cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Taste and add extra salt, if needed. You want this sauce to be a little salty.
- Toss diced root vegetables with caramelized onion in the casserole dish. Pour the sauce from the blender all over the root veggies. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
- Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes, until root veggies are fully cooked. If the cheese is starting to burn, cover with a lid or foil. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Root Vegetable Casserole
Amount per Serving
Calories
309
% Daily Value*
Fat
9
g
14
%
Saturated Fat
3
g
19
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
5
g
Cholesterol
10
mg
3
%
Sodium
735
mg
32
%
Potassium
1066
mg
30
%
Carbohydrates
46
g
15
%
Fiber
12
g
50
%
Sugar
13
g
14
%
Protein
8
g
16
%
Vitamin A
213
IU
4
%
Vitamin C
49
mg
59
%
Calcium
248
mg
25
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Notes
You have plenty of time while the onion and zucchini are browning and while broth is reducing to chop up all the root vegetables for the casserole. To make this ahead you can either do steps 1-6 the day before, and then bake before serving or fully cook the day before (bake for 40-45 minutes, until the root vegetables are cooked al dente) and then reheat for 30 minutes in the oven before serving.
Interesting recipe. I cannot tolerate summer squash or zucchini. Any suggestions on what to substitute in that portion of recipe? Or, can these just be omitted? Thank you!
Hi Teri! This recipe is highly customizable. You could absolutely leave out the squash or simply replace it with another root vegetable like turnip, celery root, or rutabaga to name some more. Just use more of what you like or try something new!