Creamy Dairy-Free Swiss Chard and Butternut Squash Gratin
If you need a side dish that is sure to impress, this Creamy Dairy-Free Swiss Chard and Butternut Squash Gratin is THE ONE! And no one will believe it’s dairy-free (not even you)! Use gluten-free bread crumbs and it’s also a gluten-free dish!
I learned that I was allergic to cow’s milk two decades ago. Over the years, I have experimented to make “old favorites” deliciously dairy-free plus found new favorites. Because of that, I typically don’t miss real milk, cheese, ice cream, etc. But sometimes I crave a rich, creamy, cheesy dish … and this new creamy dairy-free Swiss chard and butternut squash gratin recipe fits the bill. I think it is the most delightful, decadent, creamy, comforting side dish I have made to date! 🙂 And it’s filled with healthy vegetables!! SCORE!
Dairy-Free Casserole Wins the Taste Test!
Back when we were experimenting with meal delivery kits, I received the ingredients for a butternut squash and Swiss chard casserole. Because the casserole recipe had so much dairy in it, I split the ingredients in two and made one per the instructions and the other adjusting this and that and making it dairy-free.
The result? For the first ever, my then-husband preferred the dairy-free version of something!! I couldn’t compare the two, but I loved my version so much that I really didn’t want to share it with him (but, of course, I did 😉 ). And then I promised myself I’d write down what I did so I could remake it … which I did, adjusting it slightly after remaking it a couple times.
Creamy Dairy-Free Swiss Chard and Butternut Squash Gratin – Can Be Made Gluten-Free Too
If you have Celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, this dish can easily be made gluten-free by using gluten-free bread crumbs for the top or just leaving them off. They’re a nice component of the dish, but the vegetables and creamy sauce are the stars.
If you ever need a side dish to impress or simply need a creamy, delicious blend of awesomeness for yourself, THIS is the dish to make! It pairs well with a spring salad (pictured below), but it’s also a comforting winter dish. This past Christmas, I doubled the recipe and made it Christmas dinner. All the beautiful red and green colors scream holiday dish, don’t you think? I love to make it year-round too. It’s seriously THAT good.
Creamy Dairy-Free Swiss Chard and Butternut Squash Gratin
Ingredients
- 1 bunch rainbow swiss chard
- 1 10-12 oz fresh pre-cut butternut squash
- 1/2 tsp fresh or dried chopped thyme
- 3 Tbsp olive oil (split in half - 1 1/2 and 1 1/2 Tbsp)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 shallot, chopped into small pieces (or half of small onion)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup plain coconut milk creamer or canneed coconut milk (I use So Delicious plain coconut milk creamer)
- 1/2 cup Daiya dairy-free mozzerella "cheese" shreds
Gratin topping
- 1/3 cup dairy-free bread crumbs (or gluten-free, d-f bread crumbs)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup Daiya dairy-free mozzerella "cheese" shreds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
- Wash Swiss chard, dry and then use a sharp knife to separate the stems and leaves
- Chop stems into 1/2 inch pieces and then rough chop the leaves; if the butternut squash is in large cubes, chop it into smaller pieces (if already small, awesome!)
- Toss on a cookie sheet with 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, the thyme + a little salt and pepper; roast in oven for 12-14 minutes (until tender and slightly brown)
- While the veggies roast, heat 1 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil in a skillet and sautee the chopped shallot and minced garlic in the other 1 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil for 3-4 minutes, then add the chopped Swiss chard leaves; cook until soft with about 1/4 tsp salt and a little pepper (to your taste)
- Turn the burner off; add the plain coconut milk creamer and Daiya "cheese" and stir.
- Transfer all of the ingredients from the roasting pan and the skillet into a casserole dish;
- Mix all of the ingredients for the gratin topping in a bowl then add to the top of the casserole dish; bake for 12-14 minutes (until the sauce is bubbling and the top is a little crispy). The Daiya cheese won't get really "melty," but the shreds will get soft (and tasty).
