Cheesy Butternut Squash Barley Bake

Ingredients

Contains: milk, wheat (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• ½ cups Pearled Barley
• 1-½ cup Water
• 2 cups Diced (Peeled) Butternut Squash
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole Small Onion Peeled And Diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, Peeled And Minced
• 2 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
• 1 cup Milk (low-fat Is Fine)
• ½ cups Shredded Cheese (Gruyere Or Cheddar Both Work Great)
• 1 Tablespoon Chopped Sage (basil Or Chives Also Work)

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Put the pearled barley and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, covered, for about 25 minutes until tender. Drain any extra liquid.

2. While the barley cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook about 5 minutes until soft, then add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.

3. Add the diced butternut squash to the skillet and cook about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash starts to soften.

4. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and simmer about 3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens.

5. Stir the cooked barley, half of the shredded cheese (Gruyere or cheddar), and the chopped sage into the skillet. Basil or chives can be used instead of sage if preferred.

6. Transfer the mixture to an 8-inch baking dish and scatter the remaining cheese over the top.

7. Bake for about 20 minutes until bubbling and golden on top.

8. Let the bake rest for 5 minutes before serving.