Name: Butternut Squash, Leek and Goat Cheese Casserole
Ingredients: 3 pounds of Butternut Squash peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 2 medium whole ones); 2 tablspoons Olive Oil; Kosher salt; 3 cups of sliced Leeks (the pale green parts only); 1 Cup of Milk or Heavy Whipping Cream; 1 5.5 oz log of Goat Cheese; 1/2 Cup of Chopped Pecans; 2-3 tblspoons of Butter

Why it works: Butternut squash and olive match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 689 recipes. Both carry coumarin, which smells sweet, hay. The science ↓

Butternut Squash, Leek and Goat Cheese Casserole

Oven450°F to roast the squash; 375°F to bake the casserole

Ingredients

3 pounds of Butternut Squash peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 2 medium whole ones)
2 tablspoons Olive Oil
Kosher salt
3 cups of sliced Leeks (the pale green parts only)
1 Cup of Milk or Heavy Whipping Cream
1 5.5 oz log of Goat Cheese
1/2 Cup of Chopped Pecans
2-3 tblspoons of Butter

Directions

Prepare the squash

Microwave the whole butternut squash one at a time for 2-3 minutes. This will soften it up and make it easier to cut open.
Cut open lengthwise, scoop out the insides and peel. Cut into 1/4 inch cubed pieces.
Mix in a large mixing bowl with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper (as much or as little as you like).
Pour squash cubes out onto a large baking dish and bake for 25-20 min at 450 degrees.

Cook the leeks

While squash is baking, sauté leeks in a large skillet with butter for 10-15 minutes until cooked (but not brown).

Assemble and bake

Spread a layer of butter on bottom of casserole dish. Then add half of the leek mixture, followed by a layer of butternut squash pieces, and a layer of goat cheese. Repeat with a second layer of all three.
Add the cup of milk. Sprinkle the pecans on top.
You can make the above part up to 24 hour in advance.
Bake for 30 min at 375 degrees (45 min if previously chilled) until cheese is melted and milk is bubbling. Serve immediately!

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

764Calories

18 gProtein

67 gFat

27 gCarbs

Counts 8 of 9 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 8 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Pecans	1 oz (28g / ~19 halves)	196
Milk	1 cup (244ml) whole	149
Olive Oil	1 tbsp (14g)	119
Goat Cheese	1 oz (28g)	103
Butter	1 tbsp (14g)	102
Cream	1 tbsp (15ml) heavy	51
Onion	1 medium (110g)	44
Salt	1 tsp (6g)	0
Pumpkin	not in our table	0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

Butternut squash + olivetop 7% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together689 recipes

Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
Milk + buttertop 7% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together81,283 recipes

Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
Olive + goat cheesetop 7% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together573 recipes

Shared aroma: methyl 2-methylbutyrate (apple, fatty).
Butternut squash + leektop 9% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together1 recipe

Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
Olive + pecanstop 9% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together716 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-undecenal (sweet).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Butternut squash: Provides the bulk and sweet, tender body of the casserole once softened by roasting.
Leeks: Add mild onion-like sweetness and savory depth as they soften in butter.
Goat cheese: Melts into creamy, tangy layers that give the casserole its rich texture.
Milk: Adds moisture that turns into a bubbling, saucy base during baking.
Pecans: Add crunch and toasty, nutty flavor against the soft layers.

The step that matters

Cook the leeks until soft but not brown. Leeks cooked too hot or too long turn brown and bitter, while gentle cooking softens them and develops their sweetness, so they blend well into the casserole.

Swap the leek

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (butternut squash, olive, milk, goat cheese, pecans, butter):

Sweet potatofits better
Potatofits better
Shallotfits better
Leekthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against butternut squash, olive, milk, goat cheese, pecans, butter. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

Macaroni and Cheese102 recipes

Cheese Making50 recipes

Cheese Fritters34 recipes

Leek Soup31 recipes

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Butternut Squash, Leek and Goat Cheese Casserole