Butternut Squash and Broccoli Cheese Clafoutis

A clafoutis (cla-foo-tea) is traditionally a sweet French dessert that contains cherries. While that sounds divine, I had brunch with friends and needed to make a savory dish to share. A clafoutis is an egg based dish and I can see many variations of this recipe as options for a great breakfast. And you can prep a lot of it the night before to make it super easy to put together in the morning if you need! This would also be a great way to meal prep for an entire week of breakfast to grab on the go as it reheats well too!

You will need:

• 2.5 cups butternut squash, cubed
• 1 cup broccoli, diced
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups (8 oz) cheese, I used Colby Jack
• 1/4 cup (2 oz) Italian cheese, I used Parmesan
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp garlic
• salt and pepper

Additionally:

• Instant Pot
• 13x9 glass Pyrex pan
• basting brush
• whisk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

This recipe is adapted from A Taste of Home's recipe, with some adjustments due to taste and dietary restrictions. I am using an Instant Pot for part of this cooking, but feel free to prep your squash and broccoli however you prefer. If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can certainly roast, steam or cook these ingredients in a pan instead!

Butternut squash is a great winter squash featuring a nutty, savory flavor. It is an excellent source of vitamins A and C and also a great source of dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium and provides calcium and iron too. I love butternut squash fries and soup and it's a welcome addition to any breakfast (if you ask me anyway).

Butternut squash can be hard to peel and cut up, but we are going to utilize the Instant Pot for this recipe which makes processing the squash quick and easy. Wash and dry the squash first, then cut in half lengthwise. Use a melon baller (or spoon) to remove the seeds. Place the squash in an Instant Pot (I used a 6 quart Duo for this) on top of the metal trivet and add one cup of water. Pressure cook on high for 7 minutes.

When the squash is done cooking, quick release the pressure on the Instant Pot and open the lid. Gently remove the squash from the pot with tongs and place it on a cutting board. Let cool for a few minutes so you can handle the squash easier. Peel and chop the squash into 1/2 inch cubes. You will need 2.5 cups of squash cubes, set aside.

Next we will cook the broccoli in the Instant Pot. I'll admit, the two things I cook most in my Instant Pot are eggs and broccoli! The Instant Pot makes perfectly steamed broccoli every time, we love it!

Cut your broccoli into florets and place in a steamer basket. Note, if you are using a fine mesh basket as I did here, do not chop your broccoli into little bits. You will be cleaning chunks of broccoli out of your basket forever. Cut into florets and then pressure cook for 0 minutes. Make sure there is still water from the squash, add a cup of water if needed.

Once the timer goes off, quick release the pressure from the pot, remove the broccoli and dice 1 cup. Set aside.

Next we will make the batter. Beat 4 large eggs in a bowl. Add in 1.5 cups of milk, a half cup of flour and a tsp of minced garlic. Whisk. Add salt and pepper to taste then add in both types of cheese and mix to combine.

Once the oven is preheated to 400 degrees F, pop the 13"x9" pan into the oven with 1 tablespoon of butter. Let the butter melt, then remove the pan from the oven and brush the butter around the pan, including up the edges. You can manage to do this by moving the butter around, but I found it easier to just use a basting brush.

Now that the pan is ready, it's time to assemble the clafoutis. Pour the egg mixture into the pan, then top with broccoli and squash. Give the pan a little shimmy shake (keeping in mind the dish is hot!) and then pop back into the oven. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes.

The clafoutis is done when the edges are slightly browned and the middle has set. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. This sets up great and slices out beautifully! I can already see variations on this recipe to include other favorite omelette fixings such as ham, pepper and onions. You can change out the cheese to your preferences as well. This was a great edition to our brunch, make sure to have the recipe on hand to give out! Enjoy!