If you've got a butternut squash on the counter and a sourdough discard jar in the fridge with no clear plan for them, this butternut squash galette is where both should end up. Roasted squash, whipped goat's cheese, caramelised red onion and walnuts, folded into a sourdough crust that does more work than any shop-bought pastry ever will.
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Why Sourdough Pastry Works So Well Here
Sourdough discard isn't just a tidy way to avoid binning starter, though that's reason enough on its own. The mild acidity in the discard relaxes the gluten in the flour, which is why this pastry rolls out easily and holds a pleat without cracking or springing back on you. It also browns more evenly than a standard shortcrust, so you get a deep, biscuity crust colour without overbaking the middle.
This is the same base I use for my Cherry Tomato Galette With Sourdough Pastry Crust and Sourdough Courgette Galette. If you want the technique explained in more depth, my Sourdough Pie Crust post covers it properly.
A Few Notes on the Filling
Most butternut squash galette recipes lean on cream cheese and stop there. I use it as the base and layer goat's cheese through it, some mixed in and some torn over the top at assembly, so you get pockets of tang against the sweetness of the squash rather than one flat note of richness.
Red onion instead of the usual yellow or shallot. It holds its colour better once cooked down and has a sharper edge that cuts through the cheese in a way a milder onion doesn't.
How to Stop the Base Going Soggy
This is the part most butternut squash galette recipes skip: the failure point isn't usually the pastry, it's moisture from the filling. Squash and onion both release liquid as they cool, and if you build the galette while either is still warm, that moisture goes straight into the base.
Roast the squash until just tender rather than fully soft. It finishes cooking during the final bake, so it doesn't need to be collapsing at the roasting stage.
Let both the squash and the onion cool completely, ideally to room temperature, before you start assembling.
And don't skip the egg wash on the pastry border; it seals the fold and gives the crust something to brown against instead of steaming in its own filling.
Serving Suggestions
This works as a light vegetarian main with a sharp green salad alongside, or cut into smaller wedges as a starter or part of a spread. It's rich enough that it doesn't need much else, a squeeze of lemon or a few extra thyme leaves is usually all it wants.
Storage and Make-Ahead
The squash and onion can be roasted and cooked a day ahead and kept in the fridge, which is genuinely worth doing if you're serving this for a gathering. Assemble and bake close to serving rather than the night before, the pastry is at its best within a few hours of coming out of the oven.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at around 180°C (160°C fan) rather than the microwave, which will leave the crust soft instead of crisp.
recipe FAQs
A galette is a free-form tart, pastry rolled into a rough circle, filled, and folded loosely over the edges rather than baked in a tin. There's no fitting pastry to a dish, which makes it far more forgiving than a traditional tart or pie.
It's best warm or at room temperature, when the goat's cheese is still soft and the crust hasn't fully firmed up. Straight from the fridge, the pastry turns dense rather than flaky.
The pastry method is the same one I use for my Courgette Ribbon Sourdough Galette With Whipped Feta, but the filling here is built for the colder months, roasted rather than raw, and rests on goat's cheese instead of whipped feta.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes To Try
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Sourdough Butternut Squash Galette
Equipment
- Box grater
Ingredients
For the Sourdough Galette Pastry
- 160 g (5.6 oz) unsalted butter frozen
- 250 g (2 cups) plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar optional
- 100 g (~½ cup) sourdough discard 100% hydration, fridge cold
- 3-5 tablespoon cold water
For the Filling
- 500 g (1.1 lb) butternut squash peeled and deseeded
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) butter knob of butter
- 75 g (2.5 oz) cream cheese
- 150 g (5.5 oz) soft goat's cheese divided (100g and 50g)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves plus extra to finish
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 40 g (⅓ cup) walnuts roughly chopped
- 1 egg white beaten with a drop of milk (egg wash)
- honey to drizzle (optional)
Instructions
Sourdough Pastry
- Weigh out the butter and place it in the freezer 1 hour before you start making the pastry.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and sugar (if using).
- Coarsely grate the frozen butter into the flour mixture and toss together to coat the butter pieces.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the sourdough discard with 3 tablespoons of ice water (reserve the rest for later, should the dough be too dry).
- Add the sourdough mixture to the flour and, using a blunt knife or fork, work it in to form a dough. If it's too dry, add a little more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, and knead just enough to bring it together.
- Flatten the dough, wrap tightly in cling film and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Roasting the Squash
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Slice the squash into thin half-moons, about 5mm thick. Toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper, and spread out on a baking tray.
- Roast for 18-20 minutes, until just tender and lightly coloured at the edges but not falling apart. Set aside to cool completely.
Red Onion
- Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the sliced red onion and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly sweetened. Season with a small pinch of salt. Set aside to cool.
Cheese Base
- In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, 125g of the soft goat's cheese, egg yolk, minced garlic, thyme leaves and salt. Mix until smooth.
Assembly and Baking
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Prepare the egg wash by beating the egg white with a drop of milk.
- On a large sheet of parchment paper dusted with flour, roll the chilled pastry into a rough circle, about 35-40cm in diameter and 2-3mm thick.
- Spread the cheese mixture over the pastry, leaving a 5cm border.
- Arrange the roasted squash slices over the cheese, slightly overlapping.
- Scatter the cooled red onion over and between the squash.
- Tear the remaining 50g of goat's cheese into small pieces and dot over the top, tucking them among the squash and onion.
- Fold the pastry edges over the filling, pleating loosely as you go, and brush the edges with egg wash.
- Slide the parchment paper with the galette onto a baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown.
- Leave the galette to cool and firm up for 10-15 minutes. Scatter over the walnuts and a few extra thyme leaves, and finish with a light drizzle of honey if using. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
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