This recipe began as a seasonal take on a classic game-day food, but as the real action has been in the political arena this fall, it morphed into a seasonal take on debate-day food. I can attest that a giant pan of nachos is the perfect distraction to make it through all ninety minutes of “civilized discussion” – provided they last that long.
An autumnal riff on traditional nachos, these have all the elements that make nachos so hard to stop eating- starting with crunchy corn chips and lots of cheese- but with creamy chipotle butternut squash and vinegary caramelized onions in lieu of salsa and refried beans.
The nachos have a mild heat level, but if you like things hot, add another half or whole chipotle pepper. Remember, you can always make the squash spicier, but it’s much harder to cool it down- so start with one small chipotle pepper and go from there. The recipe calls for a mix of Monterey Jack, the classic nacho cheese, and Fontina Val D’Aosta, a mild and nutty Italian cheese. It might seem like an odd combo but the two complement each other nicely. (If you can find it, use Italian Fontina cheese- as opposed to domestic Fontina. It’s more expensive, but infinitely better.)
Finally- full disclosure here- I originally added the salted pepitas and diced avocado because the nachos looked a little brown without them, but they ended up being the perfect addition as that extra bit of creaminess and salty crunch makes each bite sing. (And, really, is there anything avocado doesn’t improve?)
Make these next Wednesday for the final debate, along with a big batch of margaritas, and if nothing else, they’ll be something else to talk about when you just can’t think about the election anymore. Or, make them on November 8 with a HUGE batch of margaritas.
Butternut Squash & Caramelized Onion Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and ¾- inch diced (2.5 to 3 pounds)
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided
- 4 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, such as Goya
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- 1 (16-ounce) bag lightly salted corn tortilla chips
- 3 cups shredded Fontina D’Aosta cheese (¾ pound with the rind)
- 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounces)
- 1 Hass avocado, small-diced
- ¼ cup salted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the squash on a sheet pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the cinnamon and ½ teaspoon salt and toss lightly with your hands. Roast for 30-35 minutes, until tender, tossing twice during cooking with a metal spatula so the cubes brown evenly. Set aside the squash and the pan.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large (12-inch) sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cover for 10 minutes to let them steam. Remove the lid and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes, until the onions are caramelized and golden brown. If the onions are cooking too fast, lower the heat. Add the vinegar and ½ teaspoon salt and cook for 2 more minutes, scraping the brown bits from the pan. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Place the cooked squash in the bowl of a food processor. Add the chipotle pepper, maple syrup, chicken broth, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and process until smooth. If the puree seems very thick (this will depend on the size of your squash) add an additional 1/4 cup chicken stock.
- Spread one layer of chips onto the sheet pan you used to roast the squash. Spoon half the squash mixture on top, distributing it as evenly as you can. Spoon half the caramelized onions on top, followed by half the Fontina and half the Monterey Jack. Repeat with remaining chips, squash, onions and cheese to make one more layer. Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is beginning to brown at the edges.Sprinkle with the avocado and pepitas and serve!Copyright 2016, Lidey Heuck, All Rights Reserved
Great idea for a meatless nachos recipe. I will try it even when it is summer.
These look delicious and impossible to stop eating. Thanks for sharing!
Happy Halloween ??