Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

No ratings yet

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is super creamy and delicious. Squash adds a beautiful color, rich earthy flavor, and lots of extra nutrients.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: butternut squash mac and cheese, Butternut squash macaroni and cheese

Servings:

¾ lb penne or elbow macaroni
4 tbsp butter
½ medium onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic minced
4 tbsp flour
2 ½ cups milk
2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese or a combination of cheddar and gruyere
1 cup cooked pureed butternut squash (see cooking note above), from 1/2 medium squash
⅛ tsp nutmeg
⅛ tsp pepper
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375 ºF.
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente (for elbow macaroni, that's about 7 minutes, for penne, more like 10). Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, a bit at a time.
Bring sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and cook until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
Add shredded cheese, whisking until smooth. Whisk in butternut squash puree, nutmeg, pepper, and salt to taste. Add pasta to the sauce and stir to evenly coat. Transfer pasta to a buttered 2 quart (2 litre) baking dish.
In a medium bowl, combine all topping ingredients and sprinkle evenly over pasta. Transfer dish to oven and bake until topping is golden and sauce is bubbling at edges, about 20 minutes.