Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Prep Time: Cook Time: Total Time: 15 mins 20 mins 35 mins

Servings: Yield: 10 1 9x13-inch casserole

This test kitchen-approved butternut squash mac and cheese recipe is rich, creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak some healthy vegetables into your favorite comfort food! Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Ingredients These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this butternut squash mac and cheese recipe:

• Pasta: This recipe calls for rotini pasta, but you can use whatever pasta shape you like (such as shells or elbow macaroni).

• Butter and flour: The roux for the cheese sauce starts with equal parts butter and all-purpose flour.

• Seasonings: Season the sauce with garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, nutmeg (optional), salt, and black pepper.

• Milk: Two cups of milk ensures a smooth, rich, silky cheese sauce.

• Butternut squash: Learn how to cook and mash the butternut squash in the instructions below.

• Cheese: A blend of white and yellow Cheddar cheese creates a perfectly balanced flavor.

• Bread crumbs: Use store-bought seasoned dry bread crumbs or make your own at home.

How to Prepare Butternut Squash This recipe calls for cooked and mashed butternut squash. Here’s how to prepare it at home:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2. Place squash, cut-side down, on a lined baking sheet.

3. Roast squash in the preheated oven until soft, 40 to 50 minutes.

4. Remove squash flesh from skin.

5. Process squash in a food processor or with a potato masher until very smooth.

How to Make Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make homemade butternut squash mac and cheese:

1. Boil the pasta, drain, and return to the pot.

2. Make the roux, then whisk the milk into the roux and cook until thick.

3. Stir in the squash and cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Stir the sauce into pasta and transfer to a baking dish.

5. Top with bread crumbs and bake until the topping is golden brown and bubbling.

Test Kitchen Tips This recipe was developed in our test kitchen. Check out some tips and tricks from culinary experts that might make the cooking process easier:

• Substitute whole grain pasta for regular pasta to boost the fiber.

• Short on time? Use one pound of frozen cubed butternut squash. Cook according to package directions and mash before using in this recipe.

• “I would double the squash and add crispy sage leaves to really boost the squash experience,” says recipe tester Kathryn Hendrix. “Yummy with some brown butter garlic bread.”

• To make this a vegan recipe: Substitute two cups of cashew cream for flour, butter, milk, and cheese. Blend the squash into the cashew cream for an extra smooth sauce.

• “Add peas or other frozen vegetables along with whole grain pasta variation for an especially fiber-rich comfort dish,” says Kathryn.

How to Store Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Store your leftover butternut squash and mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. We don’t recommend freezing this dish, as the noodles likely won’t thaw well.

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package rotini pasta

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• ½ teaspoon dry mustard

• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (Optional)

• 2 cups milk

• 3 cups cubed butternut squash, cooked and mashed

• 6 ounces shredded white Cheddar cheese

• 6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

• salt and pepper to taste

• ¼ cup seasoned dry bread crumbs, or as needed
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
   

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain pasta and return to the pot.
   

3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, garlic powder, onion powder, dried mustard, and nutmeg; cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk milk into flour mixture and cook until bubbling and thickened to the consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
   

4. Stir squash, white Cheddar cheese, and Cheddar cheese into milk mixture until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper.
   

5. Add cheese sauce to pasta and stir to combine; transfer mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with seasoned bread crumbs.
   

6. Bake in the preheated oven until topping is golden and sauce is bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving) 297 15g 27g 13g

Calories Fat Carbs Protein