Butternut Mac and Cheese with roasted butternut squash. This recipe takes a spin on an iconic American dish.
Fall and comfort food go hand in hand. The first time I made this dish, my husband came home and didn't look super excited.
Most of the time, he's super easygoing and open to trying new things. But when I told him we'd have Mac and Cheese for dinner ... he wasn't impressed.
To him, Mac and Cheese is kid food. And while there's nothing wrong with that, it's also not something he'd ever choose to eat.
But he's a good sport and tried it. After the first few bites, he sheepishly grinned at me and said: 'Okay, so this will have to go on our dinner rotation.'
If you've tried our Roasted Butternut Squash Salad recipe, you already know that butternut squash has some amazing health benefits.
Ingredients
Butternut Squash - Cut into bite-sized pieces.
PASTA - Barilla makes great gluten-free elbow pasta
Flour - If you want to keep this recipe gluten-free, use this All-Purpose Baking Flour.
Cheddar Cheese - Sharp cheddar adds an extra layer of flavor.
Butter - Make sure to use unsalted butter.
Milk - I used whole milk.
Vegetable Broth
SPICES - Nutmeg, dried mustard, salt, and pepper.
Leftovers
These days I mostly cook for my husband and myself, so we often end up with leftovers. And I love that you can freeze Mac and Cheese!
How to Freeze Butternut Mac and Cheese
Allow the Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese to completely cool down.
While you can certainly use Ziplock bags to portion out and freeze your leftovers, I prefer freezer-safe containers.
Shop the Tools
These are some of my favorite cooking tools I used to make the Mac and Cheese recipe.
More simple Recipes
- Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Maple Butter
- Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
- Roasted Lemon Chicken
- Chicken Sausage and Lentil Stew
- Roasted Salmon
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Roasting the Butternut Squash
- 32 ounces butternut squash diced
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup vegetable broth
Making the Pasta
- 12 ounces elbow pasta gluten-free
- ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoons salt
Making the Cheese Sauce
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free) millet or almond flour will work too
- 4-6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cups milk
- 12 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese I used sharp
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoons dry mustard
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. SUBTRACT 3 minutes from the recommended boiling time. This will prevent the pasta from becoming mushy later.
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Making Butternut Squash Puree
- Place diced butternut squash in a large bowl and season olive oil, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Toss and make sure the pieces are evenly coated.
- Transfer butternut squash onto a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes. Once you've done reduce the heat to 350°.
- Transfer the roasted butternut squash into a food processor and add vegetable broth. Blend until the butternut squash until creamy. Set aside.
Making the Cheese Sauce
- In a large sauté pan melt butter over medium-low heat, add flour and stir until the butter and flour have created a paste (roux).
- Slowly pour milk into the mixture. Stir frequently until the milk has warmed and the mixture has thickened. About 7-10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and dry mustard. Add ¾ of Cheddar cheese to the sauce. and simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Add cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and transfer everything into a large baking dish. Top with the remaining Cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 350º Fahrenheit.