Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Welcome to the best ever butternut squash mac and cheese!

It’s a creamy three-cheese mac with a creamy butternut squash sauce tossed with cavatappi noodles.

It’s cozy, cheesy fall-inspired comfort food!

How to make butternut squash mac and cheese

Featured Ingredients

• Butternut squash: You can roast or steam a whole, peeled and seeded squash or steam a bag of frozen squash.
  • Either way, the cooked squash will be pureed with plain Greek yogurt, milk, stock and spices then simmered with cheese.
• Pasta: I use twirly cavatappi, but any tubular pasta works perfectly.
  • You want to make sure there is sauce inside the noodle, of course!
• Greek yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt will add richness, creaminess and a boost of nutrition to the sauce.
• Milk and stock: The milk adds creaminess and the stock adds flavor.
• Spices: Nutmeg, cayenne, salt and black pepper, to be exact.
  • Trust me, this combo is fabulous in a cheese sauce.
• Butter: A few tablespoons for creamy saltiness.
• Cheeses: I like a combination of cheddar, Gruyere and Parm.
• Breadcrumbs: Panko, for ultimate light crispiness for the topping.
• Parsley: Optional, but adds freshness and color.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut butternut squash in half, lengthwise, and scoop out seeds.
3. Place in baking dish, flesh side down, and pour water in the baking dish.
4. Roast in oven for 35-40 minutes, until soft.
5. Scoop out cooked flesh and discard skin.  Set squash flesh aside.
6. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain and set aside.
7. Meanwhile, place butternut squash, Greek yogurt, milk, chicken broth, salt, black pepper, nutmeg and cayenne in a blender and puree until smooth.
   1. (If the squash is still hot, remove plastic cap from blender lid and place a kitchen towel over it so steam can escape and the hot contents don’t explode.)
8. Heat butter in a saucepan and add squash puree.
9. Add marble jack, Gruyere and half of the Parmesan cheese and cook on medium, stirring, until cheese is melted.
10. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
11. Coat a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray.
12. Add cooked pasta to the baking dish and pour in the squash/cheese sauce.
13. Stir until combined. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.
14. Remove dish and turn oven on low broil. Top pasta with remaining Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Spray top with cooking spray.
15. Place back in the oven and broil for 4-5 minutes, until top is browned, rotating the dish if necessary.
16. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley (if using).

Recipe Substitutions and Alterations

• Instead of butternut squash: Try canned pumpkin or sweet potato (or butternut squash).
  • You could also use another winter squash, like acorn.
• Instead of cavatappi: Use any tubular pasta.
• Instead of Greek yogurt: Use more milk.
• For the milk: Use low-fat or whole milk.
• For the stock: Use vegetable or chicken.
• For the cheeses: Use any combination of your favorite melty cheeses.

Nutrition Considerations

• To make this gluten free: Use gluten free pasta and breadcrumbs.
  • Be sure all other ingredients are gluten free.
• To make this nut free: This recipe does not contain nuts.
  • Be sure all packaged ingredients are nut free.
• To make this egg free: This recipe does not contain nuts.

Luscious pasta recipes:

• Cheesy Taco Pasta
• Ricotta and Beef Zucchini Roll-Ups
• Tater Tot Casserole
• Chorizo Fried Rice
• Tuna Casserole with Potato Chips
• Simple Spaghetti with Peas
• Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake

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