Butternut Squash Mac And Cheese

Calling all macaroni and cheese lovers—your favorite comfort food just got a fall flavor upgrade! Sweet cubes of harvest-orange butternut squash are roasted until tender, then blended with chicken broth into a creamy puree that makes a thick and rich Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese without the fuss of a making a white sauce.

Butternut squash mac and cheese makes a great side dish for weeknight meals or even special holiday ones. But it can also be an entree—just add a side of roasted vegetables or a crisp green salad.

Never worked with butternut squash before? No problem. We’ll help you break one down, from start to finish.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Ingredients

Classic mac and cheese ingredients are on this list, along with butternut squash. Here's what you'll need:

• Butternut squash: Some grocery stores sell these squash already halved or even cubed, but we'll show you how to prep it below if you need a hand.
• Olive oil: To coat the squash before roasting it.
• Salt and pepper: To season the squash.
• Chicken broth: We prefer a lower-sodium version so you can control the final dish's salt level.
• Whole milk and butter: Makes the sauce for the mac and cheese rich.
• Extra-sharp Cheddar: This cheese has enough flavor to balance the subtle sweetness of the butternut squash.
• Fontina: This adds a nuttiness and saltiness.
• Elbow macaroni: The classic mac and cheese pasta, but you could use any short noodle you have.
• Thyme leaves: A bit of freshness to garnish.
• Cooking spray: To coat the baking dish so the pasta won't stick.
  

How To Prep Butternut Squash

Butternut squash can seem intimidating at first, but they’re really easy to peel and cut once you know the steps. All you need is a good vegetable peeler and a sharp knife, then you’re ready to begin.

• Step 1. Peel the squash: Starting at the stem end, peel the squash with a Y-shaped vegetable peeler (they’re easier on your hands and require less strength). Peel the squash until the orange flesh begins to show—the skin is thick, so it may take more than one swipe with the peeler.
• Step 2. Halve the squash: Using a large, sharp knife, cut the stem and base ends from the squash, and toss them in the trash or better yet, the compost bin. Set the squash up right on its now flat base, then carefully cut downward to slice the squash in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the stringy pulp and seeds. FYI, you can roast the seeds just like pumpkin seeds for a nice snack or garnish.
• Step 3. Slice the squash: Once you’ve got all the seeds and squash guts out of the way, it’s time to slice. I find it easiest to cut the solid neck away and cut it into cubes, then tackle the round bulb end, which is less uniform in shape. There’s no way to be exact, so just cut the squash into similarly sized pieces so they’ll cook evenly.

And that’s it! Simply follow the recipe as directed, and before you know it you’ll be enjoying a fabulous mac and cheese made even better by the bounty of this glorious fall season.

How To Make Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Because there's no complicated cream sauce, this pasta dish is easier to make than you might think. Here's a brief outline. The full recipe is below:

• Step 1. Roast butternut squash: Cut the squash into cubes, and toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until tender (about 30 minutes). Let cool a bit.
• Step 2. Puree squash: Put the cooled squash in a blender with broth and process until smooth.
• Step 3. Make sauce: In a saucepan, warm milk and butter, then stir in the butternut squash puree, salt, and pepper.
• Step 4. Add cheeses: Remove squash mixture from stove, add cheeses, and stir until melted. Then add the pasta, and stir until fully coated.
• Step 5. Bake mac and cheese: Pour the mac and cheese into a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining cheeses, then bake until the cheese is melted and the top is golden brown (about 25 minutes). Garnish with thyme leaves.

How To Serve Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

You can serve this comforting dish as a side or an entree. It's up to you. It's plenty comforting and filling as a stand-alone meal, but if you want this to be a side, consider one of these dishes as the meaty main:

• Pork Tenderloin With Apples
• Smothered Steaks With Mushroom Sauce
• Honey-Garlic Chicken
• Maple-Chipotle Air Fryer Pork Chops
• Slow-Cooker Barbecue Chicken

How To Store Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese is obviously a great leftover to have for lunches or dinners later in the week. But you'll want to make sure it's stored properly.

• Fridge: Transfer the leftover pasta into an airtight container, and store in the fridge up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, or transfer to an oven-safe dish, cover with aluminum foil, and reheat in the oven at 300°F until warmed through.
• Freezer: You can freeze butternut squash mac and cheese, though we'd recommend you didn't. The sauce can separate when thawing, leaving you with some sad leftovers. If you do freeze them, make sure to thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the oven to help prevent separation.

More Mac and Cheese Recipes

This isn't the only macaroni and cheese recipe we love. Try one of these next:

• Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
• Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Fried Mac and Cheese Bites
• Barbecue Mac and Cheese
• Baked Mac and Cheese With Bacon
• Mac and Cheese With Ham