Butternut squash is a new found love for me. It was definitely not something I grew up eating and even to this day I have only tried this fruit (or is it a veggie? I don’t know the answer.) a handful of times. Do you cook a lot with butternut squash? I’m realizing that I have been missing out and would love to hear about your favorite butternut squash recipes!
Since there is never an instance that I would turn down any variation of macaroni and cheese (this this this this AND this), we thought we might as well try mac & cheese with butternut squash. Afterall…fall is totally here, isn’t it?!?
Once we cooked and pureed the squash and milk it transformed into this creamy orange mixture that I was so into. We added an embarrassing amount of cheese, a pound of shells and some cauliflower (to keep it healthy, of course) and then we baked it until it was bubbly and golden brown. You can definitely taste the squash and cauliflower components but this was a welcome change of pace to ordinary mac and cheese in my opinion.
Here’s what you’ll need
Cube the butternut squash
While the butternut squash cooks, cooking the pasta and cauliflower TO AL DENTE. Remember it’s still going in the oven
Once the butternut squash is fork tender, use an immersion blender to puree until smooth
In goes the cheese!!
Now the AL DENTE pasta and cauliflower
Sprinkle on some more parmesan cheese…for good measure. Now into the oven it goes
Bake until bubbly and golden brown on top
- 4 cups butternut squash, cubed and peeled
- 4 cups low- fat milk
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 ounce parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 pound pasta, uncooked (we used medium shells)
- 2 cups cauliflower, finely chopped
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine the squash and milk in a large dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, taking care not to scorch the milk. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is fork tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. While it’s still hot, add most of the cheese, leaving just enough to sprinkle over top before baking.
- Cook the pasta in the same pot as the diced cauliflower, until barely al dente. It will finish cooking in the oven. Drain well.
- Add the pasta and cauliflower to the squash mixture in the dutch oven. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, until browned and bubbly.
