Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Another thing I've never been able to get quite right is macaroni and cheese. Anyone can throw in bacon and carmelized onions and call it a gourmet mac and cheese, but the skill is in making it not ridiculously fatty while also delicious and creamy.

This one did it! I don't even have anything to add to it. It's just perfect. You could add bacon to it, sure, but obviously I prefer it vegetarian. I ended up putting bacon bits and green onion as garnishes if people wanted, which is definitely a nice thing to do if you want to.

Taken from Skinnytaste, here: https://www.skinnytaste.com/butternut-squash-mac-and-cheese/

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, a healthier version of macaroni and cheese is so creamy and delicious, no one will ever guess it’s also good for you!

INGREDIENTS

  • Olive oil spray
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 pound cubed butternut squash
  • 10 ounces whole wheat elbow pasta
  • 1 ½ cups low sodium vegetable broth, divided
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 medium shallot, minced
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups skim milk
  • ½ cup shredded gruyere cheese
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • Chopped chives, optional, for garnish
  • Sriracha sauce, optional, for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9” x 11” glass baking dish with oil and set aside.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add squash and boil until tender, 5-6 minutes.
  • When fork tender, transfer squash with a slotted spoon to a blender.
  • Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions. When cooked, drain and put back into the pot.
  • Meanwhile, add ½ cup vegetable broth, onion powder, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to the blender with the squash. Blend until smooth and creamy.
  • In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • Melt the butter in a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the shallots and cook another minute.
  • Add the remaining 1 cup broth and milk and whisk to combine. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook 5 minutes, whisking frequently.
  • Remove pot from heat and whisk in cheese, pureed squash, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.
  • Add sauce to noodles, gently mix to combine, then transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.
  • Sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture and bake 25 minutes. Switch oven to high broil and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until crumbs are starting to brown.

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