Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Recipe

scooping some butternut squash mac and cheese from a bowl using a fork.

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Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Recipe

Butternut squash mac and cheese is a pot of creamy, golden pasta in a cheese sauce made with roasted butternut squash, fontina, sharp cheddar, and a little mozzarella, seasoned with sage, thyme, paprika and nutmeg. It's a classic cheesy comfort with a mellow sweetness from the squash, a touch of Dijon tang, and a crunchy panko topping. Perfect fall comfort dish!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 5

Total Time1 20

Course: dinner, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 510kcal

Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

Roasted Butternut Squash:

2 lb butternut squash (2 cups butternut squash pureed)
1 Tbsp avocado oil or canola oil
1/2 tsp kosher coarse salt

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese:

1 lb pasta your choice
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp AP flour
2 garlic cloves pressed
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp dried rubbed sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 cups pureed roasted butternut squash from above
1/2 tsp kosher coarse salt more or less to taste
8 oz fontina cheese block
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese block
4 oz mozzarella cheese block

Panko Topping (Optional):

1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage
3 Tbsp butter, melted

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Roasting Butternut Squash (can be made ahead):

Preheat the oven to 400℉.
Wash the butternut squash and wipe it dry. Carefully pop the stem off and cut it in half with a large knife.
Use an ice cream scoop or a spoon to scrape out the seeds and membrane and discard.
Rub both halves with oil on both sides and sprinkle some salt over the cut side of each half of squash.
Cover a baking sheet with some aluminum foil and place the butternut squash halves on it cut side down. Place in the oven and roast at 400℉ for 40-45 minutes, depending on size, until completely fork-tender.
Once roasted, let it cool a little and scoop the flesh out. (You can store it in the refrigerator or use it in macaroni.)

Panko Bread Crumbs Topping:

Mix the panko, parmesan cheese, dried sage, dried thyme together and them mix with melted butter.
Spread the panko mixture on parchment paper covered baking sheet, make sure it's in one even layer.
Bake in the oven at 375℉ for 5-7 minutes, until golden brown. Take out and set aside.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese:

Cook pasta: bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil and season with about 1.5 Tbsp of kosher coarse salt. Add in the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Once done, drain off pasta and set aside. Use the same pot to cook the mac and cheese.
Prep the ingredients: while pasta is cooking, measure all the ingredients. Grate the cheese on the large size grate of the box grater.
Combine roasted butternut squash flesh with about 1/2 cup of milk in a blender and blend smooth.
In the same pot as you used to cook pasta, melt butter over medium heat and once melted, whisk in flour. Let it simmer a few seconds and whisk in paprika, nutmeg, dried sage, dried thyme, pepper and pressed garlic. Stir and let it sauté for about 30 seconds.
Start pouring in milk while whisking at the same time. Once milk is whisked and smooth, let it heat through.
Lower the heat to medium-low and whisk in Dijon mustard and salt. Whisk in butternut squash puree until smooth.
Stir in grated cheese, one handful at a time, letting it melt in between each addition. Once sauce is smooth, add back the cooked pasta.
Stir pasta with sauce and once all combined. Turn off the heat and serve.
Optional: Top off each bowl with crunchy Panko bread crumb mixture.

Notes

Squash: a 2-pound butternut squash gives about 2 cups of puree. Roast it up to 3-4 days ahead and refrigerate. You can also freeze the scooped squash for up to 8-12 months, though it turns out thinner after thawing.
Cheese: grate all the cheese from blocks for the smoothest sauce. Use low-moisture mozzarella, not fresh.
Topping: toast the panko separately and sprinkle it over each bowl so it stays crunchy. Store any extra topping separately from the mac and cheese.
Gluten free: use gluten free pasta, gluten free all-purpose flour in place of the AP flour, and gluten free panko.
Reheating: add about 1/4-1/3 cup of milk to the pot and reheat covered over medium-low, stirring every few minutes. For single bowls, add a couple of tablespoons of milk and microwave in 30-45 second increments, stirring in between.

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