Butternut squash macaroni and cheese

Recipe adapted from: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/butternut-squash-mac-cheese/

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound (about 4 cups) diced butternut squash*
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
  • 1 pound uncooked pasta (I used shells)
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 8 ounces good-quality sharp cheddar cheese, shredded* (note: I used assorted cheeses that we had in the fridge)
  • Spices (note: I used sage and nutmeg)
  • fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
  • Optional: bread crumbs and butter for the end!
Directions:

  1. Bring a large pot of generously-salted water to a boil.
  2. Bring a second pot of the broth to a boil. Then add in the butternut squash and stir to combine.  Continue cooking until the stock reaches a simmer.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and mashes easily with a fork.
  1. Transfer the squash mixture to a blender.  Add in the milk and give the mixture a quick stir.  Then very carefully (I recommend slightly opening the cap on the blender lid, so that excess steam can escape) pulse the mixture until smooth.
  2. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente.  Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water for later.  Then drain the pasta.
  3. While the pasta is cooking, return the butternut squash mixture back to the pot over medium-high heat.  Add in the shredded cheddar cheese, and stir until it has melted into the sauce.
  4. Taste and season the sauce with salt and pepper and spices as needed. 
  5. Then once the pasta is drained, return it to the stockpot.  Pour the butternut cheese sauce on top of the pasta, and toss to combine.  If the sauce is too thick, add in some of the hot starchy pasta water to thin it out.
  6. We didn’t feel like throwing the whole thing in the oven, so we filled personal ramekins with a scoop of Mac and cheese and then topped them with bread crumbs, butter, and Parmesan, and we through them in the air fryer to get a crispy crust on top.

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