Roasted butternut squash mac and cheese is so luxurious and creamy topped with sage breadcrumbs for a perfect crunch and herby flavor. The most delicious gooey cheese sauce with plenty of onions and garlic – you're seriously going to love this one. A great easy fall dinner!
INGREDIENTS FOR THIS MAC & CHEESE:
- Dry pasta (shells, preferably!)
- Butternut squash
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Flour
- Whole milk
- Heavy cream
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Panko bread crumbs
- Fresh sage
- Red pepper flakes
KITCHEN EQUIPMENT YOU'LL NEED:
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Large baking sheet
- Blender or food processor
- Wood spoon/spatula
- Whisk
- Large pot x2
- 9x13 baking dish
HOW TO MAKE THIS ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC AND CHEESE:
- Step 1: Roast. Preheat your oven to 450℉. Peel and cube your butternut squash into 1" pieces. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until tender.
- Step 2: Puree. Add the roasted butternut squash to a blender or food processor and puree.
- Step 3: Pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions until al dente. Drain, don't rinse.
- Step 4: Sauté. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Sauté the garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes for about 3-5 minutes. Then add in the flour and mix together and cook for 1 minute, until lightly golden.
- Step 5: Sauce. To the pot, add the whole milk, heavy cream, butternut squash puree, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Mix in slightly, then add the drained cooked pasta (this will help melt the cheese).
- Step 6: Bake. Add the mac and cheese to the baking dish and sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs and chopped sage mixture. Bake for 15 minutes.
OTHER CREAMY CHEESY RECIPES:
- Caramelized onion & apple grilled cheese
- Spinach, cheese & pesto stuffed shells
- Perfect creamy tomato sauce
- Creamy pumpkin pasta with sage breadcrumbs
Roasted Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Description
Roasted butternut squash mac and cheese is so luxurious and creamy topped with sage breadcrumbs for a perfect crunch. The most delicious gooey cheese sauce with plenty of onions and garlic – you're seriously going to love this one. A great easy fall dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed (1") butternut squash - 1 ½ cups pureed (about 1 medium butternut squash)
- 16oz/1lb dried pasta shells
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 8oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450℉. Add the butternut squash to a large sheet tray and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until tender. Add to a blender or food processor and puree.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot, melt the butter and sauté the garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes for 3-5 minutes. Add in the flour and cook for 1 minute until lightly golden.
- Add in the milk, heavy cream, and pureed butternut squash. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and allow to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Add the cheese to the milk/cream mixture and stir to combine. Add in the drained pasta and stir in to finish melting the cheese.
- Add the mac & cheese to the baking dish and sprinkle with the panko and chopped sage. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
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This tasted super complicated but it was so easy to make! It was a huge hit at dinner. I also love sage and thought it complemented the roasted squash and sharp cheddar cheese well. Another cold night staple
★★★★★
I'm so happy you love this one as much as I do!
I forgot to add that I didn't have whole milk on hand, so I used low fat milk and it turned out just fine! It wasn't dry or lacking at all 🙂