Butternut Squash Macaroni Cheese (Printable)

Tender macaroni with roasted squash and creamy cheese sauce topped with crispy breadcrumbs.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 small butternut squash (about 1.5 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cut into ¾ inch cubes
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Pasta

04 - 10.5 oz macaroni or short pasta

→ Dairy

05 - 3.5 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 4.2 oz mature cheddar cheese, grated
09 - 1.75 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - ½ tsp ground nutmeg
11 - ½ tsp mustard powder
12 - ½ tsp salt
13 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Topping

14 - 1.4 oz panko breadcrumbs
15 - 0.7 oz grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 2 tsp olive oil

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Spread squash cubes on the tray, drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast 25 minutes until tender and lightly browned.
03 - Boil salted water and cook macaroni until al dente per package instructions. Drain and set aside.
04 - Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 3-4 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes until thickened.
06 - Add roasted squash to sauce and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
07 - Stir in cheddar, Parmesan, nutmeg, mustard powder, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat once cheese melts and sauce is smooth.
08 - Mix sauce with drained macaroni and transfer to a lightly greased baking dish.
09 - Toss panko breadcrumbs with 2 tsp olive oil and Parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over pasta.
10 - Bake for 15 minutes until golden and bubbling. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The butternut squash makes the sauce naturally creamy without feeling heavy, so you can eat a full bowl without that guilty-afterward feeling.
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means weeknight dinner or last-minute entertaining without stress.
  • Once you taste how the nutmeg and squash play together, you'll never go back to plain mac and cheese.
02 -
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy after adding cheese, you likely overheated it; warm milk and off-heat cheese additions prevent this heartbreak.
  • Roasting the squash first is non-negotiable because it brings out sweetness and concentrates flavor in a way steaming never does.
  • Don't skip the blending step thinking you can just chop the squash small; the pureed squash is what makes this taste luxurious rather than chunky.
03 -
  • Make the sauce up to two days ahead and store it in the fridge, then assemble and bake on the day you want to serve it for less stress.
  • If the pasta seems dry when you're stirring in the sauce, add a splash of pasta cooking water to loosen it up before it goes in the oven.
  • Let the finished dish rest for five minutes after baking so it sets just enough to serve with pride rather than it collapsing on the plate.

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