Creamy Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is a welcome spin on a family favorite. Sweet, mellow roasted veggies elevate the classic cheese sauce. Serve stovetop style, or bake it casserole style with buttery breadcrumbs. Bonus points for this recipe being easily adaptable for gluten free diets.
Arrange the squash, onion, and garlic cloves in a casserole dish. Drizzle with the olive oil, then season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus the thyme, sage, pepper, and nutmeg. Toss until the vegetables are evenly coated with the oil and spices.
Transfer to the oven and roast 45 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are soft and starting to caramelize around the edges.
While the vegetables bake, cook the pasta according to package directions in water seasoned with the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
Transfer the softened vegetables to a blender or food processor. Add the heavy cream and ½ c pasta water. Puree until very smooth. Add the cheeses in ½ cup batches, pureeing in between each addition. If the mixture becomes too thick, add 2-3 tablespoons pasta water. Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if needed.
Pour over the pasta and fold until well combined. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. At this point, the mac and cheese can be served as is, or you can proceed and make a baked casserole.
To bake: reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and olive oil in a small bowl; mix until well combined and the breadcrumbs are evenly moistened. Transfer the mac and cheese to a lightly oiled casserole dish, then sprinkle with the breadcrumb topping. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and the mac and cheese is bubbling.
Notes
Nutritional information includes breadcrumb topping.