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butternut squash mac and cheese in casserole dish with scoop out
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5 from 8 votes

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese combines the flavors of a homemade cheese sauce with pasta and morsels of tender butternut squash for a delicious mac and cheese that’s ready for cooler weather.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: butternut mac and cheese, butternut squash mac and cheese, vegetarian mac and cheese
Servings: 4
Calories: 661kcal
Author: Gwynn Galvin

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbs. butter
  • 1 lb. butternut squash cubes , about 3 heaping cups
  • 1 onion , chopped, 1 cup
  • 1 tsp. dried marjoram
  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 8 oz. cavatappi pasta
  • 8 oz. Fontina cheese , grated, 3 cups
  • 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup seasoned Panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375F. Coat 6-cup baking dish with cooking spray.
  • In large non-stick skillet melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook butternut squash, onion, marjoram, kosher salt and pepper until mixture is just tender, 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Meanwhile, cook pasta to al dente according to package directions; drain.
  • Combine vegetable mixture and pasta in prepared baking dish.
  • Reserve 1 cup Fontina cheese.
  • In same large non-stick skillet heat evaporated milk until hot. Stir in mozzarella and remaining Fontina cheese. Reduce heat to medium; stir constantly until cheeses are melted and mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes.
  • Pour cheese sauce over pasta mixture in baking dish and toss until evenly coated.
  • Bake, covered, 30 minutes.
  • Uncover. Combine Panko and reserved 1 cup Fontina cheese. Sprinkle over pasta.
  • Bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted, breadcrumbs are golden and mixture is hot and bubbly, about 15 minutes.

Notes

Served as a main dish this recipe makes 4 servings.
When served as a side dish this recipe makes 8 smaller servings. 
Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
  • Make this recipe with shell pasta or elbow pasta
  • You can puree some or all of the butternut squash mixture and add it to the cheese sauce
  • Stir in fresh, or defrosted frozen, peas
Substitutions
  • You can substitute these vegetables for the butternut squash:
    • Acorn squash
    • Fresh pumpkin
    • Sweet potato
  • Substitute dried sage for the dried marjoram

Nutrition

Calories: 661kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 1103mg | Potassium: 663mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 13038IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 568mg | Iron: 3mg