Q : Why do you undercook pasta for baked mac and cheese?

A : The pasta continues cooking once it goes into the oven and also absorbs some of the sauce. Cooking it 1–2 minutes less than the packet instructions helps stop it from becoming too soft once the mac and cheese has finished baking.

Q : Can you make butternut squash mac and cheese ahead?

A : Yes. The squash, infused milk, and topping can all be prepared ahead, or you can assemble the entire dish and refrigerate it before baking. For the creamiest texture, assemble ahead and bake once close to serving rather than baking the casserole twice.

Q : How do you keep baked mac and cheese creamy?

A : Start with a smooth béchamel, add the warm milk gradually, and make sure there is plenty of sauce around the pasta before it goes into the oven. Slightly undercooking the pasta also helps because it finishes cooking in the sauce instead of becoming overly soft or dry.

Creamy Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Description

This creamy butternut squash mac and cheese combines roasted squash with a sage-infused béchamel, mature cheddar, and Parmesan, then finishes in the oven under a crisp breadcrumb topping. It’s cozy fall comfort food with plenty of creamy sauce and a golden baked top.

Ingredients

For the roasted butternut squash:
1 1/2 cups (350g) roasted butternut squash flesh See our roasted butternut squash halves recipe or whole roasted butternut squash recipe for step-by-step roasting instructions.

For the infused milk:
4 cups (1l) whole milk
1 thick slice onion
1 bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
4-6 fresh sage leaves

For the pasta:
1 lb (450g) macaroni or short pasta
Salt, for pasta water

For the sauce:
4 tbsp / 2oz (60 g) butter
1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (150 g) mature cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 cup (50g) Gruyère or Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Optional bacon crumb:
5 oz (150g) streaky bacon, finely chopped
3/4 cup (50 g) Panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped

Optional vegetarian topping:
3/4 cup (50 g) Panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup (30 g) Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped

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Instructions

1. Roast the butternut squash Prepare the roasted butternut squash using either our roasted butternut squash halves recipe or our whole roasted butternut squash recipe. Once roasted, let the squash cool slightly, then scoop out the soft flesh and set aside. Chef’s Tip: For the smoothest sauce, use very soft roasted butternut squash. Mash it with a fork before adding it to the béchamel. 2. Infuse the milk

Add the milk, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, and sage leaves to a saucepan. Heat until just below boiling point, then remove from the heat.

Cover and let the milk infuse for 20–30 minutes. Strain and discard the flavorings.

3. Cook the pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously season the water with salt. Cook the pasta for 1–2 minutes less than the packet instructions.

Drain and set aside.

Chef’s Tip: Slightly undercook the pasta. It will finish cooking in the oven and soak up some of that creamy sauce.

4. Make the topping and set aside

For the bacon crumb, cook the chopped bacon in a frying pan until crisp. Add the breadcrumbs and sage, set aside.

For the vegetarian topping, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, olive oil, and sage in a small bowl, set aside.

5. Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a large casserole dish with butter,and set aside.

6. Make the sauce

Make the roux by melting the butter in a large heavy base pot over low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook gently for 1–2 minutes without letting it brown.

Gradually whisk in the warm infused milk until smooth. Simmer for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy.

Chef’s Tip: Add the milk slowly at first and whisk well between additions. This is the easiest way to keep the sauce smooth and lump-free.

Whisk in the roasted butternut squash flesh until smooth. Add the cheddar, Gruyère or Parmesan, nutmeg, and season with salt, and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is creamy.

7. Assemble

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir until well coated. Spoon into a greased baking dish.

8. Bake

Sprinkle the topping over the pasta. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20–25 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top.

9. Serve and Enjoy!

Let the mac and cheese rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Storage and Make-Ahead

Make ahead: The roasted squash, infused milk, and breadcrumb topping can all be prepared ahead. You can also assemble the mac and cheese ahead and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. For the creamiest result, I’d bake it only once rather than baking, chilling, and reheating the whole casserole. If baking straight from the fridge, it may need a little longer in the oven because the dish will be cold.

Leftovers: Once cooled, cover and refrigerate leftovers. Reheat gently until piping hot, keeping in mind that the pasta will absorb more sauce as it sits.

Pumpkin shortcut – Try replacing the roasted butternut squash with canned pumpkin purée when you don’t have roasted squash ready to go.

Add roasted squash cubes – For more texture, keep the sauce more traditional and fold Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes through the pasta instead of blending the squash into the béchamel.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35–40 minutes
Category: Main Course / Pasta Bake
Method: Stovetop + Baked
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (without the optional bacon or vegetarian crumb)
Calories: 677
Sugar: 11.3 g
Sodium: 656 mg
Fat: 28 g
Carbohydrates: 77.7 g
Protein: 27.8 g
Cholesterol: 76.5 mg