Berry Nourished

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

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Mac & cheese 2

This recipe is featured in the Huffington Post

Macaroni and cheese is my favourite comfort food! Traditionally, mac & cheese is really rich and heavy on the butter, cream and lots of cheese, so I wanted to try a lightened up version without compromising taste and texture, of course.

Mac & cheese 4Mac & cheese is an easy dish to get creative with different add-on’s: peas, kale, bacon, crab, cauliflower, and even a cashew cream sauce. I decided to turn to an unlikely ingredient for a boost – butternut squash. Combined with the 1% milk and the variety of cheeses, the squash adds a rich, nutty flavor, sneaks in a few servings of vegetable, and wonderfully mimics the color and creaminess of a rich cheesy sauce. A trio of bold cheeses packs more flavor than a one-cheese approach. Is your month watering yet…?

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Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Yield: 8

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

500 g whole wheat elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 medium butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups 1% milk
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
1/2 white onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 cup whole grain bread crumbs
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

    Preheat oven to 375 F. Toss the cubed butternut squash in 1 tbsp of oil. Roast the cubed butternut squash for 20-25 minutes, or until soft when pierced with a fork. When roasted and cooled, transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth. Coat a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with olive oil cooking spray.
    Add the macaroni to a large pot of boiling water and cook until tender but firm. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
    Heat the remainder of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add the milk and pureed squash to the saucepan and cook over medium heat until almost simmering, stirring often.
    Remove pan from heat and stir in the cheddar cheese, ricotta cheese, onions, salt, dry mustard and cayenne pepper.
    Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.
    Bake for 20 minutes, uncovered, then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.
https://www.berrynourished.com/butternut-squash-mac-cheese/

 

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Carolyn Berry

Welcome! I’m Carolyn, a Vancouver based registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, marathon runner and foodie. My passion is creating simple and nourishing recipes to share with you! I hope you enjoy looking around.

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