There's nothing quite like homemade mac n cheese — it's truly one of my all-time favourite comfort dishes, and now my kids are equally smitten.
The hardest part of this dish is patience, waiting for the roux (the butter, flour, milk mixture) to thicken, but it is well worth the wait. Adding the roasted butternut squash adds a lovely sweetness and a touch of nutrients to this carb-heavy indulgence. You could also add some spinach leaves or kale to make it even healthier, but my kids take great offence to the addition of anything "green". This dish also freezes well if you want to make it in advance!
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash, split in half and seeds scooped out
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil (divided)
- Salt and pepper
- 12 oz. macaroni
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 8 oz. grated cheddar cheese
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
Method
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Rub 1 Tbsp. of olive oil on the two squash halves and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until the squash is soft in the middle, about 30 minutes.
Once cooled, peel the skin off and mash the squash with a fork until you have ½ cup. Save the rest for another use (like butternut squash soup!). Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain, return to the pot, toss with the remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil, and set aside.
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. While stirring with a whisk, slowly sprinkle in the flour. Add the minced garlic and chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes.
Slowly add the milk while whisking, then add the vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking all the while, then reduce the heat to medium-low. The sauce will thicken — this takes about 5–10 minutes, so be patient. You'll know it's ready when the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Stir in the grated cheese and the ½ cup of mashed butternut squash. Season well with salt and pepper, then stir in the cooked macaroni.
Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray and add the macaroni mixture. Spread evenly and sprinkle with the panko crumbs. Cover with foil and bake for 12 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 8 minutes until the topping is golden and crispy. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Serve and enjoy!