Butternut Mac and Cheese

City Market Prepared Foods

Put a local twist on the classic mac and cheese by adding butternut squash! 

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Yield

4 Servings

Ingredients

1 squash, butternut (peeled and diced (about 2 pounds))
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 ounces butter (unsalted)
2 ounces flour, all-purpose
1 1⁄2 cups milk (warmed)
4 ounces cheese, cheddar (shredded (Shelburne Farms 2 or 3 year cheddar is recommended))
8 ounces pasta, elbow (cooked according to package directions and drained)
  salt (to taste)
  black pepper (to taste )

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Toss butternut squash with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 30 minutes or until cooked & nicely browned (squash is done when piercing with a fork will meet no resistance). Remove from baking pan and reserve

For the roux:

Place butter in a saucepan over medium high heat.  Add flour all at once whisking vigorously. When mixture thins and starts to bubble, reduce heat to low.. Cook 10 minutes, stirring.

For the sauce:

Add the warm milk to the roux, stirring vigorously. Continue cooking until sauce thickens. Continue stirring especially into the edges (this sauce scorches easily); the consistency should be like a soup. You can thin with more milk if it’s too thick. An electric hand blender can be helpful for this step. Strain sauce through a fine mesh strainer. Stir in cheddar and season to taste. Toss together cooked pasta, squash and sauce. Adjust seasoning as necessary. Place in a casserole dish and broil in the oven for a few minutes until the top is lightly browned.