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Butternut squash mac and cheese

Name: Butternut squash mac and cheese
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: butternut squash 1kg, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces; olive oil 2 tbsp; macaroni or other small pasta shape 350g; unsalted butter 50g; plain flour 50g; whole milk 500ml; English mustard 1 tsp; mature cheddar 200g, grated; parmesan (or vegetarian alternative) 100g, finely grated; green salad, to serve

1 hour 15 minutes
serves 4
Easy

Add cubes of roasted butternut squash to creamy macaroni cheese for an autumnal twist on this comforting, crowd-pleasing pasta bake

By Adam Bush

Published: September 7, 2021 at 2:43 pm

Ingredients

butternut squash 1kg, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces
olive oil 2 tbsp
macaroni or other small pasta shape 350g
unsalted butter 50g
plain flour 50g
whole milk 500ml
English mustard 1 tsp
mature cheddar 200g, grated
parmesan (or vegetarian alternative) 100g, finely grated
green salad to serve

Method

Step 1

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Tip the butternut squash into a bowl, pour in the olive oil, season and toss well. Put on a baking tray and roast for 25-30 minutes or until softened and lightly caramelised. Tip back into the bowl and mash until smooth.
Step 2

Cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling salted water following pack instructions until al dente, then drain well.
Step 3

Melt the butter in a pan and, once foaming, tip in the flour. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the mix looks sandy and has coloured slightly. Pour in the milk little by little, while whisking, until it forms a smooth, lump-free sauce. Simmer gently for 5-10 minutes or until thickened slightly, add the mustard and three-quarters of the cheeses, then season. Add the cooked squash and pasta, and mix until really well combined.
Step 4

Tip into a 20cm x 30cm baking dish, then sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Serve with a green salad.