Every fall and winter, I make this butternut squash mac and cheese at least several times. It is a celebration of my favorite winter squash. Besides, I love adding vegetables to my dinners in any way that I can. The combination of squash, carbs, and melty cheese genuinely comforts my soul. This baked mac and cheese was inspired by the Three-Cheese Baked Mac from Better Homes & Gardens. I made a number of changes to the original recipe. First, I cut the amount of cheese in half and used gluten-free pasta. Additionally, I added butternut squash puree to mac and cheese. Inspired by my friend Sabrina’s baked mac with carrot, I decided to add butternut squash puree to this mac and cheese. The idea of adding a bit of sweetness to a mac and cheese dish sounded so intriguing, I had to try it for myself. Friends, butternut squash in mac and cheese tastes PHENOMENAL.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC AND CHEESE COOKING NOTES
Choosing the right gluten-free pasta: When I first created this recipe, I was eating gluten free, which is why I used gluten-free pasta. After trying out quite a number of brands, I’ve found that Ancient Harvest, Tru Roots, Bionaturae and Banza work very well for this butternut squash mac and cheese recipe. I have been eating Banza’s pasta more lately because they contain a lot more protein and dietary fiber than other pastas. Because their pastas are made from beans, you will detect a bean flavor in the pasta. Substitutions: This recipe works well with pumpkin puree!Adding Broccoli: I made a version of this with chopped up broccoli florets, and it tasted great. I mixed some of the florets into the mac and cheese and spread some on the top. The florets at the top get nice and crunchy!
KITCHEN TIP #1: HOW TO CUT BUTTERNUT SQUASH
KITCHEN TIP #2: HOW TO MAKE BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE
If you like my videos, I would love it if you could give it a thumbs up on YouTube! For the latest updates, subscribe to my YouTube channel. Note: This is an updated version of the recipe that I published in March 2016. I simplified the cooking method and added new photos and a video tutorial on how to make the dish.
