Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

I'm straying a bit from our typical gluten and dairy-free theme this week, sharing one of the things I make my two daughters who don't have food restrictions. Everyone loves a good mac and cheese, but something I struggle with the number of commonplace foods that are just differently shaped combinations of grain and dairy. Mac and cheese. Cereal and milk. Quesadillas. Grilled cheese sandwich. Nachos. Crackers and cheese. Cheese pizza. Biscuits and gravy. On and on and on, with nary a vegetable in sight. And while I'm not in the "absolutely never" camp on these things, I do think that people generally feel best if they eat fruits or vegetables with every meal. So I started making butternut squash mac and cheese for my kids, and kept making it for me.

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There are some recipes where the addition of vegetables becomes cumbersome, adding lengthy process and steps. Not the case here. The butternut squash blends smoothly into this cheese sauce, adding the right color, consistency, and flavor, while letting us reduce the amount of of dairy we use overall (no milk needed - just a little cheese, cream cheese, and splash of cream).

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Of course this recipe can easily be made gluten free by swapping for gluten free noodles. I also make a dairy-free version using the sauce I make for my dairy-free scalloped potatoes, with the addition of the butternut squash and chicken stock in this recipe. It works really well, so if you're wanting dairy-free that's a great option.

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For my recipe I like to use pancetta, because I think that bacon can sometimes take over the flavor of mac and cheese. Which isn't always bad, since bacon is supes delish. Use whichever you prefer - or maybe use whichever one you use least and try something new.

I hope you give this one a try, and if you do let me know what you think! It's my favorite mac and cheese recipe to date, and something I feel at least a little better about indulging in.

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Recipe by Chris Loves Julia

4.8 from 4 votes

Course: Chris Cooks

Servings

6-8

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

kcal

Ingredients

• 8 servings large macaroni or shell pasta

• 2-3 tbsp salt

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• For the sauce

• 4 oz diced pancetta or bacon (optional)

• 1 1/2 cups chicken bone broth

• 1/2 cup water

• 2-3 cups butternut squash, large diced

• 1/3 block cream cheese

• 1/4-1/2 lb aged sharp cheddar cheese, grated

• 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream

Directions

• Cook the pasta
• Fill a pasta pot with water to the fill line. Season with the salt, vinegar, and olive oil. Bring to a boil over medium heat, add the pasta, stir, and cook until al dente. Remove, strain, and set the noodles aside.
• Make the cheese sauce
• Heat a medium pot on the stove and add the pancetta if using. Brown the pancetta until rendered and crispy. Remove from the pot to a plate lined with paper towel to drain and set aside.
• To the same pot add the chicken broth, water, and squash. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook until the squash is completely tender, about 10 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender and put back over medium low heat. Add the cream cheese and whisk until completely melted in. Add 1/4 cup of sharp cheddar and 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream and whisk until melted in. If the sauce seems too runny, add more shredded cheese.
• Add the cooked noodles to the cheese sauce and fold together. Serve warm topped with the crispy pancetta. Enjoy!