Best Squash Baked Macaroni Recipes

BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place butternut squash, cut-side down, on a baking sheet.
• Roast squash in the preheated oven until soft, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove squash flesh from skin and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook the rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk flour and mustard into melted butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk milk into flour mixture until the mixture has the texture of heavy cream, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir butternut squash, white Cheddar cheese, and Cheddar cheese into milk mixture until cheese is melted. Stir rotini into cheese mixture. Pour cheese mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with bread crumbs.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bread crumbs are golden, about 10 minutes.

SQUASH BAKED MACARONI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with oven racks placed in the upper and lower third of the oven. Butter a 14-by-10-by-3-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon room-temperature butter; set aside. Divide squashes between two rimmed baking sheets; drizzle with oil. Toss squashes until evenly coated. Rub the cut sides and the cavities of the squashes with the remaining tablespoon room-temperature butter, and season with salt and pepper. Place cut sides down, and bake until squashes are very soft, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Do not turn off oven.
• When the squashes are cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scoop flesh into the bowl of a food processor; discard skins. Add cream and milk; puree until smooth. Add nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper. Process until well combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; set aside.
• Bring a large covered pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add pasta, cover, and return to a boil. Uncover, and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and add to bowl with squash mixture along with parmesan cheese and the mascarpone cheese. Stir until well combined. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Using a tablespoon, dollop ricotta cheese on top of the pasta mixture. Place the breadcrumbs, amaretto crumbs, and browned butter into a small bowl; stir to combine. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the surface of the pasta mixture. Bake until golden brown and heated through, about 30 minutes.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat a pot of water to boil for the pasta. Salt the water then add the pasta and cook to al dente or, with a bite to it.
• While pasta cooks, heat a medium heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and butter. When the butter melts into the oil, add the thyme and grate the onion directly into the pot with a hand held grater or Microplane. Cook the grated onion in butter and oil 1 to 2 minutes, then add flour and cook together 1 to 2 more minutes. Whisk in stock, then combine with butternut squash until warmed through and smooth. Stir in cream or half-and-half and bring sauce to a bubble. Stir in cheeses in a figure 8 motion and season the completed sauce with salt, nutmeg and pepper. Taste to adjust seasonings.
• Drain cooked pasta well and combine with sauce. Serve alongside chicken sammies and top with thyme leaves picked from remaining sprigs (Boo would also have a little extra sprinkle of that cheese, please!)

MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine squash, stock, and milk in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Mash contents of saucepan; stir in nutmeg, cayenne, and salt, and season with black pepper. Stir to combine.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles; cook until al dente according to package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a large bowl; stir in squash mixture, cheddar, ricotta, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
• Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish (4 inches deep) with cooking spray. Transfer noodle mixture to dish. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and oil; sprinkle evenly over noodle mixture.
• Cover with foil, and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil, and continue baking until lightly browned and crisp on top, 30 to 40 minutes more. Serve immediately.

BUTTERNUT MACARONI AND CHEESE (WITH SQUASH)

Steps:

• preheat oven to 425.
• combine squash, olive oil and salt and pepper.
• roast squash for about 40 minutes until it's tender and getting lightly browned.
• reduce oven temp to 350.
• meanwhile, heat butter in a large skillet and saute onion, garlic and sage about 5 minutes.
• stir in flour 2 minutes.
• add milk and bring to a boil, whisking until thick.
• stir in cheeses, cayenne, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
• add squash, smashing with a whisk until desired consistency.
• cook pasta al dente, combine with sauce and pour into a greased casserole. Top with bread crumbs and bake 30-40 minutes.