Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

I received this recipe from a dear friend. This is a quick, great way to incorporate a fall vegetable into a comfort-food favorite. Sweet, creamy, and delicious.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 414 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups milk
• 1 (16 ounce) package rotini pasta
• 6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• 6 ounces shredded white Cheddar cheese
• 1 butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
• ¼ cup seasoned dry bread crumbs, or as needed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Step 2

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.

Step 3

Place butternut squash, cut-side down, on a baking sheet.

Step 4

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).

Step 5

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.

Step 6

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.

Step 7

Bake in the preheated oven until bread crumbs are golden, about 10 minutes.