I know it sounds odd, but my girl LOVED butternut squash! This dog might even go for it before a steak, especially if there were also pasta and cheese involved in the deal!
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 20 min |
| Prep: | 5 min |
| Cook: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 5 servings (Boo counted for 2) |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 20 min |
| Prep: | 5 min |
| Cook: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 5 servings (Boo counted for 2) |
Ingredients
- 1 pound macaroni with lines, such as tubatini or mini penne rigate
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 medium onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 (10 ounce) box frozen cooked butter nut squash, defrosted
- 1 cup cream or half-and-half
- 2 cups (8 ounces) sharp Cheddar, grated
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, eyeball it
- Black pepper
Instructions
- 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!)
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 5 servings |
| Calories | 791 |
| Total Fat | 35 g |
| Saturated Fat | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 86 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Protein | 33 g |
| Cholesterol | 88 mg |
| Sodium | 880 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 5 servings |
| Calories | 791 |
| Total Fat | 35 g |
| Saturated Fat | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 86 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Protein | 33 g |
| Cholesterol | 88 mg |
| Sodium | 880 mg |
Reviews
Flavor is ok but definitely does not take 20 minutes to make. That’s how long it takes for my water to boil for pasta Annoying when I’m trying to find any easy weeknight dinner to feed clamoring kids (if you know, you know). Also made way too much sauce for the amount of pasta but I’ll just cook more pasta for the leftover sauce later on this week. Overall it was kind of meh but an ok base recipe.
Flavorless, would not make again.
I really enjoyed this recipe it was easy to make and everyone loved it. I would probably double the amount of squash or try a more flavorful one like kabocha next time to make it taste more squashy. There’s not much in a 10 oz frozen pack. Also to make it more healthy I might try to cut back the cheese a little, I don’t know it it needs all that. I think if you use strong cheese like sharp cheddar you can use less and still get the flavor. Also I only had about 1/4 cup heavy cream and about 1/3 cup milk and that was plenty. The squash and broth makes it taste rich. The onion was a really nice addition. I put panko extra cheese and crispy garlic on top and crisped in the broiler at the end.
This is one of my family’s favorites for fall/winter. So warming and delicious! Make sure you use good quality sharp cheddar cheese like Tillamook or it just won’t be the same. I also cut way back on the cream to make it healthier and sometimes use canned pumpkin for convenience.
I’m not sure why there are 5 star reviews! This was pretty blah. Made once, and done!
Pretty good, thanks! Had a hard time getting the squash smooth-any suggestions? Is it ok to freeze leftovers?
Delicious!
I’ve made this recipe too many times to count. Every person I make it for who is skeptical of the squash ends up LOVING it. This isn’t supposed to taste like normal Mac n cheese, so don’t expect it to taste that way in the end. I use dried thyme instead of fresh, and sometimes switch up the cheese. It makes a difference if you generously salt your pasta water, you need a seasoned base for the sauce. It is supposed to taste like a savory fall/thanksgiving flavored Mac n cheese, and that is exactly what this is!
I have been making this dish for years and it is one of my all time favorite recipes! The thyme is great around the holidays, but I omit it the rest of the year. Delicious!
Delicious!!! Had a cinnamon spice type undertone to it! Kinda sweet!