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Baked Butternut Squash mac and Cheese in Individual Dish
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5 from 11 votes

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

A kid favourite meal made a little healthier. 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Meal
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 564kcal
Author: Amy

Ingredients

  • ½ Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and chopped peeled, seeded and chopped (weight after prepped 580g)
  • 265g (2 cups) Macaroni Pasta
  • 28g 2 tbsp Butter
  • 18g 2 tbsp Flour
  • 250ml (1 cup) Milk
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • 145g (1 ¼ cup) Mature cheddar cheese, grated
  • 25g (¼ cup) Panko Breadcrumbs

Instructions

  • Pre heat oven to 200c/ 400f, place the butternut squash on a baking sheet and bake for approx. 20 mins (until soft)
  • Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the packaging, drain and set aside.
  • Melt butter in a saucepan and add the flour to form a roux, stir continuously for about 2 minutes.
    Add milk a little at a time, keep stirring/whisking continuously between each pour. Stir out any lumps before adding more milk. Continue adding the milk little by little until all the milk is incorporated and the sauce is thick and glossy.
  • Take the sauce off the heat and stir in the mustard and one cup (115g) of the cheese (reserving the rest for the topping.)
  • Blend the sauce and pumpkin together and then mix through the pasta. Place in an oven proof dish, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and bake for around 15-20 minutes (until the top is bubbling and golden)

Notes

  1. I always use a mature cheddar to make a cheese sauce. I find it produces the best flavour. Any good melting cheese (e.g Colby, Tasty, Monterey Jack) will also work but may not produce the same flavour.  Seek out the most mature/sharp versions so that you don’t have to add so much to get the desired flavour.
  2. If you are making this dish ahead of time, to serve later in the day, cover the dish and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve (do not add the breadcrumbs and cheese for the top at this stage). Cover the top with the cheese and breadcrumbs just before baking and bake for approx 30 minutes. The top should be brown and bubbling and piping hot in the centre.
  3. If cooking for a baby/ young toddler you can reduce the amount of cheese you add, to lower the sodium levels.
  4. Why not try adding some herbs or spices to the dish. Oregano or rosemary work well. 
Nutritional Information is a ROUGH guide only, calculated using an online nutrition calculator. 

Nutrition

Calories: 564kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 370mg | Potassium: 608mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 10605IU | Vitamin C: 19.7mg | Calcium: 402mg | Iron: 2.3mg