Butternut Squash & Sage Macaroni Cheese
If you're a regular reader of this blog you'll know all about my obsession with macaroni cheese and variations of it. I made a Sweet Potato and Feta Mac n Cheese recently and thought it couldn't get any better than that. Well, I was wrong! This Butternut Squash and Sage Macaroni Cheese is seriously yummy and the ultimate comfort food at this time of year.
I baked a halved butternut squash with a whole unpeeled garlic clove and a handful of sage leaves in a low oven until really soft and tender. All the lovely baked veggies were then whizzed up in a food processor to a smooth consistency before stirring into the regular cheese sauce I make for Mac 'n' Cheese. It gave the dish a lovely rich colour and the garlic and sage added a beautiful delicate flavour. Obviously the butternut squash adds some nutritional value to the macaroni cheese recipe, but more importantly it gives it this amazing creamy texture too....without the calories. It tastes so good and is most definitely worth the extra effort.
TOP TIPS FOR MAKING BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SAGE MACARONI CHEESE
- When baking the squash, garlic and sage leaves, make sure the sage leaves are coated in oil to prevent burning.
- Try using different herbs - rosemary would work well, as would thyme. You could even use a mixture.
- Add a little heat by roasting a whole red chilli with the squash, discarding it before whizzing everything up in the food processor..unless you like it fiery, in which case whizz it up and add it to the sauce!
- Up the veggies by adding things like tinned sweetcorn or chopped sun blushed tomatoes to the sauce.
- Serve the Butternut Squash and Sage Macaroni Cheese with seasonal veggies or a green side salad...and don't forget the garlic bread.
OTHER MACARONI CHEESE RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
- Sweet Potato Macaroni Cheese by Jam and Clotted Cream
- Honey Ale Mac n Cheese by Jam and Clotted Cream
- Healthy Three Cheese Macaroni Cheese Gratin from Lavender and Lovage
- Super Simple Macaroni Cheese from Easy Peasy Foodie
- Roasted Garlic One Pan Macaroni Cheese from Taming Twins
BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SAGE MACARONI CHEESE
Butternut Squash Macaroni Cheese
Pasta
Butternut Squash and Sage Macaroni Cheese
A creamy roast butternut squash, sage and garlic macaroni cheese recipe.
prep time: 15 minscook time: 15 minstotal time: 30 mins
ingredients:
- 1 Butternut Squash, cut in half lengthways and seeds scooped out
- Small handful Sage leaves
- 1 Garlic Clove, do not peel
- 2 TBSP Olive Oil
- 50g Butter
- 50g Flour
- 600ml Milk
- 1 TSP Dijon Mustard
- 250g Extra Mature Cheddar
- Handful of Grated Parmesan
- 300g Macaroni
instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180°c and place the halved butternut squash in a baking tray and scatter the sage on top. Place the whole garlic clove on the baking tray and then drizzle everything with the oil. Bake until tender (about 40 minutes).
Step 2: Once the squash is cooled scoop out the flesh, sage and squeeze the garlic out of its skin and place it all in a food processor. Blitz up until smooth.
Step 3: To make the cheese sauce melt the butter in a large saucepan then stir in the flour. Gradually add the milk and whisk on a medium heat until it thickens. Take off the heat and add the mustard, cheddar and blitzed up butternut squash.
Step 4: Cook the macaroni according to packet instructions, drain then stir into the cheesy butternut squash sauce and spoon into an oven proof dish. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until bubbling and golden.
Pin the Butternut Squash and Sage Macaroni Cheese
MORE RECIPES
For more family friendly recipes visit my recipe index which contains hundreds of frugal recipes divided into handy categories.Don’t forget to follow Jam & Clotted Cream on Pinterest (it’s a great visual guide of my recipes) then pin my recipes to try.
Yummy! I love butternut squash and pasta - this looks like such a tasty dish!
ReplyDelete