Winter Squash Macaroni and Cheese

A bubbling, golden crusted casserole of macaroni and cheese says comfort food. While it conjures up memories of cozy evenings, it can also be the centerpiece of a meal. This mac n cheese uses puréed winter squash as its base. The squash lends flavor, vitamins along with fiber, and a beautiful golden hue. Plus, it’s a snap to put together.

I started my journey with this recipe a few years ago when Ellen and Aaron were heading home for a visit, and I wanted to make a welcoming meal. When they were younger, they just loved what we called Babysitter Mac N Cheese. If Chuck and I had a date night, it was pretty easy to buy a package of frozen macaroni and cheese and have the babysitter microwave or bake it for the kids’ dinner. They loved the golden color and the crunchy edges around the side of the pan. It was easy, but I knew it could be healthier.

I started using Ellie Krieger’s recipe for Macaroni and Four Cheeses when her first cookbook was published about a decade ago. Sometimes I could find the frozen squash purée she called for, and sometimes I cooked my own butternut squash and mashed it to make the base. The way the squash amplified both the taste and the orange hue of the dish pleased me (it looked like Babysitter Mac n Cheese!), but the overall flavors of the pasta weren’t as full-bodied as I hoped for.

Returning to this dish recently, I discovered Diana Henry’s recipe for “Pumpkin and Chilli Macaroni Cheese,” on the Telegraph‘s web site, in which she used mature cheddar and parmesan along with chili flakes. I took the technique from one and the zing of the other and came up with this yummy pasta bake.

The cheese sauce is actually easier to make than one that begins with butter and flour. And because flour is eliminated, the sauce is gluten free. In a few steps, you defrost the frozen squash, add low-fat milk, seasonings, and then three cheeses.

Krieger suggested small amounts of four cheeses, but I opted to use more cheddar and ricotta and substitute Pecorino Romano for the Parmesan in her recipe. I like the assertive flavor of sharp cheddar. Ricotta adds to the silkiness of the sauce, while Pecorino Romano adds a bit of tang.

Dried mustard rounds out the flavors of the sauce, while dashes of cayenne and chili pepper flakes provide zest.

I used a short pasta, campanelle, that was in my pantry for this dish. Its wiggled layers hugged the sauce perfectly. Of course, elbow macaroni works beautifully, too.  When you combine the macaroni with the cheese sauce, it will appear very soupy, but don’t worry. As it bakes in the oven, it will meld together into a bubbling dish of deliciousness

At the end of baking the pasta, a few minutes of broiling time toasts the bread crumbs on top. This step adds a roof of crunchiness and tidbits of golden brown color, making this pasta even more inviting.

The portions in this recipe can fit in an 8 X 8 baking pan or in four individual gratin dishes. I chose the smaller baking vessels this time and froze two for a future dinner. We won’t need a babysitter as an excuse to enjoy this dish!

Winter Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Sunnyside Cook

Dawn Dobie

A bubbling pasta bake flavored with a sauce built on winter squash, three cheeses, and the zing of pepper.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 8 ounces dried pasta
• 1 10- ounce container frozen puréed winter squash
• 1 cup 1% milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon dried chili flakes or to taste
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese divided
• 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• cooking spray or butter for casserole dish

Instructions

 

• Use either butter or cooking spray to coat bottom and sides of baking dishes. (An 8 inch square baking pan will work or 4 individual gratin dishes.)
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Bring 3 or 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, then add pasta. Bring back to a boil and cook the pasta one minute less than the time listed on the package cooking directions. Drain. (If boiling the noodles far ahead of making the cheese sauce, rinse pasta in cold water to stop cooking once it’s drained.)
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook frozen squash over medium heat until it is completely defrosted. Stir in milk and mix well. Bring to simmer. Add salt, dried mustard, cayenne pepper, and pepper flakes and stir.
• Reduce heat to lowest simmer setting. Stir in ricotta cheese until blended with liquid sauce. Add shredded cheddar in 3 parts, stirring after each addition to combine with sauce. Stir in Pecorino Romano and stir until blended into sauce.
• Add drained pasta to cheese sauce and stir to coat completely. The mixture will appear to be soupy.
• Scoop cheesy pasta into prepared casserole dish or gratin dishes.
• Mix breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons remaining Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper in small bowl. Drizzle in olive oil and stir with a fork to blend.
• Top pasta with breadcrumbs, distributing evenly. (It won’t cover entire surface, but will be enough to provide good texture and crunch.)
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese sauce is bubbling and golden around the edges.
• Put broiler on and broil for 3-4 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are toasty golden brown.

Notes

Recipe can be doubled; in that case, use a 13 X 9 inch pan.
To prepare ahead of time, stop after topping with bread crumbs. Allow pasta to cool, cover, and refrigerate. Remove cover and allow to come to room temperature before baking.
To make gluten-free, use GF pasta and breadcrumbs (or eliminate breadcrumbs).

Adapted from Ellie Krieger and Diana Henry