Growing up, homemade mac and cheese was a special treat and my mom always topped it with Ritz crackers. I loved the baked pasta effect, almost too cooked, with creamy sauce and crunchy, salty topping. When I went to grad school, a classmate shared Chef John’s Mac and Cheese recipe which is the basis of every mac and cheese I’ve made since. I love his combo of spices and flavourings to the bechamel, pre-cheese. I don’t always have all of his spices on hand, so I’ve simplified it down to the main flavourings that I think make a difference to a great base sauce.
I love how butternut squash adds a gentle sweetness to the sauce which gets balanced by the nuttiness of the cheese, the savoury of the dijon, and the spice from the hot sauce. It’s creamy, saucy, warm, comforting - everything you need for a pandemic baked pasta. I don’t have kids but I have been cooking for my father for the last three months, who has a very similar aversion to vegetables that TV shows make it seem like 4-year-olds have, and let me tell you - he didn’t even know there was butternut squash in there! It’s sneakily the same colour as cheddar cheese so it just makes it seem extra cheesy while adding in all those extra nutrients for the children (and adults) in your life.
During the pandemic, I have really been seeking comfort food, which this past year has been the form of pasta. I pretty much make a pasta dish at minimum once a week, and this baked butternut squash mac and cheese has been a go-to. You can halve the recipe if cooking for a smaller household, or freeze half (before baking) in an 8x8 tin foil pan for an easy weekday meal for future you.
Tips for this recipe:
Cook out the flour
The sauce starts by cooking out the flour with your butter. It’s ok if it seizes up a bit when you add in the spices, I’ve never had an issue with my roux breaking down smoothly into the milk later on, no matter how crumbly it gets. I like to let my flour/butter mixture deepen in colour so I know the flour is really cooked out - there’s nothing worse than a raw flour flavour!
Add your spices and flavourings to your roux before the milk
Once my butter/flour looks toasty, I add the dried spices, mustard and Worcestershire sauce to the roux. Allowing spices to toast in fat brings out more flavour - adding them now vs once there’s milk will deepen their flavour!
Whisk well when you add in the milk
When you add in your milk, whisk really, really well to ensure the roux breaks down smoothly into the liquid. If your milk is cold it will take some time for it to heat through. Once it does, continue to whisk until thickened.
Don’t overcook your macaroni!
Since you are going to mix your noodles with the sauce and bake in the oven, the noodles will continue to cook. It’s really critical to cook your macaroni a little under so you don’t end up with noodle mush after it bakes. I usually shave off 1 minute from the package's recommended time. Use a timer!
Butternut squash vs other squashes
You can sub in any squash into this recipe - I’ve made it before with acorn squash and it was delicious. Every squash has a slightly different flavour profile and water content, but this recipe flexes to work with them all.
Roast your squash early in the day
Roasting your squash is pretty hands-off, so popping it in the oven early in the day makes the rest of the prep feel less overwhelming. You can store the squash in the fridge until ready to use!
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
1 hour for roasting squash, 50 mins for the rest of the recipe!
Ingredients
500 g macaroni noodles, cooked according to package instructions less 1 minute
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp dijon mustard
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp dried thyme
½ - 1 tsp Tabasco hot sauce (or other vinegar-based hot sauce)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 cups of milk (1% or above)
1 cup roasted squash, mashed until smooth (instructions below)
1 ½ cup grated old cheddar cheese
1 cup of Ritz crackers, crumbled (20-ish crackers)
Freshly cracked black pepper
A drizzle of olive oil
Method:
Prep your squash: This step can be done up to 2 days before, with mashed squash stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise, removing the seeds with a spoon. Place face down on a parchment/silicone mat lined cookie sheet and roast at 400F for 40-60 mins (depends on the size of the squash) until fork tender. Other ways to tell if it’s done: skin is lifting from the flesh and some caramel appears on the cookie sheet. Set aside to cool before mashing.
When you’re ready to start prepping your meal, start by getting your noodles ready and continue the other steps at the same time: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season well with salt. Cook pasta according to the package, minus 1 minute, as your pasta will continue to cook in the oven. Drain (do not rinse!).
In a medium pot add your flour and butter and heat over medium heat. Once the butter melts whisk together to form a thin paste and allow it to cook for 3-5 minutes until it deepens in colour and the butter is visibly sizzling.
Add in your seasonings: dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and whisk/stir into your flour/butter mixture. Continue cooking for 2 mins.
Pour in your milk and whisk well until roux breaks down fully into the milk and it appears smooth. Continue to heat over medium heat, whisking periodically. Once the milk reaches full temperature the sauce will begin to thicken. Continue to whisk until you feel a pull in the sauce while you whisk, or until it coats the back of a spoon.
Taste the sauce - does it taste good? Does it need some salt to bring out the flavours? You are about to add in some unseasoned squash so you want the sauce before cheese and squash to taste really good! Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove sauce from heat and stir in grated cheese + mashed squash. Continue to stir until smooth - it may look a little streaky from the squash (there’s water content in the squash so it can make your sauce appear slightly split but it will be ok!).
Combine your cheese sauce with your prepared noodles in an oven-safe baking dish (casserole dish - my 2.8L casserole dish works perfectly). Top with your crushed ritz crackers, a good amount of freshly cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Bake at 350F for 25 minutes until the top is browned and the sauce is bubbling! Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set. Enjoy!