The fresh sage in my garden has been inspiring me to find as many ways as possible to use it, so voila, this mac and cheese! My squash was small and yielded 3 cups mashed. From the pictures in the original recipe, it looks like they may have used more squash.

Find a downloadable PDF version of this recipe hereButternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Broccoli and Cauliflower

Makes 7 servings

Prep Time: 50 minutes, Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 butternut squash (cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed)
  • 2 Tbsp canola oil (divided)
  • 1 medium onion (thinly sliced, ~ 1 cup)
  • 1 Large or two small apples (peeled and chopped)
  • 375g macaroni noodles (whole wheat used in nutrition facts)
  • 1 1/2 Cups old cheddar cheese (grated, ~ 7 oz)
  • 1 cup 2% milk
  • 1/2 Tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • Fresh sage, chopped (optional)
  • 4 cups broccoli florets
  • 6 cups cauliflower florets
nutrition facts squash mac and cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place squash halves cut side down on baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, until tender.
  2. Meanwhile, heat large skillet over medium low heat and add 1 tbsp canola oil. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes until very soft and lightly brown. Add apple and remove from heat and set aside. At the same time, steam the broccoli and cauliflower.
  3. While squash is roasting and onions are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook macaroni noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  4. When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh into a large bowl and add milk, 1 cup cheddar cheese, half of the sage (if using) and salt. Using an immersion blender, blend squash mixture until creamy and smooth.
  5. In the pot you cooked the macaroni in combine all the squash mixture, vegetables, onions and apple and macaroni. Mix to combine and place in a greased 9 x 13 pyrex dish.
  6. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and ½ cup cheddar cheese over macaroni to evenly cover the top. Top with the remaining sage. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes and then switch oven to broil and broil for one minute, until brown.

Adapted from: http://howtoeat.ca/butternut-squash-mac-cheese-caramelized-onions-apples/