Butternut squash mac and cheese has become something of a staple around here. This time of year especially, our kitchen is overflowing with squash donations from local farms, and this is one of our favorite ways to use it! Whether we’re cooking 800 servings to provide a veggie-loaded, hearty main dish for community meal partners, or whipping up bite-sized portions to cater alongside other hors d’oeuvres, it’s in consistent rotation.
This mac and cheese is creamy, decadent, and sneakily nutrient-packed! Once the squash is diced and roasted, it comes together fairly quickly. Not sure how to tackle dicing butternut? Check out this easy method we shared a few years back.
Our catering manager, Josh, has perfected a recipe that can be scaled up or down to accommodate any number of hungry guests. If it wasn’t on your Thanksgiving sides order this year, try your hand at making it yourself!
Josh’s Butternut Mac
Ingredients
1 large butternut squash
1 chicken bouillon cube
24-32 ounces elbow or penne pasta (roughly 1 ½-2 boxes)
32 ounces (1 quart) heavy cream
2 ½ tbsp sage
1 tbsp butter
½ cup grated American cheese — we like Velveeta!
1 cup grated sharp Irish cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
2-3 cloves garlic
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
Dice butternut and roast at 425°F with olive oil, salt and pepper until soft. Then, blend into purée with chicken bouillon and a little heavy cream, sage, and salt and pepper.
Boil your pasta and set aside.
Grate American, sharp Irish cheddar and Gruyère cheese, additional gouda optional.
Whisk together about a tablespoon of butter and flour in a saucepan to make a roux. Once mixed, begin slowly adding your heavy cream. Bring heavy cream to a light simmer, then turn heat to low and slowly start melting your cheese.
Add a pinch of white pepper, paprika, onion powder, and sage.
Mix in butternut purée to taste then mix sauce over your noodles in a oven-safe dish.
Mix minced garlic and sage with breadcrumbs and top pasta. Bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Holiday Rosemary Gimlet
Ingredients
Simple Syrup:
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 cup water
3 sprigs rosemary
Single Serving of Cocktail:
1.5 ounces gin
¾ ounce lime juice
¾ ounce simple syrup
Instructions
Combine sugar and water in a sauce pan. Heat while stirring until sugar is dissolved but do not bring to a boil. Take off heat and add sprigs of whole rosemary (can chop some for more intense flavor). Allow to steep until cool and then strain.
For the cocktail: Combine your favorite gin (I prefer Grey Whale), the lime juice and the rosemary simple syrup. Shake with ice until chilled and then strain into cooled ice free glass. Garnish with dried lime slice or rosemary sprig.
