Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Sage

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Cheesy macaroni with savory squash, fresh herbs and spices, plus a buttery baked topping. My Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Sage is a scrumptious, seasonal twist on a classic comfort food.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Sage – Family Favorite Updated for Fall

Falling leaves and cooler temperatures call for warm sweaters, cozy fires, good books, and classic comfort foods. For many families, including mine, homemade macaroni and cheese can be hard to beat.

Recently, I tried to do just that, giving the classic mac and cheese casserole a fall update with the addition of butternut squash.

My first attempt was…just okay.

The color leaned more toward orange than yellow, which looked appetizing. And I felt good about adding a vitamin-rich veggie to the dish. It wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t great either. I’d been hoping to come up with something that packed more of a punch flavor-wise.

Back to the kitchen I went.

This time, I leaned on memories of the delicious butternut squash ravioli with sage and browned butter served by one of my favorite restaurants back in Connecticut. 

The resulting Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Sage was just what I’d hoped for. The addition of plenty of fresh sage, spices, and a sharper, more flavorful cheese paired perfectly with the savory, sweetness of the squash.

Though this is a more grown-up version of the classic, the flavor is still delicate, creamy, and cheesy. So, kids will enjoy it as much as adults. As long as you don’t spill the beans, they’ll never know they’re eating vegetables.

What Do You Need to Make Butternut Squash Macaroni And Cheese With Sage?

Many of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe are the same that you’d use for regular homemade mac and cheese, including…

• Macaroni – I went with regular elbow macaroni this time. You could also use other types of pasta, including fusilli, penne, or small-sized shells. You want something that’s bite-sized, with a shape that will hold onto the sauce.
• Milk – Though you could sub low-fat or no-fat milk, I think whole milk is the better choice. It’ll give the sauce a little extra richness.
• Butter – Since cheese has quite a bit of salt, I use unsalted butter. But I do taste the sauce before I pour it over the macaroni, to see if I need to add a little more salt. Most of the time, I don’t.
• Breadcrumbs – Panko bread crumbs would be my first choice for the topping. They crisp up beautifully when baked. But regular bread crumbs will work well too.

But you’ll also find several special ingredients that kick the flavors of this recipe up a few notches, including…

• Butternut squash – It adds fiber, vitamins, and a richer color to the dish. And the creamy texture plus subtle sweetness of roasted butternut squash makes it a perfect partner for mac and cheese.
• Onion – I would stick with sweet yellow onions here – white or red would be a little too sharp in taste. But shallots would work nicely too.
• Spices – a blend of savory spices, including garlic powder, onion powder, and nutmeg, help enhance the flavor of all the other ingredients. It’s a subtle difference, but the spices matter, so don’t skip them.
• Sage – Fresh Sage brings a lot to this recipe, and I use it two ways. Half is oven-roasted along with the squash and onions. Half is minced fine and mixed into the bread crumb topping. If you don’t have like sage, you could try subbing fresh thyme.
• Parmigiano Reggiano – The sharp, nutty taste of this gorgeous Parmesan cheese really shines through, enhancing all the other ingredients. Grate the cheese yourself for the best flavor. Parmigiano Reggiano isn’t cheap, but you’ll only need a few ounces, and the results are worth it. However, Pecorino Romano would be an acceptable and more affordable second choice.

How to Make Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Sage

The first step in this recipe is oven roasting the butternut squash, onion, and half of the sage leaves with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Oven roasting really helps bring out the sweetness of the squash and onion, and the savory flavor of the sage.

While the veggies are roasting, you’ll boil the macaroni in well-salted water according to the package directions, and make the bread crumb topping. That’s just a matter of tossing the crumbs, minced sage, and a pinch of salt and pepper together with some of the melted butter.

Once the vegetables are roasted, you’ll puree them in the blender along with the spices and milk. Then you’ll stir the puree into the cooked macaroni, along with the grated cheese and remaining melted butter.

Ideally, the macaroni will still be hot enough to melt the cheese, creating a smooth sauce.  If the pasta has cooled down too much, you’ll have a hard time melting the cheese and butter and will need to put it back on the stove.

The last step is to put the mac and cheese into an oven-proof casserole, sprinkle the crumb and herb topping over the top, and bake until the topping is crispy and golden brown.

Yum!

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Sage is a tastier, grown-up take on the classic that your whole family will love. Give it a try soon, or try other takes on this classic like my Cheesy Cauliflower Pistachio Pasta!

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Sage

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• Author: Marie Bostwick
• Yield: 4-6 servings

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Ingredients

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• 10-12 large sage leaves, divided (half baked w/ squash, half minced for topping)
• 10 oz butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
• ¼ medium onion, chopped
• 1 T olive oil
• 6 oz macaroni (can sub fusilli, penne, small shells)
• ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
• 3 T butter, divided
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup whole milk
• 6 oz Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Tear half of the sage leaves into small pieces and toss in the olive oil with the butternut squash, chopped onion, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place veggies in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. Roast in the oven for 25-35 minutes, until squash is soft and onions are turning golden brown.
2. While the veggies are roasting, boil the macaroni in salted water according to the package directions and make the crumb topping.
3. To make the topping, mince the remaining sage leaves and stir with the bread crumbs in a small bowl. Melt one tablespoon of butter and drizzle over the crumb mixture, tossing with a fork to mix. Set topping aside.
4. When the veggies are finished roasting, remove the pan from the oven.  Lower the oven temp to 350. Place roasted veggies in a blender along with the milk, onion powder, garlic powder, and nutmeg. Blend on high speed until smooth.
5. Drain water from pot of cooked macaroni. Pour on the squash puree and stir. Add grated cheese and remaining butter. Stir gently until cheese and butter have melted completely. (If macaroni has cooled too much, do this on stove over low heat.)
6. Place mac and cheese in an ovenproof casserole dish. Sprinkle bread crumb topping evenly over the top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until the topping is golden brown.