Butternut Squash Mac And Cheese

Ingredients

• 2.5 pounds butternut squash – halved lengthwise, seeds removed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups whole milk
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 0.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese – shredded
• 4 ounces Gruyère cheese – shredded
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
• 0.125 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
• 16 ounces elbow macaroni
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter – melted (for topping)
• 0.75 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 0.25 cups Parmesan cheese – finely grated

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Halve the butternut squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, brush the cut sides with olive oil, place cut side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan, and roast until very tender and lightly caramelized at the edges, 40–50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.
2. Scoop the roasted squash flesh into a blender, discard the skins, add the whole milk, and blend until completely smooth.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.
4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter (4 tbsp). Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour and whisk constantly until foamy and pale, 2–3 minutes.
5. Whisk in the squash–milk puree a little at a time until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3–5 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in the sharp cheddar cheese and Gruyère cheese until melted, then whisk in the Dijon mustard, ground nutmeg, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and black pepper.
6. Boil the elbow macaroni until just shy of al dente (1–2 minutes less than package time), then drain well. Fold the pasta into the cheese sauce until evenly coated, and spread the mixture in a 3-quart baking dish.
7. For the topping, melt the remaining unsalted butter (2 tbsp) and combine with the panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese until evenly moistened. Sprinkle the crumbs over the pasta.
8. Bake until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the topping is golden brown, 20–25 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.