Mac and cheese is a dish to look forward to no matter how old you are. This fun twist on the classic takes advantage of frozen butternut squash—which is available year-round—in a puréed cheese sauce. There’s just enough squash in here to give a slightly earthy flavor but not so much that it overpowers the cheese. The recipe makes enough to serve six hungry people, but it could also feed eight less-hungry folks or small kids.
Yield
Makes 6 to 8 Servings
Ingredients
1
1
1
1
4
1
2
Preparation
Step 1
Fill a large stockpot ⅔ of the way with water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Step 2
As you wait for the water to boil, microwave butternut squash according to package directions until soft.
Step 3
In a blender, combine butternut squash, milk, Parmesan, and cheddar, and blend until smooth.
Step 4
Once the water is boiling, add a few tablespoons of salt, then add spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 10 minutes, adding frozen peas to the boiling water in the last 3 minutes of cooking.
Step 5
When pasta is cooked, reserve about ½ cup of pasta water, then pour pasta and peas into a colander and drain the rest of the water.
Step 6
Keeping the stockpot off the heat, add butter. (The pot should still be hot enough from the boiling water to melt it quickly—if not, put it back over low until the butter melts, then remove from heat.) Add cooked peas and pasta, then stir in butternut-cheese sauce.
Step 7
Serve immediately.