photo: kingrecipes.com Butternut Squash Mac And Cheese With Crispy Cornflakes

Butternut Squash Mac And Cheese With Crispy Cornflakes

This healthy butternut squash mac and cheese is a great way to secretly add more vegetables into a classic dish! Butternut squash is an excellent source of Vitamin A, vital for healthy skin and eyes. It is also a good source of Vitamin C and fibre too, which makes it an wonderful food that should be included in your diet.

If the idea of adding a bit of sweetness from butternut squash makes you a little skeptical, we encourage you to give it a try and discover yourself what a creamy and flavorful mac and cheese you will end up with! Plus, the butternut squash beautifully paints the entire dish in a splendid golden color! So your dish will not only be healthier but also prettier but all means!

In this butternut squash mac and cheese recipe we made butternut puree from scratch, that is more time consuming that adding a pre-made puree. So if you don’t have a great deal of time to play in the kitchen, we recommend preparing the puree in advance and freezing it, or buying a ready-made one from the supermarket.

45 min

4 servings

Steps

1. First, caramelize some onions. Slice one medium yellow onion and add to frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook them for about 10-15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown and soft.
2. In the meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
3. Saute 2 cups of cubes butternut squash in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil (you can use the same frying pan where you caramelized onions). Add thyme, paprika, salt and ¼ cup of water and cook for 10-15 minutes, covered. If the water evaporates before the butternut squash is soft and ready, add another splash of water. Depending on how much you season the squash with salt and pepper, you won't need to season the finished pasta dish as much.
4. When butternut squash is ready, mash or blend it until smooth. Add 1 tsp of lemon zest and mix well.
5. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Whist in flour and stir immediately until you get a texture of a soft paste. Gradually add milk, stirring well to prevent clumps. Once the sauce starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for a couple more minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add a splash of milk if the sauce turns to be too thick. Add 1 cup cheddar cheese, and whisk until melted. Save the rest of the cheese for topping later.
6. In the meanwhile put 1 cup cornflakes into a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to make cornflake crumbs.
7. Mix cheese mixture with the drained pasta, add butternut puree, feta cheese, onions and mix until evenly coated. Check for seasoning, and add salt and pepper if desired. Pour mac and cheese into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheddar and crushed corn flakes. Bake for 15 minutes.
8. Top finished mac and cheese with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.