The leaves are changing, the pumpkin spice lattes are flowing, and we’re putting on our cozy scarves and hats with the tiniest hint of a chill in the air. This is my favourite time of year. This, kids, is when we get to eat delicious fall foods in gigantic quantities.
And it can only mean one thing.
It’s time to make a truly colossal portion of butternut squash macaroni and cheese. Not a meal for the faint of heart, the wary of gluten, or the scared of dairy, this dish gets some veggies into your starving-student body, gives you plenty of carbs as fuel, and warms your heart with its sweet, sweet cheesy goodness. I’m no nutritionist, but trust me: you want this in your life.
Butternut squash is super sweet, so to cut the natural sugar I usually lean toward spice. For this option, grab some chili powder, cayenne, and black pepper.
If you’re a total weenie and you don’t like spicy food, get your hands on some garlic powder and a clove or two of fresh garlic.
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash
1 454g box of pasta
1 340g bag of shredded cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1L milk or cream
1 cup unseasoned whole-wheat panko
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit and contend with the squash. You’ll need to halve it lengthwise, which can be harder than it looks. Watch yourself. Next, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and the stringier bits. Save the seeds for later (they’re good for roasting) and flip the squash halves face down onto a baking sheet. Stab the skin of each half several times with a fork, and pop it in the oven for 50 minutes. Set it aside to cool.
- Leaving the oven on, cook the pasta according to the directions on the box, drain it, and set it aside.
- In a large saucepan on low heat, melt the tablespoon of butter, then toss in a bit of chili or garlic. Stir in the tablespoon of flour until it’s combined, and keep stirring—this is called making a roux, and it’s fancy. Next, pour in a dash of milk, still stirring. Continue adding milk in small amounts and stirring to combine it, and you should start to get a saucy consistency. Once it looks like a sauce, start alternating dashes of milk with handfuls of shredded cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted before you add more milk.
- With a spoon, start scraping the innards out of your butternut squash, stirring a few spoonfuls at a time into the sauce and alternating with milk to keep the consistency. Now’s the time to throw in some more seasoning—chili powder, cayenne, black pepper or garlic powder to taste, so make sure to try the sauce as you go to check on the flavour. When you’ve finished, the sauce should be thick, creamy and a pretty orange, and you should have used up all the squash, a completely arbitrary amount of the milk and about 3/4 of the shredded cheese.
- Stir the pasta into the sauce, making sure it gets thoroughly coated. Scoop about half of the pasta into a greased or non-stick casserole dish, then sprinkle on half of your remaining cheese (from the bag and the parmesan). Cover that with the rest of the pasta, then repeat with all the rest of the cheese. Cover the top with a layer of panko, and finish with an extra sprinkle of the spices you’re using.
- Bake for roughly 40 minutes, or until the panko is browned and the cheese is getting bubbly. Cool just long enough that you don’t melt your tongue, and devour.
This is my all-time favourite thing to pack for lunch at work or to eat late at night when I’m writing a paper, but it’s also perfect for potlucks and cooking for your parents to convince them you’re a civilized person. Enjoy your sweet, sweet carbohydrates, and remember this basic recipe opens itself up to loads of variations. Pairs equally well with Mill St. Hundredth Meridian and a kale Caesar salad, or with coffee and stress.
