Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
A deliciously comforting pasta bake featuring seasonal squash and flavorful Point Reyes Toma. It's just the dish to cozy up on a cold autumn or winter evening.
Equipment
- 1 shallow baking dish, measuring 10.5' by 7.5'
Ingredients
- 4 cups once cubed butternut squash from one medium sized squash ¼ cup chopped shallots 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs such as thyme sage, parsley
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 2 to 3 cups vegetable or poultry stock you want enough to make a smooth consistency for the sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup
créme fraîche
- 2 cups grated Toma cheese can also use gruyere or fontina
- ¾ cup toasted breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound
dried pasta shape of choice
you can also use 12 ounces fresh pasta - Garnish options: grated parmesan chopped fresh herbs like chives, parsley, thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously grease a 9 x 12 baking dish with butter and set to the side.
- In a large 4-quart Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for one minute until fragrant. Add the butternut squash cubes followed by the stock and bring to a quick boil followed by simmering. Add the herbs and red pepper flakes, if using, and simmer until squash is tender, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- While the squash simmers, bring a separate pot of salted water to boil. Add in the dried pasta like macaroni noodles or elbow macaroni and cook until just al dente, about 6 minutes.
- Once the squash is tender, remove from heat and, using an immersion blender (or a standalone blender), blend mixture until smooth. If the mixture feels a bit too thick, add in ¼ cup of stock at a time until consistency is smooth.
- Add in the créme fraîche, nutmeg, and grated cheese. Stir to allow the cheese to begin to melt into the sauce.
- Pour sauce over the pasta and stir to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese and breadcrumbs over the top.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until edges are golden and cheese is bubbly and melty. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.