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Promise me that if you love mac ‘n’ cheese, you’ll give this a try! Then dice those strips up into small squash cubes. It’s also pretty easy to peel and chop your own butternut squash if you have a sharp knife! Just cut off the top and bottom of the squash, then use a vegetable peeler to take off the skin.Ĭut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and then slice into long vertical strips. In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat stir in flour, and cook for 3-5 minutes stirring constantly to form a roux add salt and pepper slowly add milk, stirring well after each addition. You can also buy cans of butternut squash puree (similar to canned pumpkin!), which I imagine would work, but haven’t yet tried. Cook macaroni according to package directions. It’s pricy at some stores, but I always buy my pre-chopped butternut squash at Harris Teeter where it’s reasonably priced, about $4 for 2 pounds of pre-cut squash. The healthy mac and cheese recipe below is low-fat, high-protein, and under 250 calories per serving. To make this even more quickly, you can buy packages of pre-chopped butternut squash, which cuts down 10 or 15 minutes of prep work. Try this healthy mac and cheese recipe when youre craving mac and cheese but dont want all the unhealthy saturated fat and calories youd find in traditional recipes. Fortunately, you can use the same pot to cook both the squash and the pasta to help cut down on dishes! I always try to use the minimum amount of dishes necessary when I cook, but you do need to use a blender (or an immersion blender) to blend the butternut squash for the sauce. I brought a pot of water to a boil while I got ready for the day, boiled the chopped butternut squash cubes while I packed my lunch, and then blended up the sauce while I made breakfast.Īfter work, all I had to do was cook the noodles, reheat the sauce and add cheese, and then I could dive headfirst into a big bowl of noodles. When I first made this mac ‘n’ cheese, I actually made the sauce all one morning before work. I’m not saying you should add butternut squash to ALL of your mac ‘n’ cheese for the rest of your life (I love this regular version, too!), but definitely should give this a try. I actually made this healthy butternut squash mac ‘n’ cheese for the first time this summer and have been dying to share the recipe ever since! I wanted to get some fall recipes ready to go because I usually think of the perfect recipe to share for something like Thanksgiving two days in advance and then it’s too late.Īnd now that I’ve made this mac ‘n’ cheese at least six or seven more times, I could not recommend it more. Butternut squash mac ‘n’ cheese is super fun and festive for fall!.It’s a way to get in extra servings of veggies without even realizing.The squash bulks up the sauce, adding a lot of extra volume without a lot of extra calories.It feels fancy and gourmet– like grown up mac ‘n’ cheese (although I bet you could serve this to kiddos and they probably wouldn’t notice a difference).Velvety, creamy, and cheesy are still the name of the game in this healthier version of macaroni and cheese that uses less cheese than your average recipe. The butternut squash makes the sauce SO creamy, even without any cream or butter involved This Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe is the BEST version of this classic comfort food.I thought the same thing, until I actually tasted butternut squash mac ‘n’ cheese for the first time and it made so much sense. You may be thinking…”But why would I add butternut squash to my beloved mac ‘n’ cheese?! Vegetables have no place in mac ‘n’ cheese!!!” All rights reserved.This healthy butternut squash mac ‘n’ cheese is the world’s creamiest mac ‘n’ cheese that’s super easy to make all on your stovetop! Bake until the dish bubbles around the edges, about 15 minutes.Īdapted from "Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen" by Trisha Yearwood © Clarkson Potter 2008. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the prepared baking dish and top with the buttered breadcrumbs. Add the drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and mix thoroughly.įor the topping: In a small bowl, stir the breadcrumbs with the butter until the crumbs are moistened. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk and then whisk in the remaining 1 cup milk. Using a wire whisk, stir in the flour and salt, stirring and cooking over medium heat until the roux bubbles and the flour turns pale brown, about 3 minutes. Drain well.įor the cheese sauce: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan. Bring the water back to a boil and cook the macaroni until tender, about 12 minutes. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.īring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan. For the macaroni: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.