This Ingredient Will Make Your Mac & Cheese Mouthwatering and Healthy

Macaroni & Cheese is a delicious, creamy, comfort food. However, it is often packed with cheese and heavy cream. Is it possible to have a Healthy Mac & Cheese?  Yes, this version of healthy mac uses roasted butternut squash not only is a way to add veggies to the meal, but it also gives the pasta its creamy texture. Greek yogurt and milk is also a great alternative to heavy cream. Nutmeg and thyme pair beautifully with the butternut squash to give this mac & cheese a unique flavor, making it the perfect recipe to make this Fall!

Healthy Mac & Cheese using Butternut Squash

First and foremost, you need your butternut squash. It should be medium in size. You should also preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Using a sharp knife, cut off the top and bottom of the squash. Next, cut crosswise where the narrow portion meets the wider portion of the squash.

With one of the cut sides down on the cutting board, take your knife and carefully cut the peel from the flesh.

Now cut the squash lengthwise. As you can see, all the seeds are found in the wider portion of the squash. Take a spoon and remove the seeds. Next, cut the squash into cubes.

Toss squash in olive oil and spread on a sheet pan. I also added half an onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and some sprigs of thyme.

Roast the squash for 40 minutes, until soft and browned.

Place roasted squash in a blender, with low sodium chicken stock, Greek yogurt, milk, and nutmeg. Blend until smooth.

Place cooked pasta in a large bowl and stir in squash mixture and shredded cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. (You can also add fresh, chopped thyme – yum!)

Spoon noodles into a lightly greased casserole dish. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over noodles. Decrease oven temperature to 375 degrees. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until it bubbles and top is browned, about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

From lobster mac to chili mac to classic mac & cheese, macaroni is such a versatile meal! What’s your favorite kind?