Description
Cook your favorite noodles in a homemade four-cheese butternut squash sauce, topped with extra cheese and toasted cracker crumbs.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb pasta
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
Toasted Ritz Cracker Crumbs
- 20 Rtiz crackers
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp butter
More toppings:
- Crispy baked prosciutto
- Fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Peel and cube butternut squash. Cut the stem end off first. Peel skin off with a vegetable peeler. The skin on butternut squash is a somewhat thick. This step may take the longest amount of time, but you’ll want to make sure all the skin in removed before boiling. Slice butternut squash in half and remove seeds. Scoop out seeds with a spoon and discard all the stringy bits. Slice squash into 1/2” slivers and then cut into cubes.
- Boil butternut squash. Start by bringing water to a rapid boil. Carefully pour cubed butternut squash into the water. Boil for 6-8 minutes until soft. Test doneness by poking with a fork. If it feels soft, remove from heat. Drain water using a strainer and put squash in a bowl.
- Pour cooked butternut squash in a high powered blender and puree. If it doesn’t blend well to start, add a bit of milk. Set aside to put in the cheese sauce.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Once pasta is cooked, strain out water. Add 1 tbsp of butter to the pasta and mix to coat. The butter will make sure the pasta doesn’t stick together in one clump.
- While pasta is cooking, grate your cheese. Combine all the grated cheese into one bowl and toss together to mix. Set aside.
- Make your cheese sauce: Start by making the roux for the sauce. In a dutch oven or deep skillet, over medium-high heat, melt butter until just bubbling. Add in flour and whisk until it thickens.
- Next add in paprika, onion and garlic powder, dijon mustard. And whisk to combine. Pour in pumpkin puree, milk and yogurt to the skillet and whisk until it all comes together.
- Next add in half of the cheese mixture to the sauce, whisking until melted. Save the other half of the mixture for topping.
- Remove the cheese sauce from heat. Pour cooked pasta into sauce, stirring to coat all the pasta with the cheese sauce.
- Pour the cheesy pasta into a 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes until the cheese onto is turning a golden brown color.
- Make toasted seasoned cracker crumbs: Add about 20 crackers to a plastic bag and crush them into crumbs by pounding with a wooden spoon or rolling pin. Add butter to a skillet over medium heat. Pour cracker crumbs and spices into skillet. Stir to coat crumbs. Toast for about 4-5 minutes until fragrant. When crumbs start to turn a dark golden color, remove from heat to cool
- Once cooked, remove from oven and cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with toasted crackers.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 1 hour