I’ve been making versions of this veggie loaded Mac ‘n Cheese for years. The original no-boil Mac n cheese recipe came from a NYT recipe by Julia Moskin published back in 2006. My kids adored this and I loved the addition of cottage cheese which makes it really creamy (more cheese) and adds loads of nutrition. Soon after I started experimenting with vegetable additions, both with and without the cottage cheese, and no matter what, it was always a hit! The summer version gets zucchini, fall/winter versions get broccoli, cauliflower, kale, butternut squash… (the Cauliflower Mac n Cheese recipe is here on the blog along with another version using butternut squash. I do choose butternut squash here as they’re readily available at the farmers market and grocery store. Sometimes this all gets puréed until smooth and sometimes I reserve some of the veggies to add chunks to the dish. No matter what, this one is always a winner. When my kids were young and swimming double sessions (some of you know how much they eat when this training kicks in), this and dishes like it were a staple. Leftovers were ideal for after school snacks and late night snacking for me! It’s a crowd pleaser I hope you enjoy as much as we do!

RECIPE

No Boil Stovetop Butternut Squash Mac ‘n Cheese

Notes-

•While I call for 2 cups vegetable stock, if you don’t have any on hand, you may substitute water. Simple adjust seasoning to taste. While I generally love products like Better than Bouillon, I don’t care for how it’s brown color affects the dish and many vegetable soup powders have too strong a flavor.

•I haven’t yet created a vegan version, but, would recommend unsweetened cashew or oat milk (barista versions will offer creamier options), nutritional yeast and cheese substitute you prefer. I’m not sure what I would use to best replace the cottage cheese yet, but you may increase the squash and forgo the cottage cheese all together.

•Sharp cheddar is better than mild here, even for the kiddos. The sweetness of the squash offers a tasty counterpoint.

•I use a 10” fry pan for the onion and a 3 qt sauté pan with lid for the remainder.

•I’ve also made this with cauliflower. It’s a winner. I’ll put together a proper recipe for a stove top version, but you can go with similar quantities, in the meantime, there’s a baked version here on the blog!

Ingredients-

1/4 Olive oil, divided

1 Tbs butter (a generous knob)

1 med-large sweet onion, diced

1 lb butternut squash, sliced and rough chopped

1 1/4 cups milk, 2% or whole

1 cup cottage cheese, whole milk

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2-1 tsp cayenne

Pinch ground nutmeg

8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded

2 cups vegetable stock (see notes below)

1/2-1 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed while actively cooking

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/2 lb pasta, such as cavatappi (my choice), elbow macaroni, shells…

1 tsp chopped Calabrian chili (optional)

Method-

1- Preheat a fry pan over medium heat. Add 2 Tbs olive oil and butter. Allow butter to sizzle and foam. Add prepared onion and stir to coat and season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. When onion is actively sweating, adjust heat to low and gather onions into a pile slightly off to the side of the pan. Check on it every few minutes to make sure none are burning. If so, lower heat even more. Stir occasionally. Really caramelizing onions takes a while, 30-45 minutes, to bring out all of the sugar. You don’t need to go full on if you don’t have the patience, but it really pays off flavor-wise.

2-while onion caramelize, Preheat large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 Tbs olive oil and prepared squash. Raise heat to medium high and toss to coat and season. Allow to cook, undisturbed for 7-10 minutes, or until edges begin to brown and caramelize. Stir and continue to cook until tender. Brown (not black) bits of squash will stick to the pan a bit, this is called fond, and this is good. It will all be incorporated into the dish to add even more flavor.

3-when squash is almost tender, add 2 cups liquid and using a wooden spoon or silicone scraper, stir and scrape up fond. Bring to a simmer. It should begin to thicken quickly. When squash is soft, turn off heat. Don’t forget to check onions to avoid burning.

4- add to a high speed blender, squash and its liquid, cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Return mixture to pan and stir in dried pasta, about half of the cheese and onion. Bring heat to medium high and bring to a simmer while stirring. Wipe away any splatters from the edge of the pan and cover. Adjust heat to low and cover. Every few minutes give it a good stir to prevent bottom from sticking. A little will, and this is fine. Cook until pasta is tender, about 15-20 minutes depending upon pasta.. Alternatively, you may preheat oven to 375F and once mixture come to a simmer, cover and place in oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Place a baking sheet in the rack below should any bubble over. Remember handle will be hot! Keep an oven mitt at the ready so you don’t accidentally grab it.

5- when pasta is al dente, remove lid and top with remaining grated cheese, (you may add extra if you like!) along with Calabrian chili, if using. Place under the broiler until top is bubbling and beginning to brown. Remember the oven mitt for the hot handle. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes and serve!