Autumn Veggie Mac & Cheese
Learn how to cook this seasonal Autumn Veggie Mac & Cheese recipe with the voice-activated cookbook iPhone app, Myka.
Servings
4
Cook In:
10 mins
Prep In:
25 mins
Method:
Stove Top
Introduction
About Autumn Veggie Mac & Cheese
By: Sous Chef Myka
Mac & cheese is the perfect comfort food, and this Autumn Veggie Mac & Cheese takes it up a notch. This rich and creamy mac & cheese stars blended seasonal fall vegetables like butternut squash and sweet potato. Slices of prosciutto make this the ultimate savory dish, and with the quick cooking time, dinner will be served before you know it.
- 1 cup butternut squash
- ½ cup sweet potato
- ½ cup carrots
- ½ cup zucchini
- ½ cup sweet onion
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp fresh thyme
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- ⅛ tsp ground allspice
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 cups water
- 9 fresh sage leaves
-
3 tbsp butter
-
3 slices prosciutto
-
1 pound pasta
-
8 oz Velveeta cheese
-
¼ cup heavy cream
How to make Autumn Veggie Mac & Cheese
Autumn Veggie Mac & Cheese is simple to prepare, and has a total prep + cook time of just 35 minutes. Most of that time will be spent peeling, prepping, and chopping the hearty veggies: butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, zucchini, and sweet onion. After cooking, the veggies are blended together, and are ultimately incorporated into the rich cheese sauce. After that, you simply need to prepare the pasta.
Our top-secret Myka tip to really bring out the flavor of this dish? Crisping the prosciutto in a skillet and using it as a garnish. Yeah, we’re getting hungry too.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Peel and cut 1 cup of butternut squash into ¼” pieces. Place into a medium pot.
Step 2
Peel and cut ½ cup of sweet potatoes into ¼” pieces and place into the pot.
Step 3
Peel and cut ½ cup of carrots into ¼” pieces and place into the pot.
Step 4
Peel and cut ½ cup of zucchini into ¼” pieces and place into the pot.
Step 5
Dice ½ cup of sweet onion and place into the pot.
Step 6
To the pot, add 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of fresh thyme.
Step 7
To the pot, add ⅛ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon of ground allspice and ⅛ teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
Step 8
Add 2 cups of water to the pot, then cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Step 9
When the vegetables are tender, remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
Step 10
Chop 9 fresh sage leaves and set aside.
Step 11
In a small skillet, add 3 tablespoons of butter and heat over medium-low heat. When the butter has melted, add the chopped sage, occasionally stirring the contents. Continue cooking for an additional 2-4 minutes until the butter has turned a very light brown and has a rich nutty aroma, then remove from heat.
Step 12
Remove the bay leaf from the vegetables and then transfer all vegetables and cooking liquid to a blender. Add the sage and brown butter to the blender and process until smooth.
Step 13
In a large skillet set over medium heat, add 3 slices of prosciutto. Flip often and cook until crispy, then transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
Step 14
Heavily salt a large pot of water. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, add 1 pound of pasta and cook according to the package instructions.
Step 15
While the pasta is cooking, transfer the blended vegetables to the large skillet and add 8 ounces of Velveeta cheese and ¼ cup of heavy cream. Stir often until melted through and well combined.
Step 16
Once the pasta is cooked, transfer pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Garnish with fresh thyme and crispy prosciutto. Serve while warm.
