Mac and Cheese with Hidden Veggie Sauce

Ingredients

• 1box elbow macaroni
• 1 cupsteamed and pureed butternut squash or carrots
• 2 cupsshredded cheddar
• 1 cupmilk
• 2 tbspbutter

Nutrition / serving

No nutrition data for this recipe — tap Nutrition in Ask Chef AI above for an estimate.

Method

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the elbow macaroni according to the package directions until just al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.

2. 2

   While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once foaming, whisk in the milk and bring to a gentle simmer, about 2 minutes — do not let it boil hard.

   ⏱Start 2:00
3. 3

   Reduce the heat to low and add the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, whisking constantly until each addition melts before adding the next. This keeps the sauce smooth instead of grainy or stringy.

4. 4

   Whisk the steamed vegetable puree into the cheese sauce until fully incorporated and the sauce turns a uniform orange, about 1 minute. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon; if it looks too thick, thin it with a splash of the reserved pasta water.

   ⏱Start 1:00
5. 5

   Add the drained macaroni to the sauce and stir gently until every piece is coated. Cook over low heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring, just to warm the pasta through and let the sauce cling.

   ⏱Start 1:00
6. 6

   Taste and adjust salt if needed, then serve immediately while the sauce is warm and glossy.