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Butternut Mac & Cheese Casserole

Butternut Mac &Cheese Casserole is everything you love about macaroni and cheese turned into a healthy casserole.  Delicious butternut squash cheese sauce coated over pasta, ground turkey, and peas is hearty and a guaranteed family favorite! 
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 10 mins
Total Time 1 hr 20 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

Butternut Squash Sauce Ingredients:

  • 3 Cups Roasted Butternut Squash (See Notes for Recipe Link)
  • 1 ½ Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth, Divided
  • ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • ½ Teaspoon Onion Powder
  • ¼ Teaspoon Paprika
  • ½ Teaspoon Pepper
  • ¼ Teaspoon Salt
  • 2 Tablespoons Light Butter
  • 2 Cups Skim or Low Fat Milk
  • ¼ Cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Casserole Ingredients:

  • 1 Pound Pasta, Any Kind (I use Fusilli, but Rotini works great)
  • 1 Cup Frozen Peas
  • 1 Pound 93% Lean Ground Turkey

Topping Ingredients:

  • 1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs
  • 1 Tablespoon Light Butter, Melted

Instructions
 

Butternut Squash Cheese Sauce Directions:

  • Make Roasted Butternut Squash according to recipe (Recipe in notes section).
  • Add cooked butternut squash, ½ cup broth, and spices to a blender.  Blend until smooth then set aside.
  • Add milk and 1 cup broth to a microwave safe measuring cup.  Microwave for 2 minutes.  Heating up the liquid will ensure that the cheese sauce is smooth and not clumpy. Set aside. 
  • Heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat and add butter.  Melt butter for 1 minute and sprinkle flour, stirring continuously.  Add milk/broth mixture very slowly, stirring continuously until smooth. 
  • Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add blended squash and shredded cheese. Stir and cook for 3 minutes until melted.  Turn heat off and set aside.

Casserole Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Cook pasta according to package instructions.
  • Heat skillet over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add ground turkey and cook for 10 minutes breaking meat into small pieces, until fully cooked. Set aside.
  • To the same pot as the butternut sauce, add the cooked pasta, cooked ground turkey, and frozen peas. Stir well to combine.
  • Pour mixture into a greased 9x11 casserole dish.
  • Mix topping ingredients together in a small bowl and sprinkle on top of casserole.
  • Bake for 25 minutes until bubbly.

Notes

Recipe for How to Roast Butternut Squash: https://bitesofflavor.com/how-to-roast-butternut-squash/
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To help save you time, make the butternut squash cheese sauce a few days in advance.