This post is in partnership with Skinner®. All opinions are my own.
Mac and Cheese Stuffed Acorn Squash – roasted acorn squash filled with rich and creamy sausage mac and cheese. Perfect for a holiday dinner or weeknight meal with the family!
Two of my favorite things: pasta and squash!
This recipe is my new favorite twist on mac and cheese. So many flavors that just go perfectly together.
Think mac and cheese meets sausage gravy all stuffed in a roasted acorn squash!
This Mac and Cheese Stuffed Acorn Squash starts with my all-time favorite pasta, Skinner® Large Elbow pasta from Walmart. Mac and Cheese taste so much better with large elbows!
Skinner is all about shaking things up and that’s why no normal mac and cheese will do! Dinner’s just more fun with a twist.
Skinner is a high-quality pasta and they have a shape for all your pasta needs.
There really are no rules when it comes to pasta so why not make it fun?!
Ingredients
- Acorn squash
- Olive oil
- Skinner Large Elbows
- Salt and pepper
- Butter
- Pork sausage
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Fresh sage
- All-purpose flour
- Milk
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Maple syrup
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Halve and remove seeds of acorn squash; brush with olive oil
- Roast acorn squash at 400F, cut side down, for about 40 minutes
- Cook Skinner Large Elbows in salted water according to package instructions; reserve ¼ cup of pasta water before draining
- Cook sausage, shallots, garlic, and sage in butter until sausage is cooked through
- Sprinkle flour over sausage mixture and stir until smooth
- Whisk milk into flour mixture; let simmer until thickened
- Stir in cheddar cheese until smooth
- Toss in pasta, pasta water, and maple syrup
- Spoon mac and cheese into the roasted acorn squash and top with Parmesan cheese
- Bake at 350F for 15 – 20 minutes until bubbly
Can It Be Prepped Ahead?
Yes! You can roast the squash and prepare the mac and cheese ahead of time. You can even spoon the mac and cheese into the squash. Make sure to cover it tightly and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to bake.
When you’re ready to bake it, it may need more than 15 minutes since you’re starting from cold.
Don’t forget to stock up on Skinner pasta for Thanksgiving, weeknight dinners, and everything in between!
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Mac and Cheese Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 1 cup Skinner® Large Elbows
- 2 acorn squash, halved and seeds removed (each about 2 ½ lb)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp butter
- 8 oz pork sausage, casing removed
- 3 shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup fresh sage, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Halve and seed squash then brush flesh side with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake cut side down for 35 to 40 minutes or until tender.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and reserve ¼ cup pasta water.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet set over medium heat. Cook sausage, shallots, garlic and sage for 5 to 8 minutes or until starts to brown. Sprinkle in flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth.
- Slowly whisk in milk. Continue to whisk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir in salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Stir in Cheddar until cheese melts.
- Toss in pasta, pasta water and maple syrup until well coated. Spoon mac and cheese into centre of each roasted squash half. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350˚F. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 445Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 746mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 19g
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