Butternut and bacon macaroni cheese in serving dish on large board with garlic bread in a bowl on the side, serving spoon and towel

Another yummy macaroni cheese recipe to try...we'd made our quick lamb dhansak and had butternut squash leftover. Normally I'd make a soup with the leftover squash but decided I'd like to try something different this time. I fancied making something in our Thermomix, so did a search on Cookidoo to see what recipes came up and as we're both macaroni cheese fans, we really fancied trying this butternut and bacon macaroni cheese. I had smoked back bacon leftover in the fridge and always have macaroni pasta in the cupboard and milk and cheese in the fridge so didn't need to go shopping for any of the ingredients!

If you don't have a Thermomix and would like to try making this recipe, please scroll down for the Non-Thermomix Instructions I have suggested.

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Recipe on Australia Cookidoo

Butternut and Bacon Macaroni Cheese

If you don't have the Cookidoo app for your Thermomix, follow the recipe below:

Ingredients

500g butternut pumpkin (squash), cut into pieces (1 cm)
150g shortcut bacon rashers, cut into pieces (2 cm) – I used smoked back bacon
oil, for drizzling
2 tsp salt, plus extra for seasoning
0.25 tsp ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
250g cheddar cheese, cut into pieces (3 cm)
1000g water
300g macaroni pasta
1 brown onion (approx. 120g), cut into halves
2 garlic cloves
50g salted butter
500g milk
50g plain flour
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 pinches ground nutmeg
0.5 tsp paprika, plus extra for sprinkling
1 tsp dried thyme

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray (30 x 40 cm) with baking paper and set aside.
Place a bowl onto the mixing bowl lid and weigh in the butternut pumpkin (squash) and bacon onto it. Transfer onto the prepared baking tray, then drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes (180°C) or until the pumpkin (squash) is soft.
Place the cheese into the mixing bowl and grate 8 seconds/speed 7. Transfer into a bowl and set aside. Clean and dry the mixing bowl.
Then add the water into the mixing bowl and heat 8 minutes/Varoma/speed 1.
Add the macaroni and 1 tsp of the salt and cook 10 to 15 minutes/90°C/reverse/speed 1 or until the pasta is cooked to your liking. Drain the pasta through the Varoma dish and transfer it into a thermal serving bowl or another large bowl. Rinse and dry the mixing bowl.
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Set aside an ovenproof baking dish (23 x 31 cm).
Place the onion and garlic into the mixing bowl and chop 5 seconds/speed 7. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with the spatula.
Add the butter and cook 3 minutes/100°C/speed 1.
Add the milk, flour, mustard, nutmeg, paprika, thyme, and remaining 0.25 tsp pepper and 1 tsp salt and cook 7 minutes/90°C/speed 3.
Then add 100g of the reserved cheese into the mixing bowl and mix 1 minute /100°C/speed 2.
Transfer sauce into the bowl with the pasta. Add the reserved pumpkin (squash) and bacon and stir well to combine. Transfer into the ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and paprika. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (190°C) until golden brown. Serve warm.
Enjoy with some garlic bread, crusty bread, or even some chunky oven chips!!

Non-Thermomix Instructions

I'd suggest the recipe can easily be adapted using a scales, grater, chopping board, knife, kettle, colander/sieve, and the hob to make the macaroni cheese. My suggestions are as follows:

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray (30 x 40 cm) with baking paper and set aside.
Using your scales and a bowl, weigh in the butternut pumpkin (squash) and bacon. Transfer onto the prepared baking tray, then drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes (180°C) or until the pumpkin (squash) is soft.
Grate the cheese, transfer to a bowl, and set aside.
Boil the water in your kettle.
Transfer the boiled water to a medium saucepan, add the macaroni and cook for the time indicated on the packet. Drain in a colander/sieve and transfer to a large bowl. Keep the saucepan for making the cheese sauce.
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Set aside an ovenproof baking dish (23 x 31 cm).
Finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat the saucepan used for boiling the pasta over a medium heat.
Add the butter, chopped onion, and garlic to the saucepan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Reduce the heat to medium/low and add the flour, stir to mix well. Gradually add the milk, constantly stirring to ensure no lumps form. Add the mustard, nutmeg, paprika, thyme, and remaining 0.25 tsp pepper and 1 tsp salt and cook on a gentle simmer for 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add 100g of the reserved cheese into the saucepan and stir for 1 minute.
Transfer sauce into the bowl with the pasta. Add the reserved pumpkin (squash) and bacon and stir well to combine. Transfer into the ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and paprika. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (190°C) until golden brown. Serve warm.
Enjoy with some garlic bread, crusty bread, or even some chunky oven chips!!

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