Butternut and Bacon Macaroni Cheese (Thermomix)

This creamy butternut and bacon macaroni cheese recipe combines roasted butternut squash, crispy bacon, and gooey cheese for the ultimate comfort food. Made effortlessly with your Thermomix!

Another yummy macaroni cheese recipe to try that was first made after making quick lamb dhansak and having leftover butternut squash.   Normally I'd make a soup with the leftover squash but decided I'd like to try something different.   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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How to make this Butternut and Bacon Macaroni Cheese with or without the Thermomix

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 (1cm)
• 150g shortcut bacon rashers, cut into pieces (2cm) – I use 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 (3cm)
• 1000g water 
• 300g macaroni pasta 
• 1 brown onion (approx. 120g), cut into halves
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 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

1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan. Line a baking tray (30cm x 40cm) with baking paper and set aside.
2. 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 or until the pumpkin (squash) is soft.
3. 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. NOTE: you could skip to step 6 onwards and cook the macaroni in a saucepan on the hob, if you wish, rather than cooking it in the Thermomix.
4. Then add the water into the mixing bowl and heat 8 minutes/Varoma/speed 1.
5. Add the macaroni and 1 tsp of the salt and cook 10 to 15 minutes/90C/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.
6. Preheat the oven to 190C fan. Set aside an ovenproof baking dish (23cm x 31cm).
7. 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.
8. Add the butter and cook 3 minutes/100C/speed 1.
9. Add the milk, flour, mustard, nutmeg, paprika, thyme, and remaining 0.25 tsp pepper and 1 tsp salt and cook 7 minutes/90C/speed 3.
10. Then add 100g of the reserved cheese into the mixing bowl and mix 1 minute /100C/speed 2.

Assemble and bake:

1. 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 until golden brown. Serve warm.
2. 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: 

1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan. Line a baking tray (30cm x 40cm) with baking paper and set aside.
2. 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 or until the pumpkin (squash) is soft.
3. Grate the cheese, transfer to a bowl, and set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 190C fan. Set aside an ovenproof baking dish (23cm x 31cm).
5. Cook the macaroni in a pan of boiling salted water for the time indicated on the packet.   Drain in a colander/sieve and transfer to a large bowl.  
6. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and garlic.   Heat the saucepan used for boiling the pasta over a medium heat.
7. Add the butter, chopped onion, and garlic to the saucepan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
8. 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.
9. Add 100g of the reserved cheese into the saucepan and stir for 1 minute.

Assemble and bake:

1. 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 until golden brown. Serve warm.
2. Enjoy with some garlic bread, crusty bread, or even some chunky oven chips!!