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!
Ingredients
If you don't have the Cookidoo app for your Thermomix follow the recipe below:
- 500 g (1.1 lb) butternut pumpkin (squash) cut into pieces (1cm)
- 150 g (5.3 oz) 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
- 250 g (2 ¼ cups) cheddar cheese cut into pieces (3cm)
- 1000 g (4 ¼ cups) water
- 300 g (2 ⅞ cups) macaroni pasta
- 1 brown onion (approx. 120g) cut into halves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 50 g (1.8 oz) salted butter
- 500 g (2 cups) milk
- 50 g (1.8 oz) 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 180C fan. Line a baking tray (30cm x 40cm) 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 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. 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.
- 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/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.
- Preheat the oven to 190C fan. Set aside an ovenproof baking dish (23cm x 31cm).
- 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/100C/speed 1.
- 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.
- Then add 100g of the reserved cheese into the mixing bowl and mix 1 minute /100C/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 until golden brown. Serve warm.
- Enjoy with some garlic bread, crusty bread, or even some chunky oven chips!!
Notes
- Vegetarian option - replace the bacon with crispy fried mushrooms or smoked paprika for a smoky flavour.
- Gluten-free option - use gluten-free pasta and flour for the béchamel.
Nutrition
Calories: 653kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1333mg | Potassium: 673mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 9719IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 471mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!