Family-Friendly
Cheesy Hidden-Veg Macaroni
Every parent's secret weapon. Blended butternut squash and carrot turn the cheese sauce a golden colour the kids actually find exciting — and they never need to know there's a full serving of vegetables in every bowl. Cibo di Italia Classic Macaroni holds the sauce inside each little tube for maximum cheesy impact.
Ingredients
- 350 g Cibo di Italia Classic Macaroni
- 300 g butternut squash — peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- 1 piece large carrot — peeled and roughly chopped
- 30 g butter
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 400 ml whole milk
- 120 g cheddar cheese — grated — use a good-flavoured one
- 40 g parmesan — finely grated
- 1 tsp mild paprika
- to taste salt and white pepper
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
Method
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Step 1. Steam or boil the butternut squash and carrot together until completely tender — about 15 minutes. Drain well.
15 min
-
Step 2. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni for 8–10 minutes until al dente, then drain, reserving a small cup of pasta water.
9 min
-
Step 3. Blend the cooked squash and carrot with 100ml of the milk until completely smooth. A stick blender in a tall jug works well. Set aside.
1 min
-
Step 4. Melt the butter in the pasta pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the mixture smells nutty.
1 min
-
Step 5. Gradually pour in the remaining milk, whisking as you go to avoid lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 3 minutes until thickened.
4 min
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Step 6. Stir in the squash-carrot purée, cheddar and parmesan. Add paprika, nutmeg, salt and white pepper. The sauce will turn a gorgeous golden-orange colour.
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Step 7. Add the drained macaroni to the sauce and stir well. If the sauce is too thick, loosen with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Serve straight away in warm bowls.
1 min
Goes well with
Steamed broccoli florets on the side — easy for small hands and a good colour contrast.
A cold glass of milk or diluted fruit juice.
Sliced banana with a drizzle of honey.
Nutrition
Scaled to your servings
- 485kcalCalories24%
- 65gCarbohydrate25%
- 19gProtein38%
- 16gFat23%
The pasta we used
Cibo di Italia Macaroni
500g · Cooks in 8–10 minutes · Serves ~5
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