As a mother of three, restaurateur and cookbook author Ayesha Curry knows a thing or two about getting her little ones to eat vegetables. For her line of Homemade meal kits, she’s replaced the cream and some of the cheddar in this mac ’n’ cheese lookalike with a velvety butternut squash purée. Should you want to “adultify” your bowl, Curry suggests stirring in diced butter-sautéed shallots, chopped linguica sausage, or minced parsley (or all three!).
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add edamame and cook until tender, 3 or 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop into a bowl. Add pasta to water and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.
While pasta cooks, steam squash in a separate pot in a steamer basket set over boiling water, covered, until very soft and cooked through, 12 to 13 minutes. Scoop squash straight into a blender or food processor. Add cheese, butter, and 3/4 cup milk; blitz into a smooth, thick, but still pourable sauce. If it seems too thick, add a little extra milk. Season with the salt and pepper.
Drain pasta, return to empty pasta pot, and pour in butternut squash sauce; mix. Spoon into a serving dish and top with edamame.
Servings 4
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.