Description
A creamy, comforting slow-cooker mac and cheese loaded with roasted sweet vegetables and topped with a rich maple brown butter sage drizzle.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded gouda cheese
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (for drizzle)
- 8–10 fresh sage leaves
Instructions
1. Prepare the Crust:
- In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato, butternut squash, and carrot with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 400°F for 20 minutes until tender.
- In a saucepan, melt 3 tbsp butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and cream until smooth. Stir in garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Add shredded cheddar and gouda to the sauce, stirring until melted and smooth. Combine cooked macaroni, roasted vegetables, and cheese sauce in the crockpot. Cook on low for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- For the drizzle, melt 4 tbsp butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add sage leaves and cook until butter turns golden brown and sage is crisp. Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup.
- Serve the mac and cheese hot, drizzled with the maple brown butter sage mixture.
Notes
You can customize the seasonings to taste.