Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9” x 11” glass baking dish with olive oil spray and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add cubed butternut squash and cook until tender, about 5-6 minutes.

When squash is fork tender, transfer it with a slotted spoon to a blender.

Add elbow pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and return pasta to the pot.

To the blender with the squash, add 0.5 cup vegetable broth, onion powder, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Blend until smooth and creamy.

In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, 0.25 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper. Set aside.

Melt unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced shallot and sauté for 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over shallots and cook for another minute.

Add remaining 1 cup vegetable broth and skim milk to the saucepan, whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes, whisking frequently.

Remove the saucepan from heat and whisk in shredded Gruyere cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, pureed squash mixture, 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, and black pepper.

Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked pasta and gently mix to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top. Bake for 25 minutes. Switch oven to high broil and broil for 2-3 minutes until breadcrumbs start to brown.

Garnish with chopped chives if desired. Serve warm and enjoy your healthy butternut squash mac and cheese!