This easy Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese recipe is sure to be a hit with your family! Butternut squash & cheddar cheese make healthier mac n' cheese that tastes amazing.
Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese
I love this macaroni recipe! It's easy to make, you are sneaking in some fabulous vegetables, and this happens to be a little lower in calories than traditional macaroni and cheese (thanks to the vegetables). The flavor is awesome, it's creamy, it's rich, and it makes for a great meatless main dish that the whole family will enjoy.
I love using butternut squash in pasta dishes (remember this butternut squash lasagna roll-up recipe?! Still a favorite). It's beautiful in color (and deceptively cheesy looking), the texture when pureed is naturally creamy, and I really like hints of sweet in savory recipes. Enjoy this healthy veggie-filled pasta dish from my kitchen to yours.
Homemade macaroni and cheese is totally my jam. Some of the recipes get a little dry when you reheat leftovers, but this recipe did not have that problem. It stayed moist and delicious even after being reheated another day. It was easy to warm up in the mornings and pop in the kids' thermos for school lunch too.
How can I save some time while making this recipe?
A good way is you can buy butternut squash that is already cubed. Then you don't have to take the time to prep the squash for cooking!
How can I thicken or thin the sauce?
The finished sauce should be the consistency of a thin batter, like a pancake batter. If it's too thick, add a bit more cream. If it's thin, let it sit with the pasta stirred in for 5 minutes before stirring and the pasta will absorb some of the moisture.
How can I make the sauce extra smooth?
I recommend using a high power blender, such as a Blendtec, to make the sauce very smooth. A food mill or food processor would also work.
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Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Description
This easy butternut squash recipe is sure to be a hit with your family! Butternut squash & cheddar cheese make healthier mac n' cheese that tastes amazing.
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni (about 2 ⅔ cups) traditional or whole wheat
- 1 medium butternut squash, seeded, peeled, and cubed (about 4 cups of cubed squash)
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup cream
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook the noodles al dente according to package directions and set aside.
- In a large sauce pot or dutch oven add the cubed butternut squash, onion, chicken broth, sage, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the squash is fork tender, about 10 minutes.
- Drain the squash and reserve the cooking liquid. Add the cooked squash to a blender, add the garlic powder, and then add ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Process until smooth, adding a little bit of cooking liquid as needed. The smoother the better.
- Return the squash puree to the pan you cooked it in.
- Over medium heat, add the cream and stir to combine. When the mixture starts to gentle bubble stir in the cheese. When the cheese is melted, remove from the heat and add the cooked pasta.
- Stir well to combine and serve hot with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: healthy mac n cheese recipe, homemade macaroni and cheese recipe, butternut squash pasta, butternut squash mac n cheese, easy butternut squash recipe
More Butternut Squash Recipes:
- How to Cook a Whole Butternut Squash in the Slow Cooker
- How to Roast Butternut Squash (whole in the oven)
- Simple Lentil Curry with Butternut Squash
- Slow Cooker Creamy Turkey and Butternut Squash Chili
- Grilled Butternut Squash in a foil packet
- How to Cook Butternut Squash in the Instant Pot
- Homemade Butternut Squash Soup
Other Macaroni and Cheese recipes:
- Creamy One Pot Macaroni and Cheese
- Easy No-bake Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
- Classic Macaroni Salad Recipe
- Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese from Vegan Yumminess
- Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon
This post was originally published in 2016 and has been updated in July 2019.
There you have it! One veggie-filled Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese dish that your kids are sure to gobble up and that you'll love too. Plus, it's pretty easy to make and has simple ingredients included. Enjoy from my kitchen to yours.
Edie C
This was great. I think the squash kept the creaminess of the sauce a lot longer and it tasted so good. Good for you too.
I just happened to have a squash looking for a place to go! loI and I never would have thought to mix butternut squash with macaroni but it's delicious.
Thank you for sharing the recipe; it's a keeper.
★★★★★
Melissa
So glad you liked it, neat little trick right?
phizy
How many carbs are in your recipe?
Niki
This sounds good, I wonder if butternut squash soup would work??
Melissa
I actually have made pasta with a boxed organic butternut squash soup and it was awesome... and easy!
Liz
Sounds good. Thank you and have a great Sunday.
Beka
This recipe looks yummy! I wonder if I could successfully sub cashew milk for the cream?
MoriyaReed
I would substitute something thick like coconut milk to keep the creaminess of it.