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The PERFECT vegan mac and cheese! You will not believe how good this is!!! No soy, fake cheese or nutritional yeast. Made with real whole food ingredients, this Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese will become a regular on your dinner table!
**This recipe was featured on CBS’ The Doctors tv show in 2017. I talked about the recipe with Dr. Travis and then we served the dish to kids for a taste test without them knowing it wasn’t traditional mac and cheese. The results: they all loved it!
The only vegan mac and cheese recipe you’ll ever need!
It’s made with 100% whole food ingredients – No soy. No processed cheese. No oil. No nutritional yeast.
Just good for you healthy food!
The kids love it. Husband, family, friends, and neighbors…they all love it.!
Pleasing vegans, omnivores, adults, and kids alike, this Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is one creamy pasta dish you don’t want to miss!
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Noodles ~ Elbow noodles are classic for mac and cheese, but this sauce will work with any of your favorite noodle shapes. Small shells, penne, and rotini are our other faves for this dish.
Use gluten free noodles, if you need/want.
*Pro tip: After learning of our daughters gluten sensitivity, we have tried nearly every kind of gluten-free pasta out there. Our favorite is by far the Tinkyada noodles! They stay al dente, they don’t clump up, my kids can’t tell the difference between these and regular pasta, and its made from just organic brown rice and water! Try it!
Butternut Squash ~ This healthy veggie gives us the classic golden color of mac and cheese. It’s nutty and earthy with a slight sweetness. It blends up super creamy when paired with the other ingredients.
I buy a whole one and prep it myself, but most grocery stores now sell pre-chopped butternut squash in the produce section and you can often find it frozen as well. It costs more to buy the pre-chopped kind, but it can save you time for sure. Use what you’re comfortable with.
Pumpkin or sweet potato can be used instead though both will give slight flavor variations to the final dish.
Love butternut squash? You’ll love my vegan butternut squash risotto and baked butternut squash fries!
Cashews ~ Raw cashews blend up silky smooth and help to give this dish its thick creamy texture.
For a nut free version, try using white beans, like cannellini or Great Northern, in place of the cashews.
Spices ~ Mustard provides a sharp, tangy kick that balances the the other flavors and helps to create a “cheesy” taste.
A clove of fresh garlic can be used instead of the garlic powder.
Smoked paprika lends a great subtle smokiness that is great paired with “cheesy” dishes.
Turmeric adds extra oomph to the bright golden color. If you don’t have it, you can leave it out.
I was always taught to add a pinch of nutmeg to creamy “white” sauces. You won’t taste it in the final dish, but it gives a little extra something to the background flavors. Again, if you don’t have it, you can leave it out.
Optional add-ins ~ For an extra “cheesy” flavor, try adding 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast or 1 tablespoon of mellow white miso. Blend into the sauce until smooth.
How to make the recipe
Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Before draining, be sure to save 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid to add to the sauce!
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
To prep the butternut squash, first slice it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife and chop it into cubes and slice the onion thinly.
Add the squash and onions along with the raw cashews to a pot and cover with water by about 1 to 2 inches.
Cook the squash/onion/cashew mixture until the squash is tender. Pierce a piece with a fork or knife. If it slides in easily, it’s done. Drain.
Add the veggies and cashews to a blender along with the remaining ingredients. Blend until perfectly smooth.
Stir the sauce into the cooked noodles and serve!
Serving suggestions
This creamy pasta dish is a meal by itself, but if you are wanting more here are some options.
- Add some frozen green peas to the pasta just before draining.
- Add a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese or store-bought shredded vegan cheddar to individual servings.
- Crumble some vegan tempeh bacon over the top before serving.
- Transfer the cooked butternut squash mac and cheese to a casserole dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and bake in the oven until the top is browned and crispy.
- Serve it alongside baked tofu or vegan chicken cutlets and a some garlic green beans or a side salad.
Storage and freezing
Fridge: The sauce mixed with the noodles will keep in the fridge for several days. You will need to add a bit more liquid – plain, unsweetened almond or oat milk works well – when reheating.
The sauce by itself is great for prepping ahead. It will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.
Freezer: You can also freeze the mac and cheese (noodles and sauce together), but please note that the noodles will likely be a tad soft when thawing and reheating.
The sauce by itself can be thawed and reheated without losing any of the creamy texture. Again, you may need to add a bit more liquid, however, to loosen it up as it will thicken as it sits.
Pro tips and tricks
~ Use raw cashews. They blend up super creamy and have a mild sweet flavor that complements the other flavors of the butternut squash mac and cheese. Roasted salted cashews will be too strong.
~ Although the peel of butternut squash is edible, peel it! The end result will be much creamier without the peel.
~ To save time, feel free to use pre-chopped butternut squash found in the produce section of the grocery store. Frozen chopped squash can also be used.
~ Don’t forget to save ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid before draining the noodles! The starch in the water helps create the silky creamy texture.
~ Use a high speed blender to ensure the sauce blends up silky smooth.
~ If you are making this sauce on it’s own without the noodles, you can use water, unsweetened plain non-dairy milk, or the cooking liquid from the squash/onions in place of the pasta cooking water.
~ For an extra “cheesy” flavor, try adding 1 tablespoon of mellow white miso (note: contains soy) or 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast. Blend into the sauce until smooth.
~ To make this nut free, use white beans (cannelllini or Great Northern) instead of cashews.
~ This sauce is already gluten-free. To make the final dish gluten-free, choose gluten-free noodles.
~ This dreamy butternut squash mac and cheese sauce is so versatile. Try serving it over baked potatoes or steamed broccoli, use it as a dip for tortilla chips or french fries, or stir it into soups or chilis. It can also be made into Vegan Chili Mac.
FAQs
While this butternut squash mac and cheese doesn’t taste exactly like what you’ll get from that classic blue box or from a homemade dairy loaded version, it does have the creamy, earthy, slightly sharp/tangy flavor that everyone loves. It is a delicious pasta dish that I know you’ll love!
Vegan mac and cheese can be made a number of different ways. Some use store-bought vegan cheese, some use potatoes and carrots, some start with a roux, and of course, this version uses butternut squash.
Yes! This butternut squash mac and cheese is healthy! Using all whole food plant based ingredients, there are plenty of nutrients packed into each creamy, “cheesy” bite!
Technically, the peel of this winter squash is edible. However, this butternut squash mac and cheese will be much creamier if you get rid of it.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.
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For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces package small macaroni noodles cooked according to package directions (use gluten free noodles, if desired)
- ½ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid or from the squash/onion…either one will work)
- 1 ½ cups peeled, cubed butternut squash
- ½ large sweet onion peeled and chopped
- ¼ cup raw cashews
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Add butternut squash, onions and cashews to a pot and cover with water by at least an inch or two. Bring to a boil, turn down heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are tender (about 15 minutes or so).
- Meanwhile, cook macaroni noodles according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup cooking liquid once noodles are done cooking and before draining. Place noodles back in pot and set aside.
- When squash and onions are tender, drain and add them to a high speed blender with the cashews, lemon juice, salt, dijon, garlic powder, black pepper, smoked paprika, turmeric, nutmeg and reserved cooking liquid from the noodles. Blend until completely smooth. Use a tamper if necessary to push ingredients to the bottom of the blender.
- Add butternut squash sauce to the macaroni noodles and stir, making sure every noodle is covered in sauce. Warm through if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Harmoni says
Sanding to my ” must try” list 🙂
Harmoni says
*saving
Jenn S. says
LOL. Let me know how it turns out for you!
JoAnne says
Just made this tonight. It was excellent. Both my husband and I loved it and will be making it again and again. I’m so glad to see a recipe for something “cheesy” that doesn’t have nutritional yeast in it. For some reason, nutritional yeast doesn’t agree with me whatsoever. Thank you!!
Jenn S. says
Thank you so much JoAnne! I agree with you – I haven’t liked most of the “cheese” sauces that contain nutritional yeast either! I’m so glad you both loved it!
Shubha says
Loved this recipe.. Good way to get the kids to eat veggies too.. Will try this for sure:)
Jenn S. says
Exactly, Shubha! My kids have no idea this is made from veggies with absolutely NO cheese! 🙂
Emma says
Oh my!!! Just made this for dinner and I am so happy 🙂 absolutely great. Thanks so much for sharing.
Jenn S. says
Great! Thanks, Emma! So glad you liked it!
Jamie says
This. Is. So. Good. Perfect as is. I cant think of a single sane person that would not enjoy this recipe.
Jenn S. says
Ha!Ha! Sooo glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know!
Jennifer J says
Do you think the sauce could be frozen? I would love to try it, but I would be the only person eating it and I have 4 butternut squashes to use up!
Jenn S. says
I’ve never tried freezing it, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. I freeze other similar sauces all the time. Let me know if you try it!
Angie says
The only modification I made, was to add some cayenne pepper to the seasonings to satisfy this Texan’s need for heat. This is the first vegan mac n cheese recipe that came really close to what I remember the dairy version tasted like. Thx so much for this new go-to recipe!
Jenn S. says
Oooh, a little heat would be great in this! I’ve been putting hot sauce on everything lately. I’m so glad you liked it!
Mary says
We loved this! Thanks for a great recipe. I didn’t have cashews, but did have heavy cream left over, and used that, but I think the cashews will be better.
I had roasted squash cubes in the oven the day before and used them, so it was a cinch!
Now if someone will just invent a tool to scrape non-pourable stuff out of a vitamix, all will be well. My least favorite part of the whole thing. 🙂
sebestyen2 says
So glad you liked it!
This sauce usually pours fairly well for me, but I know what you mean. I’ve made things in the past that are difficult to get out of the Vitamix. I usually just shove a spatula down there and carefully move the blades around with it while scooping the stuff out. I do have quite a few nicks in my spatulas though! LOL!
charlie says
I thought this recipe would probably be too good to be true, but then I made it and actually it’s really delicious!! Even slightly cheesy somehow. Will definitely be making this again.
sebestyen2 says
So glad you liked it! My kids have NO idea there is actually no cheese in there!
Lisa Baus says
Thank you so much! I bought some cubed butternut squash, and I need to use it. This is perfect, and it looks exactly how my boys will want it to look. I’m making it for dinner tonight.
sebestyen2 says
Great! I hope they love it!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
A butternut squash mac and cheese sounds seriously so delicious. Thanks for the great recipe, I definitely can see myself recreating it!
Alison Howard says
This recipe is pure genius. I am constantly amazed by the creativity, beauty and care that goes into vegan cooking. This is one of those recipes, that combines thoughtful attention to texture and flavor, and the yield is incredible!! Thank you.
sebestyen2 says
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Yanic A. says
Huge huge hit!!! My daughter made sure I had made enough to take for lunch to school on Monday and my dairy intolerant son and husband went back for seconds. Great recipe!!!
sebestyen2 says
I’m so glad you and your family liked it! Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Hope you find some other recipes here you love too!
Yanic A. says
BTW : Wanted to add (as I’ve made this a second time now) that I used gluten free brown rice macaroni and it worked wonderfully. Also, I added 1/4 cup nutritional yeast to the sauce and it tastes even more “cheesy”. Once again, wonderfully good!!!
Jenn S. says
Good to know that gluten free works too, Yanic! Thank you! I’ve often thought about adding some nutritional yeast or even a little miso to give it an even more “cheesy” flavor, but wanted to keep the “weird” ingredients out of the original recipe. Thanks again for stopping by!
Yanic A. says
LOL! We put nutritional yeast in everything here. But I can see how it could be intimidating for some. 🙂
Jenn S. says
I do too! I love it!
Kris Vaughan says
I love the butternut squash mac n cheese recipe but my daughters are allergic to nuts also. Any substitution for the cashews?
sebestyen2 says
Hi! Try white beans instead of the cashews. I use pureed Cannellini beans often too make recipes creamy. I’m sure it would work just as well here. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
Bethany says
I just made this for dinner. I made it exactly as it says and it was delicious!!! Even my non-vegan skeptical hubby proclaimed it a winner! Thank you and this will go in the pile to make again!!
sebestyen2 says
Oh, you totally just made my night! I’m so happy to hear this! I have a non-vegan skeptical hubby too, so I totally understand. Maybe we will turn them one day. 🙂