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This Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is the most-made recipe on this site — and after more than a decade of families cooking it on repeat, I think I know why.
It’s deeply creamy, golden, and comforting in exactly the way a great mac and cheese should be. And it’s made entirely from whole food ingredients — no fake cheese, no nutritional yeast required, no processed anything. Just butternut squash, cashews, a handful of spices, and noodles.
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As featured on CBS’ The Doctors in 2017 — I shared this recipe with Dr. Travis and we served it to kids in a blind taste test without telling them it was vegan. Every single one of them loved it. That moment still makes me smile. Watch the full segment here.
With over 575 five-star ratings and more than 112,000 shares, this butternut squash mac and cheese has earned its place as a genuine family staple — for vegan families, omnivore families, toddlers, teenagers, and everyone in between.
My own family has been asking for it since 2014. Yours will too.
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 fall 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. 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. Many readers have done this with great success.
- 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 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 (Thank you, Food Network). 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 ~ Nutritional yeast has become a pantry staple in plant-based kitchens for good reason — 2 tablespoons blended into the sauce adds a subtle savory, “cheesy” depth that takes this dish to the next level. It’s widely available at most grocery stores now, including Whole Foods, Target, and Trader Joe’s.
Mellow white miso (1 tablespoon) is another excellent option that adds a similar savory richness. Both are optional — the sauce is genuinely delicious without either — but worth trying if you have them on hand.
How to make the recipe
This recipe comes together in two simple steps: make the sauce, toss with noodles. That’s really it.
Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Don’t forget to save ½ cup of the cooking liquid before draining — the starch in that water is what makes the sauce silky and glossy.
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
- Step 1: Slice the butternut squash 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.
- Step 2: Add the squash and onions along with the raw cashews to a pot and cover with water by about 1 to 2 inches.
- Step 3: Cook the mixture until the squash is tender. Pierce a piece with a fork or knife. If it slides in easily, it’s done.
- Step 4: Drain.
- Step 5: Add the veggies and cashews to a blender along with the remaining ingredients, including the reserved pasta cooking water.
- Step 6: Blend until perfectly smooth.
Blend until perfectly smooth.
Serving suggestions
This mac and cheese is a complete meal on its own, but here are some easy ways to round it out or dress it up:
- 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 pasta! 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 pasta, 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.
~ Try roasting instead of boiling. Reader Stephanie discovered that roasting the squash, onions, and a few garlic cloves in the oven (rather than boiling) creates a deeper, slightly caramelized flavor. Roast at 400°F for 25–30 minutes until golden, then blend as directed. It takes a little longer but the flavor payoff is wonderful — especially during the fall and winter months.
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!
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.
Yes — and it’s a wonderful variation! Roasting the squash, onion, and a few garlic cloves at 400°F for 25–30 minutes until caramelized gives the sauce a deeper, slightly sweeter flavor. Blend as directed, using pasta water or vegetable broth in place of the boiling liquid. This variation is especially good in fall and winter when you want a richer, more complex flavor.
Yes. Frozen chopped butternut squash works perfectly and saves a lot of prep time. No need to thaw first — just add it straight to the pot with the onion and cashews and cook until tender.
Yes. If you have a citrus sensitivity, you can leave the lemon out entirely or substitute a small splash of apple cider vinegar for a similar brightness without the citrus. The sauce is still delicious without it.
Definitely. Transfer the finished mac and cheese to a casserole dish, top with breadcrumbs (regular or gluten-free) and a drizzle of olive oil, and bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes until the top is golden and crispy. It’s a wonderful way to serve this for a dinner party or holiday table.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Creamy 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 sliced
- 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.
Siw Tikkanen-Aldén
I made the butternut mac and cheese for lunch today & both of us loved it. It was easy to follow your recipe & it tasted great <3 Thank you !
Jenn S.
Oh, that’s great to hear! Thank you so much, Siw. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Alexandra
I love this recipe! It’s delicious on pasta. I’ve also found the sauce tastes great as a substitute for nacho cheese (or just dipping chips into it) as well as to put on a baked potato! Great recipe, thanks for sharing 🙂
Jenn S.
Thanks, Alexandra! I’ve never used it as a nacho cheese sauce, but I do have plans to turn it into one (it will be similar, but with a little kick!). I do love it on baked potatoes too! I also have a Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup on the blog that uses this sauce as a base – check that out if you are a soup lover! Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!! 🙂
Stevie
Amazing recipe! I don’t think I will ever make or eat no vegan Mac and cheese again. So much healthier too! I actually didn’t have Dijon mustard and just used nutritional yeast to taste instead. Looking forward to adding a little Dijon kick 🙂
Stevie
*will never make or eat a non vegan Mac and cheese
Jenn S.
I knew what you meant! 🙂
Jenn S.
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback, Stevie! That’s what I like to hear! I sometimes add a little nooch, too, just for that extra cheesy kick.
Priscilla
Hi! This looks delicious! My son also has a nut allergy, is there any substitutions you recommend? I would really like to try this recipe! Thanks!
Jenn S.
Hi, Priscilla. Many readers have subbed white beans for the cashews. Or you could try sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. If you do use seeds though, make sure you use a high speed blender, like a Vitamix or Blendtec, so no little bits are left after puréeing. I hope you guys love it!
Guadalupe
If I substitute the cashews for white beans, do the white beans have to be cooked? or do I soak them in hot water like the cashews?
Jenn S.
Hi, Guadalupe. Yes, definitely use cooked white beans. Enjoy!
gina
does the “cheese” keep well in the refrigerator? Thinking of making it ahead of time.
Jenn S.
Yes! You could definitely make it ahead. Let me know how it turns out. Enjoy!
Kellie
If I use white beans do I still just soak them for 30min and not change anything else?
Kellie
White beans instead of cashews.
Jenn S.
Hi, Kellie. You don’t need to soak the white beans if you are using them from a can. If you use dried beans, then you’ll need to cook them first according to package to directions before you add them to this recipe. Let me know how it turns out!
Julie
My daughter is lactose intolerant and hasn’t been able to eat mac n cheese in a long time! I was skeptical of the ingredients but decided it was worth a try. I used gluten free noodles, and after mixing the “cheese” with the noodles, crunched up some gf croutons to spread on top and then baked in the oven. Everybody loved it including the hubby. Thanks so much!
Jenn S.
This is so awesome to hear, Julie! Thank you so much for stopping by to let me know – totally makes my day! 🙂 Love the idea of adding some crunch to the top and baking it up too. Have a great week!
Risika
I never comment on recipes. In fact, this is my very first time. I wanted to let you know that I tried this recipe tonight & it has changed everything for me. I am lactose intolerant but I love mac and cheese and usually fight through the discomfort and pain that follows indulging in it. After this, I will likely never go back. Thank you so much for sharing – I will definitely be making this on the regular 😉
Jenn S.
Risika, this is so great to hear! Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and leave your feedback. I am so happy you loved this recipe. I have a Broccoli Cheese Soup based on this recipe too – definitely check it out. Also, every recipe on my blog is dairy free, so feel free to browse around and find more recipes to love. Let me know if you have any questions! Thank you!!
Francesca
We made this recipe tonight and it was delicious. I decided to add a little bit of sweet potato with the squash and onion mixture. It made the sauce smoother and a touch sweeter. Looking forward to trying more recipes! Thank you.
Jenn S.
I’m so happy to hear that Francesca! Thank you so much! I bet the sweet potato was a delicious addition. Hope you find more recipes here to love as well. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!
Michelle
I seen you on the Doctors and I must admit I was a little skeptical about trying this. I’m all about eating as healthy as possible, but I enjoy indulging once in a while and Mac and cheese is one of my favorite. I made this tonight for supper and will definitely be making it again anr agaon. IT’S DELICIOUS ?
Jenn S.
Oh, this is so great to hear, Michelle! Thank you so much. I’m so happy you loved it! While there is nothing wrong with indulging every once in awhile, it’s nice to know we can still have our favorites even on a daily basis if we want to without feeling guilty. Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving your comment. I hope you find other recipes here to love as well (hint: check out my Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup that uses this squash recipe as a base!).
Brianna
I just had to comment on this! Wow amazing absolutely love it!! I made a few changes as I am obsessed with getting as much goodness into my family as possible lol added a zucchini, carrot, sweet potato and 1 tbsp nutritional yeast to the sauce and I added small pasta sized cauliflower florets instead of half the pasta???? Thoroughly enjoyed by the meat loving husband and my 2 toddlers.
Thank you so much for this fantastic recipe! ?
Jenn S.
Thank you so much, Brianna! That makes me so happy. And, wow, did you pack in the nutrition! I love it!! 🙂 Thank you for stopping by. Enjoy the rest of your week!
Ilea High
I would love to have the recipe you created! Trying to reduce our corn and rice intake, since we are gluten free and they are common staples in our diet!
Lyndsey
Made this tonight using GF noodles, all loved and had seconds. Thank you! We have extra sauce too, can’t wait to use it on many things:)
Jenn S.
Thank you, Lyndsey! I’m so happy to hear that! We had it for dinner tonight too! 🙂
REK
I am so glad I stumbled upon this recipe. We made the butternut squash mac n’ cheese tonight for dinner. My husband really liked it. This was absolutely delicious! Easy to make and so healthy for you. Will double the recipe next time, cause we like it extra cheesey and saucy. Thanks.
Jenn S.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you so much! Extra sauce sounds like a fine idea to me! 🙂
Vege-tater
Yay, no nooch! (Love it, but pricey hard to find around here, and doesn’t last.) Great recipe, I was so thrilled there was no nutritional yeast in it I got a little ahead of myself before I realized I was out of the other vegan staple, cashews, so thanks for the subs! I will probably use the white beans and try a small amount of soaked sunflower seeds…nothing like corrupting a great recipe! I NEVER have what I need when I need it! The last time I wanted to make a cauliflower cheese sauce that called for cashews I wasn’t only out of them, but came up short on the cauliflower because somebody noshed on it! Since I had already started and had the pasta cooked, I nuked a waxy yellow spud and threw that in the blender with the cauliflower to make up the difference, and it came out even better than usual! Necessity can sometimes be the mother of invention, or sometimes just a mother! lol
Jenn S.
Haha! I totally agree! It’s usually those recipes that you just throw together what you have that turn out the best. I think sunflower seeds would work great here…or even pumpkin seeds because they have a naturally “cheesy” flavor. Let me know how it all turns out!
Ilea High
Can I get your substitutes, please? My kids (and likely myself) have a genetic disorder called fructose malabsorption. Cashews, one of my faves, are prohibited, as well as dairy, gluten (which works well since we all suffer from Celiac’s disease as well) most nuts (almonds are okay) and some fruits and veggies! We can have all squash, all berries, no apples, no pears, no watermelon, but cantaloupe and honeydew melon is okay, and no honey or molasses, but sugar is okay, oh, and no eggs! Any suggestions would be great! Thanks so much for your time and for your amazing recipe!!!
Jenn S.
Hi, Ilea. For this recipe I’ve had several readers substitute white beans for the cashews in this recipe with success. And you can certainly use gluten free noodles – if you can’t have corn or rice either – they now have noodles made from chickpea flour…or there is a brown rice/quinoa combo which are good if a little bit of rice is ok.
In general, you can usually sub sunflower seeds or Sunbutter for a recipe calling for cashews/cashew butter/peanut butter. And you can usually swap out veggies for whatever you have on hand and can tolerate. If you have any questions about other specific recipes, I’d be happy to help you work through it. It’s hard to give substitutes that will work for everything all the time.
Ilea High
Can I get your substitutes, please? My kids (and likely myself) have a genetic disorder called fructose malabsorption. Cashews, one of my faves, are prohibited, as well as dairy, gluten (which works well since we all suffer from Celiac’s disease as well) most nuts (almonds are okay) and some fruits and veggies! We can have all squash, all berries, no apples, no pears, no watermelon, but cantaloupe and honeydew melon is okay, and no honey or molasses, but sugar is okay, oh, and no eggs! Any suggestions would be great! Thanks so much for your time and for your amazing recipe!!! Side note: I made it, reducing the black pepper just a bit, and using garbanzo beans (since I had them on hand) and minced garlic which I sauteed in the pan then added in my (previously cooked and frozen) butternut squash cubes! It turned out really well. The only thing I will likely change though, is the amount of pepper. It was very prominent and is not a ‘staple’ or commonly used seasoning in our diet. (I also didn’t have any Turmeric, Nutmeg or onion)
Breia
Wow!!! I never would have come up with this recipe on my own. I’m completely amazed by the way the squash was basically transformed into cheese. I’ve made similar sauces with cashews and cauliflower which were good, but this one would absolutely fool most people. I didn’t bother to peel or take the seeds out of my squash, and my vitamix turned this into the smoothest creamiest sauce anyway!
Jenn S.
Hi, Breia! Thank you so much! I’m delighted to hear you loved it. I can’t believe the peel and seeds got all creamy too – wow! Now, I’m impressed! 🙂 Thanks so much for your great feedback!