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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 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!
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.
Malena
From Argentina, i love this recipe!! So yummy and satisfied. Third time i do it now.
Thank for share, excellent blog!
Un beso!
Male
Jenn S.
Thank you, Malena! So happy to hear you love it!
Sarah
I have a very specific diet because of my autoimmune disease, but almost everything in this recipe is safe for me! I’ve made it twice now since I stopped eating dairy and yum, this actually satisfies my craving for real mac and cheese. I added some white miso paste for more depth (I love umami) and nutritional yeast for more cheese flavor. I can’t use paprika so I left that out. The second time I made it, I used smoked salt and found that plus the noosh made it taste like smoked gouda mac and cheese! I’m eating a plate of it right now. 🙂
Jenn S.
Thank you, Sarah! I’m so happy to hear you loved it! I really love the idea of adding smoked salt and I happen to have some in my pantry – totally trying that next time!
Cate
Could you slow cook the white beans, squash and onion, then blend everything? If so, how long should I cook it for, and on low or high? I have three toddlers, and time saving strategies are a must!
Jenn S.
Hi, Cate. Are you using the white beans in place of the cashews? Dry beans take about 6-8 hours to slow cook on low. They also need to be soaked overnight and rinsed before slow cooking. If you are looking to save time, it would be much quicker to use canned white beans, rinsed and drained. The squash and onions only take about 15 minutes on the stovetop. Let me know if you have any other questions. Enjoy!
Jackie
My family and I tried this for the first time and holy cow, so good! I just started going dairy free and it’s so hard cause my family loves Mac and cheese. My son said this was the best Mac and cheese he’s ever had and even went for seconds! Can’t wait to make this again!!
Jenn S.
Oh wow, that makes me so happy! Thank you, Jackie. So glad you all loved it. Your son sounds like as smart kid! 🙂
Kristyn
This is seriously AMAZING! I also added nutritional yeast to mine 😊 I will recommend this to everyone!
Jenn S.
Thank you, Kristyn! So glad you loved it! I have added nooch to it a few times myself – yum!
Ms_Rach
This is great, thank you! I tasted the sauce as is and it was very good, but I doctored it a bit. We added nutritional yeast, miso and toasted breadcrumbs on top. The Mac N Cheese loving bf has seconds but did say we should call it “creamy butternut elbows” instead on Nac N Cheese. Still a win!
Jenn S.
Glad you both like it! Thank you!
Katie Short
Holy wow! Cheese sauce I can eat on my allergy-elimination diet! Asi type, the sauce is sitting in the blender, awaiting rice, veggies, and chicken for a twist on the old covered-dish casserole. I subbed white beans (cannelini) for the cashews, since they’re a migraine trigger for one of my brood. And I did add a bit of nutritional yeast, because I had it on hand. I am so glad I made a full recipe so there will be leftovers. It’s delicious!
Jenn S.
So happy to hear this, Katie! I’m actually making it tonight too! The butternut squash and onion is cooking as we speak! Your casserole sounds great – enjoy!!
Amber
If I didn’t have an onion , could I use onion powder?
Jenn S.
Yes, probably. Taste after blending and see what you think – you might not need to add anything. Enjoy!
Jaynie
This was a great recipe. We’re just getting our feet wet in the vegan world and this had pretty good flavor. I didn’t get my cashews as smooth as I would have liked. We also realized about 2 minutes in that my daughter has a cashew allergy. Scariest thing in the world, but so glad I was close by and it didn’t happen somewhere else. Unfortunately our family won’t be trying this one again, but I can’t wait to check out your other recipes.
Jenn S.
Oh no! How scary! I’m glad she is ok! Several people have subbed white beans in place of the cashews with success, so that’s an option if you did want to try it again. I hope you find many other recipes to love too! Let me know if you are looking for anything specific. Thanks for stopping by, Jaynie!
Pam
You could also try using sunflower seeds to replace the cashews. Being a seed rather than a nut, people with nut allergies are typically okay with them.
mich
Could i leave onion out? I can’t do the onion family. if i leave out would it taste good?
Jenn S.
Yes, you could leave it out. I would suggest making sure to taste after blending to make sure you don’t need to add more spices or salt, but it shouldn’t make too much of a difference. Let me know how it turns out!
Alison
Hello! this looks delicious 🙂 I was wondering if there was a substitute for the Dijon Mustard? My son is allergic to mustard unfortunately. Thank you!
Alison
Jenn S.
You can just leave it out. I hope you all enjoy it!
Ivonne
My family loved this delicious veggie Mac and cheese. It was a hit with my 4 year old. I used too much mustard. I used some light cream and fixed it! I’m going to make it without mustard next time. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Jenn S.
So glad you guys loved it! Thanks, Ivonne!
Jennifer
I don’t have age any cashews but do have roasted peanuts and slivered almonds- do you think either of those would work? Also don’t have nutmeg is that a big deal? Thanks!
Jenn S.
Many people have subbed white beans for the cashews with great results. I definitely wouldn’t do the roasted peanuts – those would have a much stronger flavor and probably won’t blend as well. Almonds might be ok though. And don’t worry about the nutmeg – you can just leave that out. Let me know what you go with and how it turns out!
Catherine Bibow
Hi,
Could I use frozen butternut squash? Would I still need to boil it if I did?
Jenn S.
Hi, Catherine. If the frozen squash has already been cooked, then you would just need to thaw it out. I’ve never bought frozen squash before though, so I’m not certain if they freeze it cooked or raw.
Catherine
Oh I didn’t even think to check if it is cooked or not! Thanks!
Jenn S.
I’m curious now too! Ha! And honestly, I’ve never seen frozen squash, but what a time saver if it’s already cooked. Let me know!
Catherine
The butternut squash was frozen, uncooked, in very tiny cubes. I didn’t defrost, but boiled the water before I put the onions and squash in, then just followed the recipe. I also have a Ninja and it doesn’t do a great job with soaked cashews, so I brought them to a boil and then simmered them for 45 minutes. That gave me the creaminess I was looking for. This is a phenomenal recipe, especially because it has no processed food (like vegan cheese) and tastes wonderful. When I told my husband I was making mac & cheese without vegan cheese he wasn’t too happy. I promised he could add it afterwards if he didn’t like it. Well he loved it!
Thank-you so much for your hard work! This recipe is a winner!
Jenn S.
I love this! Thank you, Catherine! I’m so happy you both loved it. I MUST find frozen butternut squash – what a time saver! Sometimes if I make this on a whim and don’t have time to soak my cashews I just throw them in the boiling water with the squash and onions – works great – so good thinking! Your feedback is much appreciated! Thanks for stopping by!
NinA
AMAZING!!!!! Sold my husband (who refrains from veggies). Texture and taste perfect! Left out last three ingredients (because I didnt have).
Jenn S.
Awesome!! Sometimes sneaky veggies are the way to go – no shame in that game! 🙂 Thank you so much, Nina!