Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
by: claire cary
This easy butternut squash mac and cheese is rich, creamy and perfect for Fall! It's dairy free and vegan optional and incredibly easy to make! Perfect for a kid-friendly dinner recipe.
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6
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta of choice
- 3 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 large white or yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup milk dairy or non-dairy
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter dairy or non-dairy
- 1 teaspoon salt or more, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese shreds dairy or non-dairy
- 2-4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce/tamari
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Add the cubed butternut squash and cashews to a pot and cover with water. Let boil until the squash is fork tender, about 20 minutes.
- Add the diced onion and minced garlic to a pan and saute with 1 tablespoon of olive oil for about 5-7 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
- Drain the butternut squash and cashews and add to a high speed blender with all ingredients aside from the cheese but including the onion/garlic.
- If you're using dairy free cheese (I like violife cheddar shreds) it can take a while to melt, so if you notice it is still chunky after 10 minutes (be sure to stir very frequently), transfer back to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Blend until completely smooth.
- Transfer to a pot and stir in the cheese. Let melt over low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once melted, stir in the cooked pasta until well combined. Serve and enjoy!
- It will seem very saucy at first, but the pasta will absorb some of the sauce, especially if you're using a gluten free pasta. If you prefer it less saucy, just pour less on top!
Notes
For vegan cheese, I like the VioLife cheddar shreds.
To turn this into baked mac & cheese, follow all of the steps as usual in the recipe, then transfer to an oven safe dish. Top with breadcrumbs and more cheese if desired and bake for 20 minutes at 350, or simply broil on high for about 2 minutes to crisp the top.
Serving: 1bowl / Calories: 531kcal / Carbohydrates: 67g / Protein: 17g / Fat: 25g / Saturated Fat: 9g / Fiber: 6g / Sugar: 8g
