Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
This vegan butternut squash mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food recipe made healthier and comes together in just 30 minutes. It's so creamy and delicious, no one will ever guess it's packed with veggies!
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Lunch/Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: butternut squash mac and cheese
Servings: 8
- 1 lb medium shell pasta uncooked
- 3 cups butternut squash peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 1 small yellow onion quartered
- 2 large garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ¾ cup raw cashews soaked for 2-4 hours or overnight
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons sea salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon paprika
If you haven’t already soak your cashews for 2-4 hours. If you have a high powered blender like a Vitamix you can get away with soaking for only 30 minutes-1 hour.
Fill a large pot with about 1 inch of water. Add butternut squash and onion to a steamer basket or metal colander and steam for about 15-20 minutes or until soft.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer the pasta back to the pot.
Place cooked butternut squash and onion in a blender, along with garlic, almond milk, cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt, pepper and paprika and blend until smooth and creamy.
Pour the sauce over cooked pasta and stir to fully combine.
Season to taste and serve immediately.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat it, add a little bit of milk or water to thin out the sauce. When reheating, stir often to avoid burning.
Serving: 1/8 recipe | Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 648mg | Potassium: 301mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g