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A bowl of vegan butternut squash mac and cheese topped with fresh pepper and chives. A fork rests in the bowl.
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5 from 12 votes

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
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Lunch/Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: butternut squash mac and cheese
Servings: 8

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 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

Instructions

  • 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.
    Cashews soaking in water.
  • 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.
    Steaming chunks of butternut squash.
  • 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.
    Ingredients for vegan cheese in a high powered blender.
  • Pour the sauce over cooked pasta and stir to fully combine.
    Pouring vegan cheese over cooked noodles in a pot.
  • Season to taste and serve immediately.
    Vegan butternut squash mac and cheese in a pot.
  • 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.

Video

Nutrition

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