If your family loves creamy, cheesy pasta and you’re looking for a simple way to up their veggie intake—because aren’t we always?!—this super simple 5-Ingredient Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese needs to be on your menu asap!
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
The beauty of this recipe is that the squash adds that classic orange color and nutrients, but the kids just get the cheesy pasta flavor and texture that they love. And the method is so simple since everything cooks in the same pot, so it’s a perfect option for a busy weeknight. Pick up a bag of precut butternut squash and you literally just need to fill a pot with water to get this recipe started!
Healthy Mac and Cheese
You can make this with any pasta shape that your family prefers—elbows would be a great choice if your kids are used to the classic boxed variety—and you can add in broccoli or peas if you want to up the veggie intake even more. This butternut mac and cheese recipe is easy to scale up and you can make it gluten-free if needed by selecting a favorite GF pasta. (We love the Barilla gluten-free pasta—though I recommend cooking it for 1-2 minutes less than the box says for the best texture…it can start to fall apart if you cook it for the full time!)
Butternut Mac and Cheese with Canned Squash
If you have a can of butternut squash, you can sub that in and skip the step where you’d otherwise need to cook the squash. Simply add it to the blender and blend it up!
What else can I use the cheese sauce for?
The simple butternut squash cheese sauce is also a wonderful topping for steamed broccoli, green beans, asparagus, or any other veggie that your kids might need a little extra encouragement to gobble up! (P.S. What to Do When Your Toddler Won’t Eat.)
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PinIngredients
- 1 cup peeled and cubed butternut squash
- 1/3 cup milk
- 3/4 cup grated yellow or white cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 ounces pasta
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the squash and cook for about 10 minutes or until soft when poked with a fork.Use a large slotted spoon to transfer the squash to a blender, draining off all of the liquid.
- Add the milk, cheese, and butter, and puree until completely smooth.Meanwhile, bring the water back to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Stir in the cheese sauce, season to taste with salt, and serve! Variations:
- To make this for 6-8 people, simply double all the amounts using a full pound of pasta. You can also add more cheese if you’d like.
Notes
Variations:
Add 1 cup frozen peas to a colander before you drain the pasta. The peas will thaw and warm and you’ll be able to tuck another veggie right into the mix.
Try with sweet potato or another favorite squash.
Trade in cauliflower for the squash.
Nila Dharan
April 30, 2019 at 4:34 amThis is so yummy! The whole family loves it – mom , dad, 4 year old and 15 month old! Easy to do vegan too – we use vegan butter, soy or almond milk and vegan mozzarella. Yum!!
★★★★★
Amy Palanjian
April 30, 2019 at 9:09 amI’m so glad!
Mandy
March 12, 2019 at 1:20 pmI am not sure what I did wrong but mine did not come out very good 🙁
Stacey Alexander
February 2, 2019 at 8:14 pmCan I use frozen squash?
Amy Palanjian
February 3, 2019 at 10:54 amYes, that should work fine. It may not need quite as long to cook though.
Leah koenig
November 26, 2018 at 5:35 pmAbsolutely delicious and a hit with my 4 year old! Also super easy – took basically the same time as making a box of Mac n cheese.The cheese I used was mild so I added a little salt. This is going in the regular rotation.
★★★★★
Amy Palanjian
November 27, 2018 at 6:14 amI’m so happy to hear that feedback Leah and I’m glad that your kiddo enjoyed it!
Helen
November 3, 2018 at 7:23 amThis is super tasty, when I cut my squash I had double
So I doubled the recipe, do you think this can freeze?
Thanks for this. Also made the spinach pesto and it’s a massive hit with my 11 month old!
★★★★★
Amy Palanjian
November 3, 2018 at 8:54 amHooray! I’m so glad these worked out. I haven’t tried freezing the whole finished dish but I would think it should work fine. The pasta may soften a bit further but your kiddo might not mind!
May
November 2, 2018 at 10:55 pmCan I freeze the cheese sauce?
Amy Palanjian
November 3, 2018 at 8:55 amYes. Place it into an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and then warm to use again.
May
November 6, 2018 at 11:41 pmThank you, Amy!
Erin
October 14, 2018 at 7:03 amHow many days can it last in the fridge?
Amy Palanjian
October 14, 2018 at 7:25 am3 days is probably best in an airtight container!