This recipe for Vegan Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese is one that I’ve made time and time again, making tweaks every time to perfect it juuuust right. And I must say – mission accomplished.
There are a handful of variations and options for this recipe, so keep scrolling to find them all.
Vegan Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese
This Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is a plant-based alternative to the classic comfort food favorite. Dairy-free and gluten-free!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Pasta
- Method: Roast, Boil, Blend
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked *
- 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup unflavored nondairy milk
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces pasta of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl toss butternut squash with olive oil, salt & pepper
- Spread evenly on baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes, flipping midway
- When the squash is almost finished roasting, boil pasta in salted water until al dente
- Let the squash cool for a few minutes, then put into food processor with soaked cashews, milk, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt & pepper
- Blend until creamy, smooth consistency
- Add drained pasta back to pot and toss with the cheese sauce
Notes
*Soak cashews in water for at least 1 hour. This gives the cheese sauce a thicker, creamier consistency. You can omit the cashews, in which case you’ll use less liquid in the sauce
Keywords: vegan, macaroni, butternut squash, mac and cheese, cheese, dairy-free cheese, dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan mac
What pasta should I use?
Any pasta will work for this! If you’re gluten-free you can use your favorite rice or corn pasta. I also love bean-based pastas for an increase in fiber and protein – some of my favorites are Banza, Barilla, and Explore Cuisine.
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed I frequently use this butternut cheese sauce with gnocchi. Find out how I make my favorite crispy, pan-fried gnocchi here.
Lately I’ve been using Hungryroot’s cauliflower gnocchi, if you wanted to try it you can use code HUNGRYBLONDE30 for 30% off your first box.
Can I use something other than butternut squash?
Sweet potato or kabocha squash would both work great in place of butternut squash.
Other notes on this recipe
You can omit the nutritional yeast if you don’t like it or don’t have it, however I love the cheesy flavor it adds to this sauce.
You can also omit the soaked cashews. They add an extra thickness and creaminess to the sauce, so you may need to use less liquid to bring the sauce together.
To turn this into a more filling meal, you can toss in any other favorite cooked vegetables or protein.
As always, if you make this Vegan Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese or any of my other recipes, it would mean so much if you could please leave a review! I also love to see how they turn out, so be sure to tag me on Instagram @Hungry.blonde 🙂 xoxo GG
You might also like:
Spicy Parmesan Garlic Lentil Pasta
(Super Versatile) Cauliflower Cream Sauce
Creamy Cauliflower & Sun-dried Tomato Pasta
Everything Bagel Macaroni & Cheese
Vegan Chickpea Salad Melts
