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Modified: Mar 9, 2022 | Categories: Main Course

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

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Welcome to the best ever butternut squash mac and cheese!

It's a creamy three-cheese mac with a creamy butternut squash sauce tossed with cavatappi noodles.

You're going to love it!

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese in white skillet.
PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

How to make butternut squash mac and cheese

Featured Ingredients

  • Butternut squash: You can roast or steam a whole, peeled and seeded squash or steam a bag of frozen squash. Either way, the cooked squash will be pureed with plain Greek yogurt, milk, stock and spices then simmered with cheese.
  • Pasta: I use twirly cavatappi, but any tubular pasta works perfectly. You want to make sure there is sauce inside the noodle, of course!
  • Greek yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt will add richness, creaminess and a boost of nutrition to the sauce.
  • Milk and stock: The milk adds creaminess and the stock adds flavor.
  • Spices: Nutmeg, cayenne, salt and black pepper, to be exact. Trust me, this combo is fabulous in a cheese sauce.
  • Butter: A few tablespoons for creamy saltiness.
  • Cheeses: I like a combination of cheddar, Gruyere and Parm.
  • Breadcrumbs: Panko, for ultimate light crispiness for the topping.
  • Parsley: Optional, but adds freshness and color.
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese in white dish.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut butternut squash in half, lengthwise, and scoop out seeds.  Place in baking dish, flesh side down, and pour water in the baking dish.  Roast in oven for 35-40 minutes, until soft.  Scoop out cooked flesh and discard skin.  Set squash flesh aside.
  2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt.  Drain and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, place butternut squash, Greek yogurt, milk, chicken broth, salt, black pepper, nutmeg and cayenne in a blender and puree until smooth. (If squash is still hot, remove plastic cap from blender lid and place a kitchen towel over it so steam can escape and the hot contents don’t explode.)
  4. Heat butter in a saucepan and add squash puree.  Add marble jack, Gruyere and half of the Parmesan cheese and cook on medium, stirring, until cheese is melted. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
  5. Coat a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Add cooked pasta to the baking dish and pour in the squash/cheese sauce.  Stir until combined.  Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.
  6. Remove dish and turn oven on low broil.  Top pasta with remaining Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.  Spray top with cooking spray.  Place back in the oven and broil for 4-5 minutes, until top is browned, rotating the dish if necessary.
  7. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley (if using).
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese in white dish.

Recipe Substitutions and Alterations

  • Instead of butternut squash: Try canned pumpkin or sweet potato (or butternut squash). You could also use another winter squash, like acorn.
  • Instead of cavatappi: Use any tubular pasta.
  • Instead of Greek yogurt: Use more milk.
  • For the milk: Use low-fat or whole milk.
  • For the stock: Use vegetable or chicken.
  • For the cheeses: Use any combination of your favorite melty cheeses.
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese in white dish.

Nutrition Considerations

  • To make this gluten free: Use gluten free pasta and breadcrumbs. Be sure all other ingredients are gluten free.
  • To make this nut free: This recipe does not contain nuts. Be sure all packaged ingredients are nut free.
  • To make this egg free: This recipe does not contain nuts.
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese in white bowls.
PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

Luscious pasta recipes:

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  • Tater Tot Casserole
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  • Tuna Casserole with Potato Chips
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Print

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese in white skillet.
Print Recipe

Creamy 3-cheese mac with a creamy butternut squash sauce tossed with cavatappi noodles.

  • Author: Julie Andrews
  • Prep Time: 20-25 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hr-1 hr 5 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins or 1 hr 25 mins
  • Yield: Serves 8
  • Category: Pasta
  • Method: Stove-Top, Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large butternut squash, about 3 pounds*
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1-pound cavatappi or other tubular pasta
  • 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • 1 ¼ cups unsalted vegetable or chicken stock
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup shredded Gruyere cheese
  • ½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut butternut squash in half, lengthwise, and scoop out seeds.  Place in baking dish, flesh side down, and pour water in the baking dish.  Roast in oven for 35-40 minutes, until soft.  Scoop out cooked flesh and discard skin.  Set squash flesh aside. Alternatively, steam a 10-12 ounce bag of frozen butternut squash cubes.
  2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt.  Drain and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, place butternut squash, Greek yogurt, milk, chicken broth, salt, black pepper, nutmeg and cayenne in a blender and puree until smooth. (If the squash is still hot, remove the plastic cap from blender lid and place a kitchen towel over it so steam can escape and the hot contents don’t explode.)
  4. Heat butter in a saucepan and add the squash puree.  Add the cheddar, Gruyere and half of the Parmesan cheese and cook on medium-low, stirring, until cheese is melted. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
  5. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Add cooked pasta to the baking dish and pour in the squash/cheese sauce.  Stir until combined.  Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.
  6. Remove the baking dish from the oven and set the oven on a low broil.  Top pasta with remaining Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.  Spray top with cooking spray.  Place the baking dish back in the oven and broil for 4-5 minutes, until top is browned, rotating the dish if necessary.
  7. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley (if using).

Notes

Cooking Tip: You can cook the squash up to 3 days in advance. You can also use 2 10 ounce bags of frozen cubed squash; thaw and place into the blender and puree with the other sauce ingredients.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ⅛ of recipe
  • Calories: 459
  • Sugar: 6g
  • Sodium: 477mg
  • Fat: 18g
  • Saturated Fat: 10g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 8g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 56g
  • Fiber: 4g
  • Protein: 21g
  • Cholesterol: 52mg

Keywords: easy, healthy, vegetable, comfort food, tasty, simple, baked

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bonnie Fowler says

    November 25, 2014 at 7:09 am

    Mmmm as my one year old would say! I think we'll be enjoying this at our home soon! I'm so excited for your blog Julie! I'll be stopping in constantly 🙂

    Reply
  2. Julie Andrews says

    December 01, 2014 at 10:14 pm

    Thanks, Bonnie! I hope you enjoy it 🙂

    Reply
  3. Sengatang says

    December 04, 2014 at 9:14 pm

    Made this for Thanksgiving - thanks to you! It was a HUGE hit! I made it with gf noodles and gf breadcrumbs!

    Reply
    • Julie Andrews says

      December 09, 2014 at 7:09 pm

      Awesome idea!! Glad you loved it!

      Reply
  4. Molly says

    December 09, 2014 at 3:59 pm

    I love the idea of blending in the squash!! I usually add a layer of chopped butternut squash to the top of my baked mac and cheese but that is not always a huge hit with guests. I will be trying this recipe for Christmas!!

    Reply
    • Julie Andrews says

      December 09, 2014 at 7:08 pm

      I hope your family enjoys the recipe, Molly! Happy Holidays!

      Reply
  5. Kristen @ The Endless Meal says

    March 27, 2015 at 11:01 am

    This looks incredible! My sister makes a version of mac and cheese with yams that she swears by. I will have to try this one.
    Pinned!

    Reply
    • Julie Andrews says

      March 27, 2015 at 7:13 pm

      Hi Kristen! The butternut squash makes such a creamy and colorful sauce! It's magnificent and I hope you enjoy it 🙂

      Julie

      Reply

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chef, registered dietitian & mom
passionate about simple, healthy cooking

*formerly the gourmet RD*

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