Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Blending roasted butternut squash into the cheese sauce is what gives this mac and cheese its color and a little extra nutrition without changing the flavor much. It's a good way to sneak a vegetable into a dish that doesn't usually have one.
Roasting the squash first concentrates its flavor before it gets blended into the sauce, so the finished dish doesn't taste like plain pureed vegetables. Cheddar still does the heavy lifting on flavor, with the squash mostly adding body and color.
A breadcrumb topping baked on at the end gives this some textural contrast that a stovetop-only mac and cheese wouldn't have. It's more involved than my usual meatless pasta, but the payoff is a genuinely different mac and cheese.
The recipe card has the full ingredient breakdown and bake time for all ten portions. Let it cool before portioning into containers, then refrigerate what you'll eat within four days and freeze the rest. Add a splash of milk when reheating to loosen the sauce back up.
Nutrition note: This is general food information, not individualized medical or nutrition advice.
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
YIELD
10 portions
ESTIMATED NUTRITION
615 calories • 25g protein • 77g carbs • 24g fat per portion
What I really like about this recipe is how naturally the butternut squash blends into the cheese sauce.
Ingredients
• 30 oz dry pasta, cooked
• 12 1/2 cups butternut squash, cubed
• 3 3/4 cups shredded cheddar
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 5 tbsp butter
• salt and pepper
• 2 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Directions
1. Roast the butternut squash at 400°F for 25 minutes, until fork-tender.
2. Blend the roasted squash with milk until smooth; warm in a pot and stir in the cheddar until melted.
3. Toss the sauce with the cooked pasta; top with breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter.
4. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes, until golden on top. Let the food cool briefly, then divide it evenly among 10 airtight meal-prep containers.
Meal-prep notes: Refrigerate promptly and use refrigerated portions within 3–4 days; freeze any portions you will not eat in that window. Reheat hot meals until steaming, adding a splash of milk if needed. Nutrition is estimated per portion.
