vegan butternut squash mac n cheese

If you love creamy, decadent, rich, flavorful recipes then you will absolutely LOVE this 4 ingredient Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese. Made up of whole foods packed with micronutrients, this creamy pasta is satisfying and ready in under 30 minutes.

vegan butternut squash mac n cheese

4 Ingredient Mac and Cheese

This mac and cheese only requires four key ingredients – your pasta of choice, sautéed butternut squash, nutritional yeast, and soy milk. Here’s a breakdown of each ingredient:

  • Butternut Squash. This starchy carbohydrate is what’s going to keep you satiated for hours. Diet culture has taught us to be afraid of carbs, but that sentiment couldn’t be more false – starchy carbs are among the healthiest foods to incorporate into your diet! To learn more about why starchy carbs are so crucial to optimal health, check out The Starch Solution by Dr. John McDougall.
  • Pasta. We used chickpea pasta from Banza as it’s packed with protein. Chickpeas are have a ton of nutrients including fiber, iron, magnesium, manganese, and calcium among others.
  • Nutritional Yeast. If you want your vegan recipes to be cheesy, nutritional yeast, aka nooch, is a must. It’s a great source of protein, B vitamins, and trace minerals. Here are three trustworthy brands I rotate between:
  • Plant-Based Milk. Honestly any milk works in this recipe – soy tends to be creamiest, so if you want your pasta to be super creamy I would opt for soy. I use THIS BRAND as it has no additives and packs in 12 grams of protein per cup. The butternut squash is what makes it creamy, so if you use a lighter milk (such as almond milk) you will still be left with an incredibly decadent and creamy dish.
vegan butternut squash mac n cheese

Serving Suggestions

If you want a cheesier pasta, stir in your favorite vegan cheese – we love THIS MOZZARELLA from Violife. We used chickpea based pasta for protein, though you can add even more protein by mixing in your favorite plant based protein. I highly recommend ABBOT’S CHICK’N. We recommend topping with your favorite herb, our favorites are thyme, rosemary, or sage.

vegan butternut squash mac and cheese
vegan butternut squash mac and cheese

{Related Recipes: If you like this recipe you’ll love my PLANT-BASED BEEF CASSEROLE and my AVOCADO PESTO PASTA.}

vegan butternut squash mac and cheese

Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Yield: 8 servings
Healthy and high protein Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese made with only 4 key ingredients! Made in just 30 minutes.
Total: 30 minutes
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Ingredients

  • ½ Large Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed, I used 900g peeled and chopped butternut squash
  • 1 tbsp Avocado Oil
  • ¼ cup Nutritional Yeast
  • 2 cups Soy Milk
  • 1 ½ Sea Salt
  • Fresh Thyme, topping
  • 1 cup Shredded Vegan Cheese, optional if you want the recipe extra cheesy
  • 2 boxes Banza Pasta, one serving is 1/2 cup

Instructions
 

  • Chop the top and bottom off the butternut squash and peel entire squash. Roughly chop into cubes. I only needed half of one butternut squash, once peeled and chopped equaled 900g.
  • Heat a large pan with avocado oil on a low-medium heat. Once hot, add your butternut squash and keep pan covered stirring every few minutes. Repeat until squash is tender, then remove from heat.
  • Once the squash is completely cool, add to a blender along with nutritional yeast, garlic, sea salt, and soy milk. Blend until creamy. If mixture is too thick, gradually add more plant-based milk 1/4 cup at a time.
  • Cook pasta according to instructions. Drain then return to pot and pour butternut squash cheese into pot. Mix to combine.
  • Serve immediately or keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up a week.
Author: Annie Kimmelman