Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
This butternut squash mac and cheese is delightful! It's cheesy and creamy but not too rich, with subtle roasted butternut squash flavor.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
This butternut squash mac and cheese recipe strikes the perfect weeknight balance. It’s creamy, it’s cheesy, it’s comforting and completely delicious. This mac and cheese is not so rich that you’ll get a belly ache or fall asleep immediately after dinner.
This recipe is redeeming, too—it’s full of luscious roasted butternut squash, which amps up the golden hue without overwhelming the flavor. This mac and cheese is a real crowd pleaser. Our toddler loves it and so do we.
The cooking method is a thrill. This pasta comes together in one pot. You don’t ever strain the pasta. You don’t have to fuss with a béchamel sauce. You don’t have to get out the blender for the butternut.
If you roast your squash in advance, this recipe comes together in about 30 minutes. This is a unicorn of a pasta dish and I’m so excited to hear how it turns out in your kitchen.
Butternut Mac and Cheese Ingredients
You’ll find the full recipe below. Here’s what you should know about the key ingredients before you head to the store.
Butternut Squash
Roast your squash in advance and this recipe comes together quickly. You can roast it a day before or earlier in the day—simply let it cool, then cover and refrigerate it for later.
Roast a large squash, and you’ll have twice as much squash as you need for this recipe. Freeze the other half for a future batch of mac and cheese! This recipe is flexible—use anywhere from one to two cups of mashed butternut squash per batch. (The recipe specifies two cups for max veggie power, but you certainly can use less.)
We’ll simply cut the squash in half and roast it until tender. Then peel off the skin, mash up the squash that you need, and drop it into the boiling water. Any little lumps will work themselves out while the pasta cooks. It’s like magic.
In a hurry? You can use one 15-ounce can of puréed butternut squash in place of the roasted squash. Or use one can of pumpkin purée (not pie filling) and follow my Pumpkin Mac and Cheese recipe instead.
Short-Cut Pasta
Again, this recipe is flexible and I’ve used a variety of pasta noodle shapes with success. My favorite, which you’ll see in the photos, is pipe rigate. Other options include macaroni noodles, casarecce, cavatelli, fusilli, and the like. To make this recipe gluten free, we successfully used Jovial brand’s brown rice-based fusilli.
Tip: “Short-cut” pasta refers to compact noodle shapes, as opposed to long strands like spaghetti.
Cream Cheese
No béchamel required for this mac and cheese. Cream cheese stirs right into the pot and makes this pasta creamy, lightly tangy, and luxurious. You’ll use half of a standard block of cream cheese for this recipe, and I don’t know about you, but I’m always glad to have some extra cream cheese on hand for my toast.
Cheddar Cheese and Parmesan
Use a flavorful cheddar cheese for this mac and cheese. My favorite is Kerrygold, which annoyingly comes in a 7-ounce package rather than an even 8-ounce, but 7 ounces will do!
Parmesan cheese further amps up the flavor. Dust your individual servings with a little more Parmesan, if you’d like.
Tip: Grate your own cheese rather than buying pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in powder that can cause the cheese to clump when it melts.
A Few More Basic Ingredients
You’ll also need olive oil (for roasting the squash), butter, garlic and onion powder, water and salt. Easy enough.
Watch How to Make Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
How to Safely Slice Your Butternut Squash
Butternut squash is large and dense, so it can be difficult to manage. Here are some tips on how to prepare it safely:
- Start with a sharp chef’s knife and a stable cutting board. You can place a lightly damp tea towel beneath your cutting board to keep it from moving around.
- Use the knife to cut off the tip-top and very bottom ends of the squash.
- Stand the squash upright with the thickest flat side as the base.
- Carefully slice through the squash from top to bottom to divide it in half. Your fingers should never be in the blade’s way.
- Lastly, use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard them (we won’t need them for this recipe).
Serving Suggestions
Serve green salad on the side—perhaps my Super Simple Arugula Salad, Favorite Green Salad with Apples, Cranberries and Pepitas, or any improvised salad with a simple vinaigrette.
This recipe yields quite a lot of pasta (eight servings). It reheats well for packed lunches and leftover dinners. I’ve even frozen the leftovers in this large silicone ice cube tray—once reheated in the microwave, the texture isn’t quite the same, but it’s still nice enough for our toddler to enjoy. While I haven’t tried, I believe you could cut the recipe in half and cook it in a medium-sized pot.
Love this butternut mac and cheese?
You’ll also enjoy these recipes on Cookie and Kate:
- Amazing Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos
- Real Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Please let me know how your butternut mac and cheese turns out in the comments! This is the first one-pot pasta dish of this nature on the blog, and it certainly won’t be the last.
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
This butternut squash mac and cheese is a delight! It’s just right—cheesy and creamy but not too rich, with subtle roasted butternut squash flavor. To help this recipe come together quickly for a weeknight dinner, roast the squash in advance. If you choose a large squash, you’ll have about twice as much as you need—freeze it for future use. Recipe yields 8 servings (quite a lot!) and leftovers are great.
Ingredients
- 1 medium to large butternut squash (1.5 pounds or larger), halved
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pound short-cut pasta (pipe regate, macaroni noodles, casarecce, cavatelli, fusilli)
- 5 cups water
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, to taste
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup (2 ounces) finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- To roast the squash: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Scoop out the squash seeds with a spoon (we won’t need them for this recipe). Rub the olive oil over the cut sides of butternut, then place them on the prepared pan, flat sides down.
- Bake until the squash flesh is easily pierced through with a fork, about 40 to 60 minutes. Once it’s cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and discard it. Use a potato masher to mash up the squash—don’t worry about getting it perfectly smooth. You’ll need about 2 cups mashed squash for this recipe (you’ll likely have plenty extra, which you can freeze for future mac and cheese). Set aside, refrigerate and/or freeze the squash until ready to use.
- To prepare the mac and cheese: Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion powder and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until the butter is fragrant and you see little brown flecks forming in the pan. Add the dry pasta and gently toss to coat it in butter.
- Pour in the water and salt. Add 2 cups of the mashed butternut squash. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, remove the lid and set the timer for 8 minutes.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the timer goes off. Do not drain the water. Stir in the cream cheese. Cook until the cream cheese has melted and the pasta is al dente (careful when you taste, it’s quite hot), about 4 to 5 more minutes. Turn down the heat as necessary to avoid scorching but maintain a steady simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the cheddar and Parmesan, and stir until the mixture is melted and creamy. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Season with salt, to taste (I usually add ¼ teaspoon more). Serve the pasta in bowls with extra Parmesan grated on top, if desired. Leftovers keep well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 5 days.
Notes
Make it gluten free: Gluten-free pastas vary widely. Choose a spiral-shaped gluten-free brown rice pasta, such as fusilli, over other pasta types (my tester was pleased with Jovial brand). Stir gently and don’t cook the pasta any longer than necessary or it may start to lose its shape.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I’ve made this recipe at least 20 times in the past year. It is amazing every time. My whole family (including littles) loves this dish and requests it often. I make it just as written. We love that it’s extra saucy and use the cheesy sauce to put on our veggies.
My six year old (particular-eater) son says, “It is great!”
I love to hear that, Jessica!
I’ve made this recipe once before and made it for our Thanksgiving. It got rave reviews and it’s definitely a “keeper recipe”. Thanks for all of the wonderful contributions that you make to our holiday table. (and dinner table).
Will this freeze well?
I typically don’t find noodles freeze well.
Love this! I like to add Apple Cider for some or all of the liquid. I’m always finding ways to use apple cider. Love the slight sweetness it gives.
Nancy
This has been a huge hit in our family and with my toddler. We make it over and over again. I usually roast a couple of squashes at once and then freeze some puree to make it a second time when I have less time. Love it!
Great to hear, Alyssa! I appreciate your review.
Instead of 5 cups of water, could you use 1/2 milk to cook or would the milk curdle?
I recommend this best as written. If you try something else, let me know what you think!
I have used half oat milk and half water several times and it comes out great!
OMG I made this tonight exactly as written. So easy. I roasted squash earlier in the day and refrigerated until needed. My husband raved and still hasn’t stopped talking about it. I hope the leftovers are as good. I will see what the texture is like after refrigeration and might put in casserole dish and reheat in the oven. This is a real winner!
Love this easy recipe! Followed it until the last 5 minutes of cooking and then put it into a 350 oven for 20 mins topped with breadcrumbs and parm to make my husband happy! It came out perfectly even with gluten free pasta!
Could I add breadcrumbs to it to add some crunch?!?!
Did you use butter? Or just breadcrumbs and parm?
So delicious and easy to make. I’ve made it twice so far this season and plan to make it many more times! Thank you Kate!
Wowowow. I finally got around to making this and it is stunningly good. My husband is skeptical of beloved, traditional dishes that have a non-traditional ingredient like this one does, but he was sold on this after the first forkful. Thanks for another terrific recipe for our keeper file.
This is soooo good: both kids eat leftovers – in fact FIGHT over leftovers – for days.
I make it almost exactly as written except I use about half the cheddar. It is so creamy and good without it and I can never bring myself to use an entire block of cheese for four people!
GREAT recipe!
Delicious
Can you substitute with vegan cheddar and cream cheese?
Amazing!! So yummy!! I made this with gogo quinoa pasta to make it gluten free, and it has a very short cook time; so, instead of bringing to a boil and waiting 8 minutes, I just reduced to a simmer right away and followed the rest as written. Turned out perfect :)
We made it tonight and my kid does NOT like butternut squash. But once we added peas to it she agreed I could make it again :) we will definitely keep playing with this recipe. Thanks.
I’ll be feeding a large crowd buffet style. After making the recipe I planned on putting it my slow cooker on low to keep it warm for serving. Do you or others find any problem with doing this?
Just made this with a Tri-color pasta – what I had on-hand – – and boy is it just as creamy and cheesy as you say. I was skeptical I could pull a non-meet dish over on my husband but he gave it a thumbs up. Def a make again dish (or your butternut squash sou p recipe I’ve made numerous times) with the left-over squash that I froze. Thank you for the diner inspiration. I will post a pic and tag you.
This was delicious! It was strongly approved by all seven children, with statements it was better than normal homemade mac and cheese, and didn’t leave us all feeling stuffed and heavy. This will be on rotation!
Can you make ahead and freeze for a future meal?
It would make easy kid meals, or for my senior parents
I made this recipe last night, and it was delicious to all but my 9 year old, who didn’t mind the taste but didn’t love the texture. I didn’t use cream cheese, but added some almond milk and a little mustard powder instead. I love how creamy it is without the heaviness/greasiness of so much cheese. Definitely one I’ll be revisiting!
Made this and it came together so easily! Tastes amazing, so impressed.
This recipe is delish and has become part of our regular meal rotation. Making it for our eldest grandson this weekend!
OH HOLY NIGHT. This was AMAZING!!!!! I added in some caramelized onions, dried sage, and used vegetable broth instead of plain water. (I may have also added a couple extra ounces of cream cheese and shredded cheese….) This was FANTASTIC! Definitely a keeper and I will be making this again. The recipe through me a loop at first, since I’m used to bechamel cheese sauces for stovetop mac & cheese, but trust the process, folks! It works!
Loved how this recipe turned out. Very filling as well. Would definitely make again and recommend.
Have you found an issue not having to use a blender?
This is so delicious and my teenage selective eaters loved it, too. I used brown rice pasta and swapped out half of the cream cheese for ricotta cheese. I also added black pepper and sprinkled toasted pepitas and Trader Joe’s smoky and hot chili powder on top.
Butter squash macaroni was absolutely delicious.
You must have a great imagination and taste buds to come up with these receipes. What a talented woman. Keep coming up with these receipes.
I am so excited to try this recipe this week, however I have reduced fat cream cheese in my fridge at the moment and am wondering if that would work in this recipe or if I should run to the store for regular cream cheese?
Definitely a ‘trust the process’ recipe and was a little difficult to convert to metric, but turned out really good. Subbed some water for milk and omitted salt so my 11 month old could eat it. Also subbed some squash for sweet potato and baked it all in the oven for half an hour at the end. Such a great recipe, thank you!
YUM! This is our favorite Mac’n cheese recipe! Don’t even bother with my “regular” recipe any longer. It is so creamy with an amazing touch-of-sweet flavor. I make it just as written unless I have extra chicken broth that needs to be used, then I just substitute that in for some of the water. Also use reduced fat cream cheese (Neufchatel) and it comes out perfect! I always roast extra butternut and freeze it for future batches. We usually serve it with buffalo chicken and a drizzle of blue cheese dressing. SOOOO GOOD!!
Best mac & cheese ever
I have already left one set of comments but wanted to thank you again for this easy, foolproof, customizable recipe. My husband and I make a half recipe and usually get a 2 dinners easily and 1 breakfast or a dinner and 2 lunches. With a big salad it is just so satisfying .
Hi Nancy, so glad you both enjoy it!
I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!! I didn’t have sharp cheese but used smoked cheese ..soooo good, thanks
Hi Brigette, the smoked cheese sounds lovely! Thanks for sharing and I’m so glad you enjoyed.
This is super delicious. Made this tonight for my toddler and he ate it all. Huge success!!
Incredible recipe. Many thanks for sharing!
Delicious. I happen to like butternut squash all on its own, but the children do not necessarily like it, so this is a great recipe and appeals to all. You get a subtle flavor beyond the cheese which is very nice. Great recipe.
I always freeze half the butternut squash when I get one so this was a great use for it. I halved the recipe, too. Creamy, flavorful, and delicious!