Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
on Jun 12, 2024, Updated Aug 12, 2024
This easy butternut squash mac and cheese is made using frozen butternut squash and sharp cheddar cheese. A delicious yet convenient dinner with extra veggies!
Just like every other mom, I’m always trying to find new recipes to sneak some veggies into my kids.
My boys love fruit, but eating veggies can be a struggle. One night I had a bag of butternut squash in my freezer and decided to try my hand at making butternut squash mac and cheese.
My kids devoured it! I tweaked the recipe a bit and knew I needed to share it. My must haves were: flavor, easiness, and ability to make on a crazy weeknight. This checks all those boxes and it’s now in our dinner rotation!
Ingredients & Notes
- butternut squash: we’re using steam in bag frozen butternut squash for this recipe. It doesn’t get any easier than that!
- milk & butter: to make the sauce creamy
- sharp cheddar cheese: freshly grated is a must in my opinion and also makes the sauce smoother. Don’t skip grating it yourself if you can!
- garlic powder & salt
- elbow macaroni: or any kind of pasta you like
How to make butternut squash mac and cheese
Step 1: Cook the steam in bag butternut squash in the microwave according to the directions on the package. You can also use fresh butternut squash if you want to. I used frozen for the convenience factor.
Step 2: In a blender or food processor, blend together 1 cup of the steamed butternut squash, milk, butter, freshly grated cheese, and garlic powder until completely smooth.
Recipe Tip
Be sure to blend the sauce while the butternut squash is still hot. This will help the cheese and butter melt and make a creamy sauce. I prefer using my blender for this recipe as it yields a more creamy sauce.
Step 3: Cook the macaroni noodles according to the package instructions.
Step 4: Once the noodles are done, mix them together with the butternut squash sauce, then salt to taste.
The verdict was in: the whole family loved it! Since my focus was on making this for a kid palate, I didn’t go crazy with the spices, but you can customize it however you want.
Next time you’re at the store grab a bag of frozen butternut squash and try this. Be sure to let me know how it turns out!
More Mac & Cheese Recipes
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup steam in bag butternut squash
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 oz dry macaroni noodles
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the steam in bag butternut squash in the microwave according to the directions on the package.
- In a blender or food processor, blend together 1 cup of the hot steamed butternut squash, milk, butter, freshly grated cheese, and garlic powder until completely smooth*
- Cook the macaroni noodles to al dente according to the package instructions
- Once the noodles are done, mix them together with the butternut squash sauce, then salt to taste and serve immediately
