Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

I was inspired to make this Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese after seeing a really delicious picture of one online. The inspired recipe included a good amount of dairy & ingredients I wouldn’t normally have, so that just meant I needed to make my own. I think this version is pretty amazing; Mark loves it too. It’s sweet from the butternut squash, tangy enough to give that familiar cheese taste, and a bit smoky from the smoked paprika. A healthy spin on a familiar comfort food. It’s also easy to make. Roast the butternut squash in the oven, make a box of pasta, make the cheese sauce in a high-speed blender, and mix together well.

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butternut squash (about a 1/2 medium-larger butternut squash)
• 1/2 yellow onion or 2 tsp onion powder, if using the 1/2 onion leave in a whole half to roast
• 1/2 cup almond milk, homemade or clean ingredient store-bought
• 1/4 cup raw cashews, soak in room temp or hot water while the oven preheats & squash bakes
• 1/2 large lemon, juiced
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp mustard powder, although a small amount, it helps give it that cheesy tangy flavor
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika OR in a pinch you can use 1/8 tsp chili powder & 1/8 tsp regular paprika, but I think smoked paprika tastes best in this one
• 1 tsp sea salt or Himalayan salt, sprinkle a bit more at time of serving if you wish
• ground pepper
• 12 oz box of elbow noodles, Jovial Elbow Noodles

Method

1. Soak 1/4 cup cashews in room temp or hot water until needed in recipe. Drain when ready.
2. Preheat oven to 400.
3. Cut a whole butternut squash in half lengthwise and discard the seeds. You generally only need 1/2 of it to get 1 1/2 cups, but you might as well roast it all. Once the oven is heated, bake the squash faced down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cook for around 1 hour until the skin is soft and sinks in a bit (see picture). If using the onion, at minute 30, add the half onion to the baking sheet and allow that to bake as well.
4. Once the squash is almost ready, cook a box of pasta. Undercook it so it’s al dente.
5. Add the 1 1/2 cups of squash (skin removed), half onion, soaked cashews, almond milk, lemon, and all of the seasonings to a high speed blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust per taste buds.
6. Mix the sauce and cooked noodles until well combined. ENJOY! Optionally: If you had to rinse your specific pasta or it’s not hot enough for you, just place the entire mixture into a medium sized baking dish and put in the already heated oven for 5 minutes. Top with freshly ground pepper.

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Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

It's sweet from the butternut squash, tangy enough to give that familiar cheese taste, and a bit smoky from the smoked paprika. A healthy spin on a familiar comfort food.

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Servings: 6

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 cups butternut squash about a 1/2 medium-larger butternut squash
• 1/2 yellow onion or 2 tsp onion powder if using the 1/2 onion leave in a whole half to roast
• 1/2 cup almond milk homemade or clean ingredient store-bought
• 1/4 cup raw cashews soak in room temp water while the oven preheats & squash bakes
• 1/2 large lemon juiced
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp mustard powder although a small amount, it helps give it that cheesy tangy flavor
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika OR in a pinch you can use 1/8 tsp chili powder & 1/8 tsp regular paprika but I think smoked paprika tastes best in this one
• 3/4 -1 tsp sea salt or Himalayan salt to taste
• ground pepper
• 12 oz box of elbow noodles Jovial brown rice elbow noodles are a good option

Method

 

1. Soak 1/4 cup cashews in room temp water until needed in recipe. Drain when ready.
2. Preheat oven to 400.
3. Cut a whole butternut squash in half lengthwise and discard the seeds. You generally only need 1/2 of it to get 1 1/2 cups, but you might as well roast it all. Once the oven is heated, bake the squash faced down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cook for around 1 hour until the skin is soft and sinks in a bit (see picture). If using the onion, at minute 30, add the half onion to the baking sheet and allow that to bake as well.
4. Once the squash is almost ready, cook a box of pasta. Undercook it so it’s al dente.
5. Add the 1 1/2 cups of squash (skin removed), half onion, soaked cashews, almond milk, lemon, and all of the seasonings to a high speed blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust per taste buds.
6. Mix the sauce and cooked noodles until well combined. ENJOY! Optionally: Place the entire mixture into a medium sized baking dish. Place into the already heated oven for 10 minutes to get it a bit warmer and brown the top a tad. Top with freshly ground pepper.

Notes

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