The iconic Trader Joe’s butternut squash mac and cheese doesn’t hold a candle to this vegan butternut squash mac and cheese recipe! It’s made with better-for-you ingredients, it’s dairy-free, and can easily be made gluten-free as well!
Now, I realize that a dairy-free mac and cheese sounds too good to be true (because typically dairy-free dishes never deliver on that cheesy flavor). But this cheese sauce is made with a combo of both cashew milk and cashew for extra richness and creamines, along with lemon juice, aminos, nutritional yeast, and a hint of mustard which replicates the umami cheesy flavor perfectly. Plus, the squash makes the sauce look super pretty!
This truly is the BEST vegan butternut squash mac and cheese imo!!
Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this creamy butternut squash mac and cheese.
- Butternut squash: Any type of squash or gourd will work here, my favorites are butternut squash (duh), kabocha squash, and honeynut squash. Just a note, the color of the sauce will vary depending on the squash you use.
- Garlic bulb: Yes, you’ll need the entire garlic bulb!
- Extra virgin olive oil: For anything olive oil related, my two favorite brands are California Olive Ranch and Terra Delyssa!
- Cashews: If you want to make this butternut squash mac and cheese nut-free, you can substitute the cashews for coconut cream instead.
- Cashew milk or any creamy milk: Linking my homemade cashew milk recipe here.
- Nutritional yeast: I highly recommend Bragg’s nutritional yeast; it tastes the best!
- Lemon juice: This adds some much needed acidity to the sauce and helps balance out the sweetness of the squash.
- Bragg’s amino acids or low-sodium soy sauce: The aminos are essential to this sauce as the add an umami note that you typically get from cheese. Quick note, if you’re using soy sauce, add half the amount of salt called for, and then adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Kosher salt
- Pasta shells or elbows: Essentially, just use a pasta shape that will cradle the cheese sauce well.
A Few Recipe Notes
- If you don’t finish all the mac and cheese, simply store it in a glass tupperware in the fridge; it’ll keep well for up to 3 days. To reheat the mac and cheese, add it to a pot with a generous splash of cashew milk. Turn the heat on medium-low and gently stir the mac and cheese until the sauce loosens a little bit. Continue this process until the mac and cheese is piping hot (takes about 8 minutes).
- Feel free to meal-prep this mac and cheese – it’s super easy! Just store the sauce in an airtight glass jar that ideally has a seal (the seal helps prevent the sauce from developing a skin). The sauce will keep well in the fridge for up to one week, so you can have mac and cheese throughout the week. Keep in mind that it will thicken in the fridge, so when you’re ready to use the sauce, I’d recommend thinning it out with a splash or two of cashew milk (or any creamy plant milk). When you’re ready to make the mac and cheese, simply follow the directions as stated. And if you wanted to make a single portion of mac and cheese, use 1/2 cup of sauce for every 4 oz of pasta. Additionally, feel free to thin out the sauce with more cashew milk!
Can’t wait for you to make this butternut squash mac and cheese – it’s a fall favorite of mine! If you have any questions, leave a comment below or send me a DM on Instagram.
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Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Description
The iconic Trader Joe’s butternut squash mac and cheese doesn’t hold a candle to this vegan butternut squash mac and cheese recipe! It’s made with better-for-you ingredients, it’s dairy-free, and can easily be made gluten-free as well!
Ingredients
Butternut Squash Cheese Sauce
- 1 cup (200 g) butternut squash flesh (use 1 butternut squash or 2 honeynut squashes)
- 1 small bulb garlic
- Olive oil and kosher salt
- 3/4 cup (180 g) cashew milk or any creamy milk
- 1/2 cup (70 g) raw unsalted cashews
- 1/4 cup (15 g) nutritional yeast
- 3 tbsp (30 g) lemon juice
- 3 tbsp (30 g) olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15 g) liquid aminos (sub with low-sodium soy sauce)
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/4 tsp ground mustard
Pasta & Other Ingredients
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni or shells
- 2 tbsp butter or vegan butter (can sub with olive oil)
- Freshly cracked black pepper for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Roast the veggies. Poke the butternut squash or honey-nut squash with a knife or fork, cut the tops off the garlic bulb, and place the squash and garlic on the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle generously with olive oil and kosher salt, rub into the squash and garlic, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the squash is fork tender.
- Peel and remove the squash flesh. Once the squash and garlic are done, cool on the counter for 15 minutes. Then, using your hands, peel off the squash skin using a fork as needed. Scoop out the flesh (avoid any seeds) – you’ll need 1 cup of squash.
- Make the pasta. While the squash and garlic cool, make the pasta. Cook the pasta according to package instructions and then drain. Don’t rinse off the pasta, as the residual pasta water will help the sauce cling to the pasta better. Return the pasta back to your pot and stir in 2 tbsp of butter until melted.
- Make the sauce. Add the squash, roasted garlic, cashew milk, cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, olive oil, aminos, salt, and mustard into your blender. Blend on medium-low, slowly ramping up the speed to high. Continue to blend the sauce, scraping down the sides as needed, for a total of 3 minutes or until the sauce is super silky.
- Mix and serve. Pour the sauce over the pasta, turn the heat on medium-low, and stir to coat the shells until the sauce clings to the pasta. I like to add an extra splash of milk (3-4 tbsp) to help loosen the sauce a bit. Serve the mac n’ cheese with freshly cracked black pepper.
- Store any leftovers in a glass tupperware in the fridge for up to 3 days. See notes for reheating!*
Notes
*To reheat the mac and cheese, add it to a pot with a generous splash of cashew milk. Turn the heat on medium-low and gently stir the mac and cheese until the sauce loosens a little bit. Continue this process until the mac and cheese is hot (takes about 8 minutes).
If you want to take this mac and cheese a step further, follow the directions for the entire recipe, except don’t heat the pasta, instead pour the pasta and sauce into a casserole dish and toss to combine. Sprinkle generously with breadcrumbs and then bake in a 450°F oven for 15 minutes or until crispy!
Hi Shamyla! I would highly recommend using silken tofu, as it makes the sauce super creamy. Additionally, silken tofu doesn’t need to be baked before eating. That said, you could experiment with using firm tofu — but I have a feeling the sauce won’t be quite as creamy/smooth. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Yum this is the best vegan mac and cheese I’ve ever made! Thank you!
Thrilled you liked it Kara! Thank you so much for sharing a review.
I made this for dinner last night and could not keep out of the sauce! It is beyond delicious!! I made a slight serving variation by putting chopped kale on the serving plate, topping it with cooked red lentil pasta and then spooning this delightful sauce over the top. It’s one of my favorite meals I have had in quite awhile! So glad I tried it!