This Creamy Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is the perfect side dish to make all fall and winter long. It's rich, creamy, and cheesy!
CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC & CHEESE
I am obsessed with all fall foods but squash definitely wins, every time. One of our favorite recipes is this butternut squash mac and cheese. This recipe is a family favorite; I get many requests for it all winter long!
CHEESE OPTIONS:
We normally make this dish using Sharp Cheddar and Gruyere but we have also made it using Jalapeno Gouda and Pepper Jack. Try the Jalapeno Gouda and Pepper Jack if you want to spice it up a bit.
Additional cheese options: Gouda, Sharp Cheddar, Sharp White Cheddar, or Gruyere
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RECIPES TO TRY:
- Savory Chicken Casserole
- Oven-Baked Root Vegetables with Butternut Squash
- Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash
Creamy Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
This Creamy Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is the perfect side dish to make all fall and winter long. It's rich, creamy, and cheesy!
Ingredients
- 1 small cooked butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise & seeded
- 10 oz elbow noodles
- 2 TBSP butter
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup organic half and half (or whole milk)
- 2 cups mixed cheese (Options: Gouda, sharp cheddar, sharp white cheddar, or Gruyere)
- salt & pepper to taste
- dash of nutmeg
- dash of cayenne
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 Fahrenheit and lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper
- Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds, then place open side down on the baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes or until tender enough to shred with a fork.
- Start on step #3 while the squash is baking
- Cook the noodles according to the instructions on their box
- While the noodles are boiling, mince the garlic clove then place in a large saucepan with two tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Saute for 2-5 minutes or until translucent. Stir in the chicken stock and half and half.
- After you drain the noodles, add them to the onion and garlic mixture in the large saucepan.
- Once the squash is finished baking, remove it from the oven and use a large spoon or fork to scrape the squash from the skins. Put the squash in the large saucepan with the noodles and garlic mixture (discard the skin).
- TIP: I like to puree the squash in a food processor before adding it to the noodles, but it is not necessary.
- Lastly, stir in the cheese and salt & pepper until everything is melted and creamy
- Sprinkle a little cayenne and nutmeg over the top and serve warm
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Leigh Truelove says
Is it possible to get the calories, carbs, fat, protein, etc breakdown for this recipe? I made it and we are keeping up with our calories and can't find a breakdown. Thanks in advance.
Whitney Carlson says
Hi Leigh! I'm so glad you tried the recipe. I didn't even realize I forgot to add the macro information so thank you for asking for it. I just updated the recipe. However, this is one of those recipes that can vary wildly regarding the macros because of the ingredients that each person will use. I did the macros using regular elbow pasta & 2 cups of cheddar cheese but the macros might look very different for the actual pasta & cheese you use. If you want to calculate it exactly using your ingredients, My Fitness Pal has a pretty decent nutritional calculator for recipes. I hope this helps. 🙂