Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

This Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is a fun twist on a classic dish. With a creamy texture and a slightly nutty flavor, this is a delicious comfort food recipe for chilly nights!

This Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese post is sponsored by Cabot Creamery, but the recipe and opinions are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Spiced!

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Ah, butternut squash season has arrived! Sure, you can find butternut squash in the grocery store in mid-July, but I don’t crave squash in July. Come winter, though? Give me all the butternut squash! The sweet, nutty flavor of roasted butternut squash makes for a great winter side dish. Speaking of side dishes, mac and cheese also makes for a fantastic side dish. So let’s combine these and make the ultimate winter side dish!

The only downside to butternut squash is cutting it. Those things are mighty hard to cut up into cubes! Fortunately most grocery stores now sell cubed butternut squash in the produce section. Let me tell ya – that’s a time saver that I’m all about!

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

As we head into the colder months of the year, we shift our meal planning to our favorite winter comfort foods. Soups, chilis, homemade breads…and mac and cheese! It’s hard to go wrong with a good creamy pot of homemade macaroni and cheese. In fact, if you open our fridge in the winter, there’s a darned good chance you’ll find leftover mac and cheese just waiting to be warmed up for our next meal. So good!

Today’s recipe combines two of our favorites: roasted butternut squash and mac and cheese. Here’s the thing when it comes to mac and cheese – I want it to be extra creamy. I want it to feel like a hearty meal. For this recipe, we could’ve just tossed cubed roasted squash into a pot of mac and cheese. That would’ve been delicious for sure. But we went a different direction. We pureed that butternut squash in a blender.

Wait. Roasted butternut squash…in a blender!? Yup, that’s right. Most of the butternut squash in this recipe actually goes into a blender. Add in some chicken stock, hit the pulse button a few times, and you end up with a creamy butternut squash puree. That puree gets poured over the macaroni. Add in some freshly chopped thyme, some seasonings and 2 types of shredded cheese, and you’ve got yourself one delicious comfort food recipe.

The Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese

When it comes to macaroni and cheese, there are lots of different cheese options. I typically use a combination of Cabot’s Seriously Sharp Cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. The sharp cheddar flavor combined with the melting power of the Monterey Jack makes a great combination for mac and cheese. Sometimes I’ll even add in a bit of cream cheese for an extra creamy mac and cheese. The taste is amazing!

Since we were mixing things up with this recipe, I decided to take it one step further. We still kept the Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar, but we substituted Gouda in for the Monterey Jack. Cabot’s Gouda cheese melts extremely well – it’s perfect for making a batch of gooey mac and cheese! And the slightly nutty flavor pairs so well with the butternut squash. Gouda + butternut squash = excellent autumn comfort food!

In case you haven’t noticed, we’re huge Cabot fans here in our house. We discovered Cabot years ago when we moved to upstate New York. Cabot is a co-op with farms across New York and New England, and we visited a Cabot farm on several occasions when we lived in New York. We moved to the North Carolina mountains a couple of years ago, but every time I mention Cabot to folks here, I still get the same reaction: “We love Cabot cheese!!” Once you’ve tried Cabot’s cheeses, you’ll be a fan for life. #PinkySwear

This Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is a unique but delicious mac and cheese recipe. The flavor has a slight sweetness thanks to the butternut squash, but it’s still packed with savory herbs. Add in the sharp cheddar cheese and the nutty Gouda cheese, and you’ve got a fantastic recipe. Our entire family loves this mac and cheese, and I’m already planning on making it again soon!

How to Make Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

• Roast the Squash. Toss the cubed butternut squash in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast it for ~20 minutes. Tip: Save time by purchasing cubed butternut squash in the produce section at your grocery store.
• Cook the Pasta. While the squash roasts, cook the pasta according to package instructions. I prefer macaroni, but shells would also be a good option.
• Blend the Squash. Blend the roasted squash with chicken broth to create a creamy puree.
• Add 2 Types of Cheese. Combine the cooked pasta, butternut squash puree, evaporated milk, eggs and 2 types of shredded cheese – mix it all up and put it in a casserole dish.
• Bake until Golden Brown. Bake that mac and cheese until the top turns light golden brown. Then get ready for lots of ooo’s and ahhh’s when you place this dish on the table!

How to Store Leftover Mac and Cheese

Leftover mac and cheese should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, place leftovers in a pan on stovetop over medium heat. If necessary, add a splash of milk to keep the mac and cheese from drying out. This mac and cheese also freezes well. Store in a freezer safe container or ziptop bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw before reheating.

If you’re looking for a delicious fall or winter side dish, then I highly recommend this Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese. It’s a new favorite recipe here in our house, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Cheers!

Looking for Cabot Cheese in your area? Check out their product finder!

Did you make this Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag Cabot (@CabotCreamery) and me (@Spicedblog) on Instagram – we’d love to see your version!

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

This Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is a fun twist on a classic dish. With a creamy texture and a slightly nutty flavor, this is a delicious comfort food recipe for chilly nights!

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 474kcal

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Ingredients

• 10 cups of ½” cubes of butternut squash see note
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp kosher salt divided
• 1 tsp black pepper divided
• 16 oz. elbow macaroni pasta
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• ½ tsp dried rosemary
• 1¼ cups low sodium chicken stock
• 4 large eggs
• 12 oz. evaporated milk
• ½ tsp dry mustard
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups shredded Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese divided
• 1½ cups shredded Cabot Gouda cheese divided

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Spray a 9”x13” baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set dish aside.
• Using a large bowl, add cubed squash, olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt and ½ tsp black pepper; toss until well combined.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Spread squash into a single layer on pan.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until squash is golden brown and fork-tender.
• Let squash cool for 10 minutes at room temperature.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain pasta and set aside.
• Using a blender, add 6 cups of roasted squash, thyme, dried rosemary and chicken stock; pulse for 30-45 seconds, or until smooth. (Note: The remaining squash will be baked with the mac and cheese.) Set butternut squash puree aside.
• Using a large Dutch oven or stock pot, add eggs, evaporated milk, dry mustard and garlic powder; stir until well combined.
• Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until warmed through.
• Add butter and continue cooking, stirring often, until butter has completely melted.
• Add 1½ cups of shredded cheddar and 1 cup of shredded Gouda; stir until completely melted.
• Add butternut squash puree (from above), cooked pasta (from above) and remaining 4 cups of roasted squash; stir until well combined.
• Transfer mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of cheddar and ½ cup of Gouda on top.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

Notes

When making this recipe, I like to buy the pre-cubed butternut squash as it saves a lot of time. If cutting the squash yourself, you’ll need ~4½ pounds of squash to get 10 cups of cubes.

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