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    Home » Vegan Pasta

    Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

    Published: Nov 25, 2020 Updated: Jun 28, 2021 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Vegan Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

    This vegan butternut squash mac and cheese is rich, creamy and super cheesy! It’s also so easy to make and the perfect comfort food.

    Vegan butternut squash mac and cheese with chopped parsley in a black bowl.

    This vegan butternut squash mac and cheese is everything you want it to be. Cheesy, saucy, creamy, rich and satisfying.

    And you will seriously not believe how cheesy this is! But oh my – it is.

    It’s also really quite simple to make. The hardest part is waiting for the butternut squash to roast in the oven. Once your butternut squash is roasted, it’s just a case of blending up your sauce, mixing it with your pasta and dinner is served.

    And of course if you love a good mac and cheese recipe then check out our classic baked vegan mac and cheese!

    Vegan butternut squash mac and cheese in a black bowl with chopped parsley.

    How To Make Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    • Roast the butternut squash. Add peeled and cubed butternut squash to a mixing bowl along with olive oil, crushed garlic, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper and toss together well.
    • Spread it out evenly in a roasting pan or parchment lined baking tray and roast in the oven at 390°F (200°C) for 35 minutes.
    Step by step process photo collage of making roasted butternut squash.
    • Prepare your sauce. Add raw cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, dijon mustard, lemon juice and 1 cup of vegetable stock to the blender jug and blend until smooth. Set aside.
    • Prepare your pasta. 15 minutes before the butternut is finished roasting, cook and drain your pasta.
    • Put it all together. When the butternut squash has roasted, add it to the blender jug on top of your cashew sauce. Add in another cup of vegetable stock and blend until you have a smooth sauce. Return the cooked pasta to the pot, pour over the sauce and gently toss it together until the pasta is well coated. Stir it over low to medium heat for a few minutes to gently warm everything together.
    • Serve. Serve it topped with fresh chopped parsley and ground black pepper.
    Step by step process photo collage of making vegan butternut squash mac and cheese.

    Ingredient Notes

    Raw Cashews. These make up the base of the sauce. If you have a cashew allergy then slivered or blanched almonds would also work. We did not soak them first as when they are first blended up there is quite a lot of liquid so it is an easy blend. But you know your blender best, if you think your blender will struggle, then soak them first. Place the cashews into a bowl, pour over hot water from the kettle and let them soak for 15 minutes, then drain and rinse.

    Nutritional Yeast. Creates some of the cheesy flavor. This is completely different to a regular yeast that you would use in baking bread. Nutritional yeast is a cheesy flavor bomb and it’s delicious. However, we do also create cheesy flavor here with the cashews and butternut squash so you can leave it out if it’s really hard to find where you are, or if you don’t like it.

    Dijon Mustard. This is one of our favorite ingredients to really bring out cheesy flavor! Regular prepared yellow mustard also works just fine.

    Pasta. We used macaroni pasta but elbow macaroni or penne or shells would also work great.

    Add Veggies. If you want to add some veggies in then green veggies like broccoli or peas would be a great addition, also cauliflower, roasted bell peppers, asparagus or zucchini. Just toss the cooked veggies with the pasta and sauce.

    Vegan butternut squash mac and cheese with parsley and black pepper in a black bowl.

    Recipe Q&A

    Can I adapt this recipe for gluten-free?

    You absolutely can, it’s super easy to do. All you have to do is use a gluten-free pasta and you’re done! The cheese part of this macaroni and cheese is already gluten-free.

    Can I turn this into a baked butternut squash mac and cheese? 

    You sure can. If you want to bake this, it would be divine! Instead of serving it right away, transfer it into a 9×13 baking dish, top with some vegan cheese or breadcrumbs and bake for 20 minutes at 390°F (200°C). 

    How to store it?

    Leftovers keep wonderfully in the fridge for 4-5 days and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stove. You can add in a dash of non-dairy milk when reheating if the sauce gets too thick.

    Can you freeze it?

    It’s freezer friendly for up to 3 months if you want to freeze it.

    Vegan butternut squash mac and cheese in a black bowl.

    More Delicious Vegan Dinners

    1. Vegan Alfredo Sauce
    2. Classic Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
    3. Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
    4. The Best Vegan Lasagna
    5. Vegan Pasta Bake
    6. Vegan Stuffed Shells
    Forkful of butternut squash mac and cheese.

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Vegan butternut squash mac and cheese in black bowls.

    Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

    This vegan butternut squash mac and cheese is rich, creamy and super cheesy! It’s also so easy to make and the perfect comfort food. 
    4.87 from 15 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Entree, Savory
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 555kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    Roasted Butternut Squash:

    • 5 cups Butternut Squash (750g) Peeled and Chopped
    • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 Tablespoon Crushed Garlic
    • ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
    • ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

    Cashew Cheese Sauce:

    • 1 cup Raw Cashews (150g)
    • 3 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
    • 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
    • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
    • 2 cups Vegetable Stock (480ml) Divided

    Pasta:

    • 16 ounces Macaroni Pasta (450g) Dry Weight

    Serving: 

    • Fresh Chopped Parsley
    • Ground Black Pepper
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). 
    • Add peeled and cubed butternut squash to a mixing bowl along with olive oil, crushed garlic, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper and toss together well. 
    • Spread it out evenly in a roasting pan or on a parchment lined baking tray and roast in the oven for 35 minutes until roasted. 
    • While butternut squash is roasting, add raw cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, dijon mustard, lemon juice and 1 cup of vegetable stock to the blender jug and blend until smooth. Set aside. 
    • 15 minutes before the butternut is finished roasting, cook and drain your pasta. 
    • When the butternut squash has roasted, add it to the blender jug on top of your cashew cheese sauce. Add in the remaining cup of vegetable stock and blend until you have a smooth sauce.
    • Return the cooked pasta to the pot, pour over the sauce and gently toss it together until the pasta is well coated. Stir over low to medium heat for a few minutes to gently warm everything together. 
    • Serve topped with fresh chopped parsley and ground black pepper. 

    Video

    Notes

    1. Cashews: We did not soak them first as when they are first blended up there is quite a lot of liquid so it is an easy blend. But you know your blender best, if you think your blender will struggle, then soak them first. Place the cashews into a bowl, pour over hot water from the kettle and let them soak for 15 minutes, then drain and rinse. 
    2. Pasta: We used macaroni pasta but elbow macaroni or penne or shells would also work great. 
    3. Add veggies: If you want to add some veggies in then green veggies like broccoli or peas would be a great addition, also cauliflower, roasted bell peppers, asparagus or zucchini. Just toss the cooked veggies with the pasta and sauce. 
    4. Make It Gluten-Free: Just use a gluten-free pasta to make this meal gluten-free. 
    5. Storing and Freezing: Leftovers keep wonderfully in the fridge for 4-5 days and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stove. You can add in a dash of non-dairy milk when reheating if the sauce gets too thick. It’s also freezer friendly for up to 3 months if you want to freeze it.
    6. This recipe was first published in October 2017. The recipe has been updated with new photos and an improved and simplified recipe. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 555kcal | Carbohydrates: 87.9g | Protein: 19.1g | Fat: 14.9g | Saturated Fat: 2.5g | Sodium: 433mg | Fiber: 8.5g | Sugar: 6.4g
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Bron says

      March 01, 2025 at 3:34 am

      Hello Alison. Your recipes are my fave. However my partner really dislikes garlic/onion powder.
      What should I do?
      Thank you.

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        March 03, 2025 at 12:19 pm

        Hi Bron. You can just leave it out.

        Reply
    2. kathy deal says

      November 27, 2023 at 11:13 pm

      The flavor of this dish was delicious. It was very creamy and I enjoyed the spices. I made the mistake of making it the night before then putting it in the oven to reheat. It really dried out the “cheese”. For Christmas I will serve it immediately. Definitely going into my vegan recipe folder.5 stars

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        November 28, 2023 at 8:49 am

        Thanks so much for sharing and for your great review Kathy!

        Reply
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    Comment Policy: Your feedback is really appreciated! Please do us a favor and rate the recipe as well as this really helps us! The most helpful comments are the ones that give useful feedback for others who might make the recipe, tell about substitutions you made or adjustments you made and how it turned out, or assisting other commenters. Rude or insulting comments will not be accepted.

    4.87 from 15 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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