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.
Servings: 6
Calories: 555kcal
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
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Make It Gluten-Free: Just use a gluten-free pasta to make this meal gluten-free.
- 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.
- 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