The creamiest most delicious butternut squash mac and cheese, almost no chopping required! Looking for the perfect holiday side dish, or a delicious cozy Fall family dinner? You’ve landed on the most perfect recipe for that 🙂

This butternut squash mac and cheese is creamy and velvety goodness, and the most satisfying Autumn/Winter dish ever. I am so obsessed with how this dish turned out! I can’t wait to make it for a friend’s baby shower that I’m hosting soon, and then again for Thanksgiving!! It’s one of those crowd-pleasers that will have people coming back for more, for sure.

The best part (other than how delicious it is), is that the ONLY chopping you have to do is slicing your squash in half! We roast the squash whole to save on lots of prep time- no peeling or cubing required!

I also 100% recommend shredded your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains agents that prevent it from fully melting as well as a block of cheese. It is very much so worth the arm workout- I promise!

Can I make this gluten free?

I haven’t tried it myself, but I think it will work great gluten free! Choose your favorite gluten free pasta that doesn’t get easily mushy, and be sure to cook to just al dente. It will continue to cook a bit in the oven, so we don’t want overcooked mushy pasta! I have also seen gluten free panko- style bread crumbs in the grocery store, so you can use those on top! I prefer panko versus Italian breadcrumbs for this recipe!

I am seriously SO excited for you all to try this butternut squash mac and cheese, and I can’t wait to see your remakes of it and hear what you think! Enjoy! xo

The Creamiest Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Mia Swinehart
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
• Category: Sides

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Description

Extra creamy, super simple butternut squash mac and cheese!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 butternut squash, cut in half and seeds removed
• Olive oil
• 4 cups (uncooked) rigatoni pasta (or pasta of choice)

For the cheese sauce:

• 6 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp salt, more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tao onion powder
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded (I HIGHLY recommend shredding your own)*
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

For topping:

• 1/3 cup panko style bread crumbs
• Fresh sage and/or thyme

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice your squash and scoop out the seeds. Rub each half with olive oil and place skin side up. Roast for 45 minutes-1 hour, until very soft and tender (mine needed the full hour). Allow to cool a bit before scooping out and mashing into a smooth purée.
2. When squash is almost done, you can start to get your water boiling for your pasta. Generously salt the water before adding your pasta. Cook to al dente- I did 3 minutes less than what my package instructions called for. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop further cooking.
3. Meanwhile, make your cheese sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, add your butter and your spices.
4. Add 1 cup of your mashed butternut squash purée and stir. Reduce heat slightly then slowly add your cream and milk, continuously whisking. Allow to cook for 2 minutes, then stir in your cheese until fully melted. Turn off heat and whisk in your yogurt.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 350. Add your pasta to a 9×13 baking dish, then stir in cheese sauce. Top with panko and fresh herbs. Bake for 15 minutes, then broil for 1-3 minutes to help the panko brown (be very careful not to burn!). Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving and enjoy!

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Notes

*Pre-shredded cheese from the store will contain agents that will prevent it from fully melting as well as a block of cheese that you shred yourself. I highly recommend buying an 8 oz block of cheese and shredding yourself!