Vegan Butternut Squash Mac (Printable Version)

Comforting pasta featuring roasted butternut squash blended into a luscious vegan cheese sauce for cozy meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (approx. 2 lbs)
02 - 1 small yellow onion, chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, peeled

→ Pasta

04 - 12 oz elbow macaroni or preferred pasta (gluten-free if desired)

→ Sauce Base

05 - 1 cup unsweetened plant milk (soy, oat, or almond)
06 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Topping

14 - 1/3 cup breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed)
15 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
02 - Arrange the cubed butternut squash, chopped onion, and garlic cloves on the baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes until tender and caramelized.
03 - Simultaneously, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
04 - Transfer roasted vegetables to a blender. Add plant milk, nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, turmeric if using, salt, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
05 - Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed. If too thick, add a small amount of plant milk to reach desired consistency.
06 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir gently to combine. Warm over low heat while stirring until heated through.
07 - For a crunchy finish, mix breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle over pasta in an oven-safe dish and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown.
08 - Serve immediately, optionally garnished with fresh herbs.

# Chef's Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes decadent and cheesy without a single ounce of dairy, thanks to roasted butternut squash doing all the heavy lifting.
  • The whole thing comes together in just over an hour, making it perfect for weeknight comfort food when you need something warm and satisfying.
  • Nutritional yeast adds a subtle umami depth that makes people swear there's cream involved, even though it's entirely plant-based.
02 -
  • Don't skip the roasting step thinking you can save time; raw or barely cooked squash won't give you that caramelized sweetness that makes this sauce special, and the flavor will taste thin and watery.
  • The sauce will thicken a bit as it cools, so if it looks slightly loose when you first blend it, trust that it will set up perfectly once tossed with the warm pasta.
03 -
  • Make the sauce a day ahead and store it in the fridge; the flavors deepen and meld overnight, and you'll have an easy dinner ready to reheat and toss with fresh pasta.
  • If you're broiling the breadcrumb topping, do it in an oven-safe skillet or dish so you don't have to transfer hot mac and cheese and risk spilling it everywhere.

Go Back