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    Home » Vegan Main Dish Recipes

    Butternut Mac and Cheese (Vegan, Oil-Free)

    By Maggie Updated Feb 15, 2021 · Published Feb 10, 2021

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    Butternut mac and cheese is ultra creamy, rich and delicious. This vegan mac and cheese is comfort food at its finest, but without the guilt! This oil free macaroni and cheese is packed full of nutrition for a healthy and hearty meal.

    Butternut Mac and Cheese on plates

    Macaroni and cheese is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. I mean, who doesn't like a great big bowl of noodles and cheese? Rhetorical question. You don't have to answer that.

    Since going vegan, I've tried all the boxed mac and cheese's hoping to find something akin to the one's of my childhood. But, not one of them satisfied me. Plus, all of those boxed varieties contained a ton of ingredients, and were far from being considered plant based. I am happy to report that this whole foods plant based mac and cheese recipe is gluten free, oil free and so unbelievably tasty.

    This vegan mac and cheese is kid-approved, by my own kids, and that is saying a lot. My kids hate vegetables, which is a constant source of frustration in our household. When I made this the first time I was sure it would be met with moans and groans. But, I put it in front of them and they started eating it without complaining. Huh? And now they request it for dinner.

    This is a huge huge win in our household. My 10-year old daughter even helped me cook this and did some photography of her own. She is a budding artist in so many areas and I am always impressed with the quality of her work. The pic below is hers, and I couldn't be prouder.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make Roasted Butternut Mac and Cheese
    • What to Serve with Butternut Mac and Cheese
    • Recipe FAQ
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments
    Butternut Mac and Cheese

    Ingredients

    • Butternut Squash - You can use fresh peeled, or frozen squash. The roasting time will be approximately the same. You can roast butternut squash from frozen and it will save you the time of peeling and chopping, for a much quicker meal. I have had success making this with sweet potatoes too, but it will have a slightly sweeter flavor.
    • Aquafaba - Aquafaba is the water leftover from a can of chickpeas and can be used in place of oil when roasting. For more information about how to use aquafaba, see this post on maple-mustard roasted carrots and apples.
    • Cashews - If you need this to be nut free, you can omit the cashews or replace with sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
    • Nutritional Yeast - This adds a cheesy and tangy flavor to vegan cheese sauces. You can omit this if you don't care for the taste, but it does add a great flavor to the sauce.
    • Macaroni Noodles - Feel free to use any shaped noodle here that you desire. Macaroni is a classic shape, but I've made this with penne and fusilli and it turned out great.

    Please refer to the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and detailed instructions.

    How to Make Roasted Butternut Mac and Cheese

    This meal is largely hands off, and most of the time required to make this meal involves roasting the squash. Start by preheating the oven to 425F (220C) and lining a sheet pan with parchment paper. Toss the squash, onion and garlic with aquafaba or water and a pinch of salt if desired. Spread in a single layer onto the sheet pan and roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until easily pierced with a fork.

    butternut squash, onion and garlic on a sheet pan

    While the squash is roasting cook the macaroni noodles until al dente. Drain, rinse and add back to the cooking pot.

    When the squash has finished roasting add the entire pan to a blender along with the cashews, water and salt to taste. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding a little more water, a tablespoon at a time, to create a smooth pourable sauce. Pour half of the sauce over the cooked noodles and stir to combine, then turn the heat on to medium. Add more sauce to the noodles to reach desired consistency, gently stirring to coat the noodles and warm through. Enjoy!

    Noodles in a pan with cheese sauce

    What to Serve with Butternut Mac and Cheese

    I love to serve this mac and cheese with something green. I especially like it alongside vegan kale salad.

    Recipe FAQ

    How do I store and reheat butternut mac and cheese?

    Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days. Reheat it in short 30 second bursts in the microwave.

    Can I make the cheese sauce ahead of time?

    Yes! The cheese sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. 

    The sauce will thicken up as it sits in the fridge. When ready to use, add the sauce back to the blender and blend with a little hot water to loosen the sauce and make it pourable again. Pour over noodles and heat through as directed.

    Butternut mac and cheese on plates

    I absolutely love butternut squash. If you liked this recipe, you may also like this butternut squash soup with coconut and ginger.

    Did you make this recipe?
    Please leave a rating and tell us how you liked it!

    📖 Recipe

    Butternut Mac and Cheese on plates

    Butternut Mac and Cheese (Vegan, GF, Oil Free)

    Butternut mac and cheese is ultra creamy, rich and delicious.  This plant based mac and cheese is comfort food at its finest, but without the guilt!  
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Author: Maggie
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    Ingredients

    • 4 cups (about 1 ½ pounds) butternut squash* peeled, seeded and cubed
    • ½ onion chopped
    • 4 cloves garlic peeled, whole
    • 2 tablespoons aquafaba or water
    • 16 ounces gluten free macaroni noodles
    • ¾ cup raw cashews**
    • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 425F (220C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.  Toss the squash, onion and garlic with aquafaba or water and a pinch of salt if desired.  Spread in a single layer onto the sheet pan and roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until easily pierced with a fork.
    • While the squash is roasting, cook the macaroni noodles until al dente.  Drain, rinse and add back to the cooking pot.
    • When the squash has finished roasting add the entire pan to a blender along with the cashews, water and salt to taste.  Blend until smooth and creamy, adding a little more water, a tablespoon at a time, to create a smooth pourable sauce. 
    • Pour half of the sauce over the cooked noodles and stir to combine. Turn the heat on to medium and add more sauce to the noodles to reach desired consistency, gently stirring to coat the noodles and warm through.  Enjoy immediately.

    Notes

    *Frozen squash can be used for this recipe and will make this recipe even quicker to prepare.  No need to thaw frozen squash, just proceed as directed in the recipe.  
    **Nut-Free Option: Replace cashews with sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or simply omit.  The sauce will be less creamy if you omit them, but is still very delicious!
    Make Ahead: The cheese sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.  The sauce will thicken up as it sits in the fridge.  When ready to use, add the sauce back to the blender and blend with a little hot water to loosen the sauce and make it pourable again.  Pour over noodles and heat through as directed.
    Leftover Cheese Sauce: Use any leftover cheese sauce as a dip for veggies or chips, or pour over roasted potatoes for easy potato nachos.
    Did you make this recipe? Share your experience! Mention @AlternativeDish on Instagram or Facebook, or drop a comment below—I'd love to hear from you!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 438mg | Potassium: 506mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 9922IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg

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    Comments

      5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Rachel says

      March 11, 2021 at 2:16 pm

      5 stars
      This was a great recipe - and the sauce is definitely something that can used in many different ways, not just Mac and cheese!

      Reply
      • Maggie says

        March 12, 2021 at 10:07 am

        Thanks for the great feedback Rachel! We love that cheese sauce on lots of other things too! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.

        Reply
        • Mary says

          August 29, 2022 at 4:58 pm

          at what point do you add the nutritional yeast?

          Reply
          • Marjory Pilley says

            September 06, 2022 at 8:10 am

            Hi! Add nutritional yeast along with the other ingredients that are blended to make the sauce. It is optional but does lend even more cheesy flavor. It can also be sprinkled over the top as a finish.

            Reply
    Headshot of Sarah Pilley.

    Hi, I'm Sarah!

    I’m so excited you stopped by! I'm thrilled to share my passion for tasty vegan food with you on the Alternative Dish. I focus on creating recipes that everyone can enjoy with allergy-friendly tips! 

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