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This butternut squash mac and cheese is a family favorite! It’s creamy, cheesy, and loaded with flavor! Serve it with grilled chicken thighs and sweet potato cornbread for a complete meal.

I love classic mac and cheese, but when butternut squash is in season, I just have to make a batch of butternut squash mac and cheese. Once you try it, it’ll be hard to go back to plain mac and cheese. The sauce is super cheesy and smooth with a hint of butternut squash. Even butternut squash haters will enjoy this recipe!

Ingredient Notes

• Butternut Squash – I like to buy peeled and cut-up butternut squash at the grocery store. However, you can buy a whole squash and peel it and cut it up yourself.
• Milk – Use whole milk for the best results.
• Cheese – A combination of sharp cheddar cheese and gruyere cheese is what I like to use. Make sure you grate it yourself; it makes such a difference!
• Pasta – I used pipette noodles but feel free to use elbow macaroni or any short-shaped pasta.
• Chicken Broth – Veggie stock works too!
• Sage – Optional but it adds great flavor.
• Garlic – If you don’t have fresh garlic, use granulated garlic instead.
• Flour – It will help thicken the sauce, don’t omit it if you want a thick and creamy cheese sauce.

How To Make

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, smashed garlic, sage, and red crushed pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
3. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 15 minutes or until the butternut squash is fork-tender.
4. Allow the butternut squash to cool for a few minutes, discard the sage, and then place it in a blender and blend until smooth.
5. Add the butter to a large skillet with high sides and allow the butter to melt completely. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
6. Stir in the whole milk and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Make sure to stir frequently.
7. Once the sauce is nice and thick, turn off the heat and add 2 cups of cheddar cheese, 1 cup of gruyere cheese, and butternut squash puree. Mix until well combined.
8. Season the sauce generously with salt and pepper. I find that this sauce needs a lot of salt, so make sure to season it very generously.
9. Fold in the cooked pasta and check for seasoning. Pour the pasta into a 9×13 casserole dish and top it off with the remaining cheese.
10. Bake for 15 minutes and broil for 1 minute. Allow it to cool for a few minutes, and enjoy!

Top Tips

• Make sure to season the cheese sauce generously! I can’t stress this enough. Otherwise, your butternut squash mac and cheese will be super bland.
• If you want to add breadcrumbs, top the mac and cheese with 1 cup of panko bread crumbs before baking.
• Cook the pasta 1-2 minutes less than the package directs for al dente because the pasta will continue cooking in the oven.

Storage

Allow the butternut squash mac and cheese to cool completely, then transfer it to an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

More Recipes You Might Enjoy

• Chicken with Butternut Squash Stew
• Four Cheese Mac and Cheese
• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Chili Mac and Cheese

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