This vegan mac and cheese with butternut squash recipe is unique and delicious. Plant Based versions of our old favorites are a great way to transition over to a vegan diet. Everyone should try this vegan mac and cheese with carrots and squash dinner recipe sauce.
The main ingredient in this vegan mac and cheese squash sauce is butternut squash. It’s harvested in the fall and keeps for several months. It smells like a pumpkin when you cut into it. Squash is a healthy ingredient for any vegan main meal recipe.
How Do You Make Plant Based Cheese Sauce?
Ingredients for this plant based cheese sauce are easy and affordable. All you need is butternut squash, onion, and cashews. Also carrots, nutritional yeast, and salt. Vegan Mac and cheese has got to have nutritional yeast!
Other spices you will want for this vegan mac and cheese with butternut squash is onion powder, turmeric, and garlic powder. You will also need some vegetable oil and pasta noodles of your choice. The directions for butternut squash mac and cheese are also really simple!
Cashews should be soaked for 4 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Just put equal portions cashews to water in a bowl or tupperware. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid. This pasta recipe is so simple to make.
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 241
Total Fat 11.8g 15%
Saturated Fat 1.9g 10%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1175mg 51%
Total Carbohydrate 27.2g 10%
Dietary Fiber 4.4g 16%
Total Sugars 3.2g
Protein 8.5g
Vitamin D 0mcg 0%
Calcium 23mg 2%
Iron 5mg 25%
Potassium 315mg 7%
Squash Cheese Sauce Cooking Tips
The directions for this vegan Mac and cheese with butternut squash sauce are easy. Start by soaking the cashews for at least 4 hours. Even better if you soak them starting the night before.
Next drain the cashews but keep the water to add back in later. Blend the cashews into a paste. Then bring a large pot of water to a boil for this butternut squash mac and cheese. Everyone will love this family friendly vegan recipe. Cashews provide an earthy nutty flavor as well.
Add squash, carrots, and onions into the boiling water. Boil vegetables for about 20 minutes. Drain the water and discard. These vegetables are the base for your dairy free Mac and cheese sauce.
Combine cashew paste and boiled vegetables in the blender. Blend into a creamy purée. Add as much cashew water back into the purée as necessary for desired texture.
Next add the spices to the Dairy free Mac and cheese sauce mixture and oil and blend again.
In the meantime boil your favorite type of macaroni pasta noodles. Then another pasta in sauce! Your kids and family will love this vegan recipe.
My Favorite Vegan Gluten Free Noodles
- Great Value Gluten-Free Brown Rice Elbow Pasta, 16 oz is available online or at your local grocery store for a little more than $2. They are kosher, organic, dairy free, and gluten free. According to the brand this pasta is made with high-quality brown rice cut into a classic style resulting in a rougher surface that better absorbs sauces.
- DeLallo Orzo, Gluten Free, No. 65 – 12 oz is available online and at local stores like Walmart. This pasta is made In Italy, made with corn and rice, and cooks up in 11 minutes. According to customers they are really good at not breaking down or falling apart when cooking! Dairy-free, Kosher, Gluten-free, Low Fat, Sugar Free, and Low Sodium.
- Ancient Harvest Pasta Penne Organic Gluten Free – is available online at Grocerystore.com and Walmart. Each box Contains 1 – 8 ounce of penne pasta noodles that are made with corn & quinoa. It’s a plant-based pasta that’s gluten free but retains the taste & texture of traditional, flour-based noodles. Each serving contains 4g of protein too!
I like to add hemp seeds to the sauce for an additional source of plant based protein.
Other Vegan Cheesey Dishes You May Like
Thank you for reading my easy vegan Mac and cheese family friendly recipe!
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Easy Vegan Mac And Cheese
This Mac and cheese is creamy, cheesy, and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Cashews Unsalted
- 1 Cup Butternut squash Cooked/puréed
- 1/4 Cup White onion Cooked
- 1/4 Cup Carrots Cooked/puréed
- 1/4 Cup Nutritional yeast
- 1 Tbso Salt
- 1 Tbsp Onion powder
- 1 Tbsp Garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 2 Cups Macaroni noodles Dry
- 1 Tsp Turmeric Optional
Instructions
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Soak cashews in water overnight. Drain.
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Boil squash, carrots, and onion in water for 20 mins (or until soft)
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Drain and KEEP the water!
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In a food processor or blender combine cashews, squash, carrots, and onion.
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Blend until smooth. Add as much leftover stockpot water as necessary to get your desired texture. I used approximately 3/4 cup.
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Add your spices and olive oil.
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Pour on top of your desired noodles
