The Best Kid-Friendly Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Looking for an easy weeknight meal that the whole family can agree on, that can be made in 20 minutes, in one pot, is packed with flavor and has an added veggie? Then this Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese will be your new go-to meal of choice! Great for babies, toddlers, kids, and adults alike!

Medically reviewed and co-written by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

Creamy, cheesy, and veggie-friendly?

Let us introduce you to your new favorite comfort meal, with a twist that’ll make you feel great about serving.

This butternut squash mac and cheese combines your childhood love of traditional mac and cheese with the addition of nutrient-rich butternut squash.

This mac and cheese is loaded with vitamin A, fiber, folate, lutein and calcium, thanks to the savory, cheesy sauce made with butternut squash.

It’s an easy weeknight meal with minimal ingredients, made in one pot, stores well for leftovers and is even freezer friendly!

With dozens of dinner recipes for kids to choose from, like my crazy good Chicken Parmesan Meatballs, Easy Cheesy Garlic Broccoli Pasta and Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Green Bean “Fries,” there are zero reasons to be in a dinner food slump. If you need toddler and kid smoothie, breakfast or lunch ideas, I have those too, plus plenty of healthy popsicle recipes to choose from as well.

Need More Dinner Ideas? I’ve got your family covered with amazing family-friendly dinner recipes in my best-selling cookbook, Little Foodie: Baby Food Recipes for Babies and Toddlers with Taste. 

Ingredients

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

• Pasta: traditional mac and cheese types that are smaller in size work well here, such as rotini, elbow, penne or farfalle. Feel free to sub chickpea, lentil, or your favorite gluten-free variety!
• Butternut Squash: you can use fresh, canned or frozen.
• Milk: whole milk is great for added creaminess, but 2% or any plain/regular flavored plant-based milk works well too.
• Butter: optional, but adds to the creamy texture and makes the dish more filling, can also use any plant-based butter.
• Cheddar Cheese: shredding your own works best, but if you’re crunched for time you can also use pre-shredded.
• Parmesan: Optional but adds a nice sharpness to all the creaminess.
• Spices: garlic, onion, paprika, and salt to add to the flavor profile.

Tip: to make this recipe Gluten-Free, use any gluten-free pasta you prefer. To make Vegan, use plant-based milk, butter and cheese (skip the parmesan). While you won’t get the exact taste using vegan cheese, it can be very similar. Brands I recommend are Violife, Miyoko’s, Kite Hill, and Daiya.

Health Benefits of Butternut Squash

Cooked butternut squash and butternut nut squash puree are packed with nutrients:

• High levels of antioxidants and vitamins A and C, which boosts the immune system and reduces inflammation
• A good source of potassium that helps keep bones healthy
• Contains a protein that may be a potent anticancer agent
• Provides calcium to help strengthen bones and folate to help with brain development

Step-by-Step Instructions

• Boil: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the package directions. IMPORTANT: reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain.
• Blend Squash: Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor add the cooked butternut squash, 1/2 cup of milk, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and thyme. Puree until smooth.
• Make Sauce: In the same large pot, over low heat, add the butter and let melt. Add in the pureed butternut squash and stir.
• Add Pasta: Add in the cooked pasta.
• Melt Cheese: Add in half of the shredded cheddar cheese, parmesan, 1/2 cup of milk, salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese is melted.
• More Melted Cheese: Add in the remaining cheddar cheese and stir until melted. If the cheese sauce gets too thick, add in the reserved pasta water (I had to add in 1/2 cup).
• Eat: Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Cook Butternut Squash for Mac & Cheese

There are many ways to cook butternut squash, all of which work equally well in this recipe. Roasting butternut squash will give the sauce a more natural sweet taste, and you a little more hands-free time in the kitchen, although it takes longer. Steaming or boiling will take less time, but do require chopping. If you’re really crunched for time, microwaving frozen butternut squash or buying pre-cut and packaged squash and cooking it in a pot of boiling water before the pasta is the way to go.

Roast

Cut off a 1/4 inch from the top and bottom of the butternut squash to make it easier to stand it on a cutting board Carefully cut it in half, length-wise, using a large, sharp knife.  Scoop out the seeds and discard or roast them. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the butternut squash halves cut side down. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until tender. Once it cools, scoop the flesh out of the squash halves with a spoon.

Steam

Peel, take out the seeds and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Add butternut squash to the basket, cover and steam until the squash is tender, about 13 to 15 minutes.

Boil

Peel, take out seeds and cut into 1-inch cubes. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the squash and boil for 5-6 minutes until pierces easily with a fork. Remove squash from the boiling water with a slotted spoon, and then use this water for cooking your pasta.

Microwave

Using frozen packaged butternut squash works well in this recipe too! Just follow the directions on the package to cook.

Additions

You can add additional veggies, protein or types of cheese to up the flavor profile and suit your family’s preferences. Here are a few of our favorite ideas:

• peas
• cooked chicken
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• chopped steamed carrots
• a handful of cheddar, gruyère, fontina, smoked gouda, or pepper jack cheese

How to Store

Store butternut squash mac and cheese leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Butternut Squash for Baby and Toddler

Baby

If you haven’t yet introduced butternut squash to your baby (6-9 months), set aside a small amount from the cooked squash and offer soft, larger wedges or strips, which are easier for younger babies to grasp.

Babies and toddlers that have already been introduced to the ingredients in this recipe can finger feed themselves the butternut squash mac and cheese. You can even mash the mac and cheese a bit on a pre-loaded spoon or offer it pre-loaded on a fork for babies and toddlers who are still refining their utensil use.

Depending on the age of your baby, you can always omit the cheese for their portion and then mix in the cheese for the rest of the family.

Toddler

If your toddler or child is older and used to the way that ‘traditional’ mac and cheese looks and tastes, you may want to explain to them what’s different about this dish ahead of time. You can relate this new type of mac and cheese to what they are familiar with, by telling them it’s made with the pasta they’ve seen before. You can even give this dish a different name, such as “orange cheesy noodles” to keep it separate from the other mac and cheese.

Or watch the shortened video here.