Not only is butternut squash great for babies first puree, it makes a crave-worthy dinner for the entire family! You’ll love this vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese for toddlers and kids!
First of all, where was this dish when I was eating mac and cheese from a box (gasp) almost everyday during my pregnancy? This dish could have saved me from gaining an additional 20 pounds that I am now just toying with the idea of actually losing sometime in the near future. Near future = sometime in the next 6 months. We all know that trying to lose weight in December is just not a good idea. The temptation for cookies, peppermint mochas and fancy cocktails is just way too great and if deprived you will most likely end up crying by yourself as you sing christmas corals between sobs of tears and snot. It happens. And it doesn’t look pretty.
That is what January is for –
- Losing weight
- Cleaning your fridge
- Pretending you don’t like sugar anymore
- Eating green things
- Trying to find your gym membership card before realizing you don’t belong to a gym
Poor January, never has any fun.
This recipe is a result of a dinner I made the other night when I was frantically trying to get something on the table. Anything would have worked. Ever have those nights? I wasn’t trying to be healthy. I wasn’t trying to be fancy. Cereal would have worked just as well. So in a state of desperation, I tossed some left over butternut squash, which I had on hand from my week of obsessing over it for baby puree making, a box of pasta and some spices together and suddenly this amazingly yummy, googy and creeeeamy pasta came together, and it tasted just like ‘mac and cheese’. I scratched my head and just went with it.
The goodness comes from the sauce, which is made entirely from BUTTERNUT SQUASH! That is it. I feel like screaming it from my roof. BUTTERNUT SQUASH!!!
No cream.
No butter.
Vegans rejoice!
Butternut squash is my new hero. Not only is butternut squash great for babies first puree, it makes a crave worthy dinner for the entire dinner. Which leads me to believe that I need to start a new category for ‘Family Meals’. Because this is where it is at. One easy dish for everyone at my table.
The thing is, is that you won’t miss the cream or butter or any of that ‘bad’ for you stuff in this ‘mac and cheese’. It was only after I was done licking the blender and trying to not shove my face into it – careful those blades are sharp, was when I realized just how healthy this dish is for you. It uses an entire butternut squash and pasta of your choice which makes it a perfect dish for families that are vegan, gluten free or vegetarian. A dish that is loaded with vitamin A, fiber, folate, lutein and calcium all of which is great, but it was the toddler requesting seconds of this ‘mac and cheese’ that confirmed this dish was a real winner. This ‘cheese’ sauce is just that good. You have been warned.
Pasta. Butternut Squash. Garlic. Onion. Thyme. Curry. Done and Done.
The longest part about this dish was roasting the butternut squash, but if you are in a time crunch they sell frozen or fresh cubed butternut squash that cooks up in minutes. So while your pasta is boiling away, this yellow magic ‘cheese’ sauce comes together in the time it would take you to make the box mac and cheese. Save that box for really serious moments of desperation. You know what I am talking about. We all have them.
Butternut Squash Mac N Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 12 ounces pasta, any shape
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 tsp mild curry powder
- 1 tsp fresh thyme can also use sage or rosemary (optional)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
- Cut butternut squash in half, deseed and place on a baking sheet, skin side down. Bake for 40 minutes or until a fork can prick the skin easily.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the package directions.
- In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Scrape butternut squash from skin and place in blender or food processor. Add onion, garlic, thyme, curry and vegetable broth and puree until smooth.
- Return pureed butternut squash to a skillet over medium heat. Add pasta, salt and pepper and stir until well combined.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
Everyone loved this recipe! I am definitely going to keep an eye out for any other "full family" recipes! This was baby’s third puree and even though I was originally thinking this was too adult/sophisticated of a taste for her, I was proven wrong! She gobbled it up and I had to keep refilling her little bowl. Your recipe made enough for my husband and I to have dinner, a set of leftovers each and a few LARGE helpings for baby.
Elizabeth,
So glad your whole family liked this recipe!! I just had the same thing happen with my little Frankie. I gave her smashed bananas for a first food, which she spit out. Then I added some cinnamon and coconut milk and she ate spoonful after spoonful! Our littles foodies are teaching us to never underestimate their refined tastes 🙂
xoxo,
Michele
Everyone loved this recipe! I am definitely going to keep an eye out for any other "full family" recipes! This was baby’s third puree and even though I was originally thinking this was too adult/sophisticated of a taste for her, I was proven wrong! She gobbled it up and I had to keep refilling her little bowl. Your recipe made enough for my husband and I to have dinner, a set of leftovers each and a few LARGE helpings for baby.
Elizabeth,
So glad your whole family liked this recipe!! I just had the same thing happen with my little Frankie. I gave her smashed bananas for a first food, which she spit out. Then I added some cinnamon and coconut milk and she ate spoonful after spoonful! Our littles foodies are teaching us to never underestimate their refined tastes 🙂
xoxo,
Michele
ps – "january is for pretending you don’t like sugar anymore" is now pretty much my favorite phrase of the month!
Thanks!! 5 days in and I am still pretending that I don’t want anything that I have been consuming for the last 2 months – cookies, chocolate, pie…..
ps – "january is for pretending you don’t like sugar anymore" is now pretty much my favorite phrase of the month!
Thanks!! 5 days in and I am still pretending that I don’t want anything that I have been consuming for the last 2 months – cookies, chocolate, pie…..
New to your blog and Im loving it! I have a beer (yes!), a pen and paper, and I’m taking notes while my 9 mo old and 2 year old (birth control anyone?) nap. Random question but, do you know what brand of silverware is shown here? too cute! Also, I love pairings / suggestions with adult meals to accompany the little ones… GREAT WEBSITE! THANK YOU!!!!
Hello Jenna,
So glad you found me!!!..and are having a beer while reading the site!! Nicely done!! I believe the silverware was from Crate and Barrel in their cheese section.
Check out my pinterest account for even more cocktail inspiration!!
xoxo, Michele
New to your blog and Im loving it! I have a beer (yes!), a pen and paper, and I’m taking notes while my 9 mo old and 2 year old (birth control anyone?) nap. Random question but, do you know what brand of silverware is shown here? too cute! Also, I love pairings / suggestions with adult meals to accompany the little ones… GREAT WEBSITE! THANK YOU!!!!
Hello Jenna,
So glad you found me!!!..and are having a beer while reading the site!! Nicely done!! I believe the silverware was from Crate and Barrel in their cheese section.
Check out my pinterest account for even more cocktail inspiration!!
xoxo, Michele
I’m just wondering, can this beautiful recipe be made a couple days ahead of time and/or frozen?
Hello Natasha,
I would imagine so, but I haven’t tried. You might need to add a little milk or water to the recipe when you reheat it. I would also cook the pasta very al-dente so it isn’t soggy when you reheat. If you try it, let us know how it goes!:)
xo, Michele
I would just freeze the sauce in like cubes and then just cook your pasta when your ready to eat and throw your cubes and some liquid in a pot. I cant wait to try this.
This is genius! I am going to try this idea this weekend, cuz I have 2 butternut squashes in my fridge and 1 girl that just can’t get enough mac and cheese in her life! Thank you for sharing!!
xo, Michele
I’m just wondering, can this beautiful recipe be made a couple days ahead of time and/or frozen?
Hello Natasha,
I would imagine so, but I haven’t tried. You might need to add a little milk or water to the recipe when you reheat it. I would also cook the pasta very al-dente so it isn’t soggy when you reheat. If you try it, let us know how it goes!:)
xo, Michele
I would just freeze the sauce in like cubes and then just cook your pasta when your ready to eat and throw your cubes and some liquid in a pot. I cant wait to try this.
This is genius! I am going to try this idea this weekend, cuz I have 2 butternut squashes in my fridge and 1 girl that just can’t get enough mac and cheese in her life! Thank you for sharing!!
xo, Michele
I made this last night for my boyfriend and I and it was very delicious!!! I stumbled upon your recipe on Pinterest when I was looking for a way to use up my butternut squash I had gotten from a family member’s garden! My boyfriend is the picky eater, whereas I am always open to anything new, and this was also my first time making something with butternut squash. We both really enjoyed this recipe! I loved it! My boyfriend’s words were, "Yeah, it’s pretty good. It’s different, but I like it." haha Thanks! I plan to share this with my friends!
Hello Brittany!!
I LOVE your boyfriends response!! lol!! It took my husband 15 years but he finally got me to start eating eggs! So keep at him! He will eventually turn into a foodie-ish!:)
xo, Michele
I made this last night for my boyfriend and I and it was very delicious!!! I stumbled upon your recipe on Pinterest when I was looking for a way to use up my butternut squash I had gotten from a family member’s garden! My boyfriend is the picky eater, whereas I am always open to anything new, and this was also my first time making something with butternut squash. We both really enjoyed this recipe! I loved it! My boyfriend’s words were, "Yeah, it’s pretty good. It’s different, but I like it." haha Thanks! I plan to share this with my friends!
Hello Brittany!!
I LOVE your boyfriends response!! lol!! It took my husband 15 years but he finally got me to start eating eggs! So keep at him! He will eventually turn into a foodie-ish!:)
xo, Michele
I made this yesterday and my one -year-old and I really liked it however my husband did not. The onion flavor dominates in this dish and he hates onion. If you don’t like onion, I’d recommend using 1/4 of onion. Since acorn squash is mild in flavor it’s easy to mask it with other flavors. But if you’re looking to bring out the flavor of the acorn squash , I wouldn’t season it too much. Would make this again.
I made this yesterday and my one -year-old and I really liked it however my husband did not. The onion flavor dominates in this dish and he hates onion. If you don’t like onion, I’d recommend using 1/4 of onion. Since acorn squash is mild in flavor it’s easy to mask it with other flavors. But if you’re looking to bring out the flavor of the acorn squash , I wouldn’t season it too much. Would make this again.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I really enjoyed the dish; however, my 1 yr old noticed from a small taste that it wasn’t cheese and refused it. It’s a phase, I believe, that will soon pass. He + this dish will meet again soon.
HA! Oh, 1 year olds! Such picky customers!! Let me know how round 2 goes!
xo, Michele
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I really enjoyed the dish; however, my 1 yr old noticed from a small taste that it wasn’t cheese and refused it. It’s a phase, I believe, that will soon pass. He + this dish will meet again soon.
HA! Oh, 1 year olds! Such picky customers!! Let me know how round 2 goes!
xo, Michele
Hi Michele,
what curry did you use? sauce? or power? color? thanks!
I used a mild matcha curry powder (yellow). A mild red powder would work as well.
Hope that helps,
Michele
Hi Michele,
what curry did you use? sauce? or power? color? thanks!
I used a mild matcha curry powder (yellow). A mild red powder would work as well.
Hope that helps,
Michele
My husband & grandson are both allergic to dairy so I decided to try this mac & "cheese" recipe but substituted nutritional yeast for parmesan – it was delicious! Thank you
So glad you all liked it!!! Love the addition of nutritional yeast!
xo, Michele
My husband & grandson are both allergic to dairy so I decided to try this mac & "cheese" recipe but substituted nutritional yeast for parmesan – it was delicious! Thank you
So glad you all liked it!!! Love the addition of nutritional yeast!
xo, Michele
Hello! Can you used can butternut squash for this?
Yes, as long as there are no other added ingredients.
I got this recipe done today for lunch and wow tastes very good; plus easy to make for my 17 months old toddler.
Love this!