Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, a healthier version of macaroni and cheese is so creamy and delicious, no one will ever guess it’s also good for you!
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
A few weeks ago I posted this Cauliflower “Mac” and Cheese recipe that swapped out pasta for cauliflower. Today I bring you this guilt-free mac and cheese recipe. Giving you all the comfort of the classic dish, but with an extra heaping of nutrients.
Hey there, I’m Heather K. Jones—I’m a dietitian, the nutrition expert for the Skinnytaste cookbooks, and the founder of the weight and wellness program, Feel Better Eat Better. If you struggle with emotional eating or weight anxiety, be sure to check out my free Masterclass by clicking RIGHT HERE. You’ll find out the exact steps I teach my clients to create lasting success from the inside-out, even if they’ve tried everything.
This guilt-free mac and cheese gives you all the comfort of the classic dish, but with an extra heaping of nutrients. Made with whole-wheat noodles, three cheeses (Gruyere, cheddar and Parmesan), shallots, and lots of good-for-your-body butternut squash… it’s cozy, creamy AND nourishing! This is a new staple for me and my sisters. Just add a big green salad and you have the perfect anytime meal.
More Mac and Cheese Recipes You Will Love
- Broccoli Mac and Cheese
- Greek Mac and Cheese
- Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
- Macaroni and Cheese Soup
- Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- Olive oil spray
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound cubed butternut squash
- 10 ounces whole wheat elbow pasta
- 1 ½ cups low sodium vegetable broth, divided
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups skim milk
- ½ cup shredded gruyere cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Chopped chives, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9” x 11” glass baking dish with oil and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add squash and boil until tender, 5-6 minutes.
- When fork tender, transfer squash with a slotted spoon to a blender.
- Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions. When cooked, drain and put back into the pot.
- Meanwhile, add ½ cup vegetable broth, onion powder, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper, to taste to the blender with the squash. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the shallots and cook another minute.
- Add the remaining 1 cup broth and milk and whisk to combine. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook 5 minutes, whisking frequently.
- Remove pot from heat and whisk in cheese, pureed squash, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
- Add sauce to noodles, gently mix to combine, then transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture and bake 25 minutes. Switch oven to high broil and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until crumbs are starting to brown.
Grade A: Took some time, but well worth it. I added a little more garlic powder, onion powder and add in dry mustard while decreasing the pepper.
Hands down, probably one of the best Mac and Cheeses I have ever made. The hubs loved it too. I halved the recipe, and followed it pretty closely, except I added paprika and ground mustard to the rue. To save time for this week night meal, I made the butternut squash purée the day before and was able to get this all ready in 40 minutes.
Delicious! I had a girlfriends lunch and made this with a tossed green salad. Everyone lived it.
I made a few changes: added 1/4 cup extra broth to blender, added dry mustard, dijon mustard, and nutmeg to cheese sauce. Used combo of greyere, cheddar, and pepper jack Cheeses. Doubled amount of bread crumb topping. Baked 45 minutes (35 covered, 10 uncovered)
This fits a 9×13″ pan better than a 9×11″
This was delicious. We used whole milk and fontina cheese as it was a much better price than gruyere. Broiled at the end for an extra crispy top. Thought it was quite flavorful – maybe the flavor depends on the quality or freshness of the squash?
Also delicious to add bacon!
It’s good in theory but is way too bland. I had to add tarragon, sage, thyme, and basil in it to make it taste like anything.
This took a little more time to prepare than I normally put into weeknight meals, but WOW! It was worth it! I used Barilla Protein Plus Elbows and Reduced Fat Shredded Cheddar, which lowered the points for me. The only Gruyere I could find in my local market was smoked and that was a yummy plus, in my opinion. I had to be sure to divide this up into servings and store it right away or I would have eaten at least half of it in one sitting! Thanks for yet another great recipe!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I liked this recipe, but, it seemed like a lot of effort. At first, I thought it was too ‘wet’, but, the oven took care of that nicely. Wondering if I can freeze it?
I am sure you can!
Can I make and freeze uncooked then bake? Or bake and freeze? Have anyone tried with chickpea noodles? THanks
Love this. It got my boys to eat some veggies!
Perfect!!
Has anyone tried making this with cauliflower instead of noodles? Just wondering about how much cauliflower and if there’s a strategy to keep it from getting too liquidy.
Loved this except the quantity of salt & pepper in step 9 is off. Way too much pepper!
Can you prep it the night before and then cook in the oven the next day? Or would the noodles get too mushy?
If I had puréed my butternut squash prior – how many cups would you suggest to use for the ingredients?
Love this one definitely recommend adding hot sauce at least on top of it. If not just straight in the sauce
Very flavorful! (Almost too salty and I was confused by hos much pepper… but turned out good!) Toddler ate it!
This is the first time in ages I have found a recipe on this site that doesn’t have a button to link to WW personal points. Would it be possible to add one?
Updated and on there now! 🙂
My family loves this recipe, but I feel as if I always have WAY too much sauce.
This is my favorite recipe for a healthy mac and cheese. It has so much flavor! It’s become a staple in my house for sure.
Thanks for posting this Gina!
How long would you bake this in the air fryer oven?
Absolutely delicious
Huge hit with my whole family. My husband was shocked when I told him it had butternut squash in the sauce! I oven baked it in a 9×13 pan, and added an three ounces of squash, and three ounces of noodles, so my proportion was slightly different from the recipe. I will be in our rotation
Love this recipe! Have already made it 3 times within the past 2 months. People always ask for me to share the recipe
Darn… really wanted to like this recipe, but it wasn’t salty or flavorful? I added 2x more cheese and a bit more salt, but it seemed like something ended up drowning out the mac’s taste 🙁 I just didn’t want to add even more sodium though,. I guess I need to tinker this to my liking.
1.5 teaspoons of salt are added in this recipe, in step 5 & 9. Cheese is salty, so when making a cheese substitute from butternut, adding enough salt is important to get that cheese-like flavor. I might try white miso next time.
you could also try adding a tsp of Dijon mustard to the sauce to kick up the cheesiness.
I completely agree. I was really disappointed. All of that work and all those ingredients and it tasted like nothing. I’m followed the recipe to the T. Strange!
This dish is tasty and a fun combination of two fall staples. I paired it with a simple side salad to get some more veggies in (and also so that I wouldn’t be tempted to eat my weight in pasta).
I tried to follow the recipe in general, but I did roast my butternut squash for added flavor and because I just couldn’t bring myself to boil them; it felt wrong. I also ended up using rigatoni instead of elbows just to make it look pretty. I used more cheese than called for because personally when I’m making mac’n’cheese, the healthiness of the dish isn’t my primary concern.
Ultimately, my family and I enjoyed it and I would make it again. But it did feel like a labor of love and it turned my kitchen upside down. So, for me it is more of a special treat of a recipe than a weekday staple. Would recommend it though!
Wow was this good! I made this with regular macaroni (to appease the husband) and subbed in chicken stock for veggie broth, plus oat milk instead of skim. We didn’t feel like we were eating ‘healthy’ Mac n cheese at all. It was very savory, and comfort food-y, nothing seemed lacking! I never would have guessed that I could have had such a delicious Mac n cheese with so little cheese/other heavy stuff.
Can beans be added to the recipe?
A keeper!
So good and so creamy!! Definitely making this again!
This is my favorite guilt free mac and cheese recipe. Flavor is great. Agree that pre-bake it does look VERY runny but as long as you whisk according to the recipe and then bake the liquid evaporates to a normal consistency. I generally add broccoli to the sauce before I bake for extra veggies and 1/2 tsp paprika to the breadcrumb mixture for some extra flavor!
So delicious!!!!!
Wow, worth the time!
How many cups of cubed squash would you add? Trying to figure out how much is a pound!
I thought this recipe was good, but definitely could’ve been better! I agree that there is quite a bit of sauce and it kind of took away from the cheesiness. In the video it looks way gooey-er. I might use more cheese and maybe a half cup less stock next time then just adjust the calories. My kids ate it so that was a plus 🤷🏼♀️
Looks delicious, looking for meals for my toddler. Does this freeze well? Would love to make a big batch.
Loved this recipe so much!! To anyone who is concerned that the pasta is “drowning” in the sauce- don’t worry! I also thought that, but it all worked out during the baking part. It came out perfect and not at all soupy. Just an FYI because I see a lot of comments with people adding extra pasta and you really don’t need to!
Hi. This recipe looks very delicious. I was wondering if you can use frozen butternut squash in this recipe.
Thanks!!!
I used frozen and it came out fine! I have those frozen cube pouches from Costco and just cooked them in the microwave and then tossed in the blender. Definitely made the recipe so easy!
Do you think I could trick my hubby into believing this is just mac&cheese or would he catch on to the butternut squash? He is picky about “different” vegetables even if he hasn’t actually tried squash before…. he will refuse to try it if he figures it out ahead of time! (I did not rate the recipe because I haven’t made it – yet!)
My dad is extremely picky and only eats my mom’s mac and cheese (which she makes with Velveeta). The first time I made this I sent some home with my mom and my dad ate it not knowing it had butternut squash in it. He said it’s a very close second to my mom’s. I also made mine with Havarti cheese instead of gruyere. This is my new go-to mac and cheese recipe…so good and freezes well too!
Did you freeze before baking or after?
This was a great mac and cheese recipe. Loved the extra nutrients the squash provides while still providing that creamy, cheesy taste. I didn’t have a 9″x11″ pan (seemed like I had everything but that size) and used a 9″x13″ with success. Will definitely serve to my grandchildren the next time we can share a meal together. I’m sure they will gobble it up.
Absolutely delicious ! I used Gouda cheese instead of gruyere and the flavour was spot on. Will definitely be making this again !
So yummy! My family loved it. I added chilli flakes and Saracha in the sauce
Can you make this ahead of time then bake the next day?
It’s tasty. Why not save a step and cook the squash in the broth?
Can you roast the butternut squash before pureeing instead of boiling?
I roast my squash with seasonings on it. I prefer squash roasted, I think when it’s boiled it loses some flavor and nutrients.
Love this recipe!
I am steaming cauliflower this time as well, and adding that to the sauce!
SUPER filling and GOOD! I could’ve eaten the butternut puree alone with a spoon, but in the mac with tons of cheese, it’s decadent. Does it have that cheesy ‘pull?’ No, but believe me, you won’t miss it and it’s still a solid fix. The flavors in this are to die for! Followed the recipe exactly. I used white pasta because it was all I had, but would rather have used the wheat as suggested or spelt for more stick-to-it-ness. Next time, ‘cuz I’ll definitely make again and again!
Could I roast the squash?
Couldn’t get my picky kids to eat more than a couple bites, but adults loved it. I made it with rigatoni the second time and liked it even more!!
This recipe looks so delicious. I definitely want to try it soon,but I have a question. When the recipe states 10 ounces of pasta would I measure 10 ounces of uncooked pasta or measure 10 ounces of cooked pasta.
Thx,
Julie 🙂
I recommend using a full 16oz box – I started with 10oz, but it wasn’t enough pasta and there was too much sauce.
Delicious but 15 minutes of prep is pie in the sky if you have to cut up the squash. I imagine precut squash from the grocery store would be a lot quicker. For someone who isn’t a huge mac and cheese fan, this is very good! It’s creamy and tasty.
I just made this and it’s absolutely delicious and creamy. My husband is definitely a fan too. Someone had gifted me the squash and I was waiting for the perfect recipe to use part of it in. Glad I waited. Highly recommend to anyone. Your kids will never know there’s squash in there.
This was so delicious and relatively easy. Thank you so much for posting! Highly recommend this recipe.
I know this has milk in it, but has anyone had luck freezing leftovers? I cook for one and last minute decided to cook the full recipe, but after three days I need a break. 🙂
I’m going to try freezing because I’m in the same boat as you are. 😊
I have made this twice so far. First with leftover cubed butternut squash. Tonight I had some acorn squash to use. I cut it in half and cooked it in my IP (10 min with QR and 1 cup of water) the scooped out the insides for my purée. It was just as good as when I made it with the butternut squash. My kids hate breadcrumbs on top so I just put them on 2/3 of the dish and leave the other 1/3 plain. Extra breadcrumbs for my husband and I! Yum!!! Takes me longer than 15 min to prep and my kitchen looks like a bomb went off but it is a delicious recipe and I feel so much better feeding it to my kids when there is a “hidden” veggie!
Hi Adrienne. I agree lots of steps and lots of pots but so yummy. I used 2 year old cheddar but I would like it to be cheesier and I would recommend more bread crumb topping
I have to say- I never comment on recipes but this one was amazing. Super creamy and delicious. I was worried at first because it appeared to be really runny before I baked it but it definitely thickens up in the oven! Definitely recommend some chives or green onion on top too!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. If you meal plan, I would suggest cutting up your butternut squash ahead of time. I already had some cut up from making her black bean and butternut squash enchiladas. This saves you a lot of time the day you make this dish. When I poured the mixture into the pan it did seem runny, but it all came together and thickened up while it cooled. This tasted flavorful and my kiddos ate it up. No one knew there was a veggie purée mixed in there. Next time I might add some roasted broccoli and chopped pancetta.
This was amazing!! I roasted my squash in the oven with sage and made some substitutions such as chicken broth instead of vegetable and heavy cream instead of skim milk, and used gouda instead of gruyere. I also added Italian sausage. I can’t get over how delicious this was!
Super yummy mac! It felt really runny at first but firmed up as it cooled down. Highly recommend!
Followed this recipe to a T- until it came time to put the sauce in to the pasta and we realized the sauce was DROWNING out the pasta. We had to almost double the amount of pasta for the amount of cheese sauce.
It still came out amazing, but i would either half the sauce they ask for- or add more pasta!
I had the same experience!
I made this yesterday, and it was incredible! The prep took me longer than 15 minutes, but I didn’t mind because the end result was so yummy. I swapped the gruyere for Swiss cheese and the skim milk for almond milk since it’s what I had on hand, and it still turned out great.
This recipe was really good. Followed the recipe to the T. Even the BF had a second serving. Definitely will be making this again.
This was so good. I didn’t have skim milk so I substituted low sodium chicken broth /Half and half/water and no shallots so minced some onion fine and wow hubby loved it Don’t be shy with the pepper
I have made this quite a few times. My kids love it! I prepare extra of the squash and freeze it so that I can make it during the week for a quick and easy dinner. Is it possible to make this in the instant pot? I’m new to using the instant pot and not quite sure how to do it.
Thank you!
Just made this because I love me some carbs, but need to stick to WW friendly recipes. This did have quite a few steps but if you are a regular cooker, it’s not overwhelming. I used my food processor instead of a blender just as a preference. I did have a little mess up that I saw another commenter had…… too much pepper. Be careful in reading the way “add salt and pepper” is worded. Minus the fact it was a bit peppery, I loved it. Thinking it would also do well with added veggies of choice and/or chicken.
I found that it took longer than was suggested, I used a fresh butternut squash that I cut into cubes. I think if you had pureed squash on hand or made ahead of time, it would be much easier. I think it took me almost an hour and a half with prep and cooking. I think next time, too, I might cook a little longer to get the top a little crisper. One change that I made was to add extra cheddar cheese, to make it more appealing to my husbands taste- I used a whole cup, rather than a half. In the end, it was quite delicious, and the texture was very much like traditional mac and cheese.
This recipe reminded me so much of a pasta primavera recipe minus the guilt. It’s not SUPER cheesy if you’re expecting that, but still savory and creamy. I would say it’s an elevated mac and cheese. I roasted my butternut squash and while this recipe is a bit labor intensive, it was worth it to me. I appreciate a lightened-up version of something I love without feeling like I’m missing out!
I’ve made this before and loved it- any ideas for adding a protein to it? Any suggestions on seasoning for chicken if you were going to add?
This is a Coronavirus staple!! My family loves this and have no idea this has squash in it. Costco has frozen organic butternut squash cubes in one pound bags, so I cook two of those and make a double batch of puree (I add some thyme). I freeze one pound of puree to use later. This comes together really quickly if you have the puree pre-made. I pan fry the topping in butter and make extra because it is worth the calories…. This is such a winner. We have added sriracha, hot sauce and even buffalo sauce to liven up the leftovers, but I don’t think it needs anything fresh out of the oven.
Is the 10 oz elbow pasta dry or after it’s been cooked?
It’s dry. I cook a whole box of pasta and add in as much of it as I can, depending on the cheese mixture.
This is SO BOMB
Do you think I could trick my hubby into believing this is just mac&cheese or would he catch on to the butternut squash? He is picky about “different” vegetables even if he hasn’t actually tried squash before…. he will refuse to try it if he figures it out ahead of time! (I did not rate the recipe because I haven’t made it – yet!)
This is an excellent recipe. After reading some of the comments, I added some dried sage and Dijon mustard to the sauce. Delicious.
I’ve made this many times, and it’s always exceptional. I have sometimes, used different cheeses depending on my budget, and the taste may be slightly different, but always good.
Made this tonight and omg so good!!! My husband and I have been trying to eat cleaner, but love Mac n cheese, so this was the perfect guilt-free fish for us! I have not had a bad recipe yet from your site. Thank you!!
You’re welcome! Glad you both enjoyed it!
This is outstanding! I used barilla protein pasta and 2% cheddar cheese. Everything else I followed exactly as stated in the recipe. My 11 year old ate one portion but did say she prefers the skinnytaste broccoli Mac and cheese from the First cookbook. I served it with peas on the side. So good I will definitely make it again- only gripe is that it dirties a lot of dishes.
This was really good! I was surprised how nicely the flavors melded together. I added some freeze peas before it went into the oven and that helped cut down the richness (and added vegetable). All in all it was really good. I used the low-fat medium cheddar, but I don’t know if I would bother next time and would just go with sharp cheddar to bring a bit more cheesiness. My family loved the breadcrumb/Panko topping, but I could do without. The peas added a different texture without the points. We had it with a simple salad and altogether it was a great, low point macaroni and cheese and fulling meal (with lots of left overs!)
Just made this one on Sunday it was easy to make and the idea behind it was good My partner and I found it bland and not flavorful. On the other hand my Sister and Co worker both really enjoyed it. It all depends on your pallet. I probably wont make this one again but if i did i would add alot more flavoring and or add some hot sauce to the sauce..
Just made this tonight and liked it very much! Added more time baking , about an additional 7 minutes, due to the ratio of sauce to pasta. Also used the suggestion by an earlier post to brown the panko in a pan vs. broiling. This is a 2-person prep meal, though… labor intensive but yummy!
I’m kind of indifferent about this one. I usually love every SkinnyTaste recipe I make. It took a lot of time and steps to make. As I ate it, I began to get tired of the flavors quickly. I tried adding some hot sauce to it to give it some zing. I don’t know if I’d make it again but if I did, I’d probably add about 1/2 the quantity of butternut squash purée. My husband liked it but felt there was an overwhelming savory flavor too. Hopefully my kids and hubby will finish off the leftovers. This one just wasn’t for me.
Our new go to for Mac and cheese!! My 2 year old loved it and my husband had no idea there was butternut squash in. I cheated and used frozen squash but saved me a ton of prep time and still tasted great. Highly recommend! Have yet to find a skinnytaste recipe my family hasn’t loved 🙂
I made this tonight but accidentally confused acorn squash for butternut but omg it didn’t matter, still delicious!!!!!!
Oh good!! I have made it with butternut (and we loved it- even the 7 year old) but I have acorn to use up right now!! Glad to hear it went well!!
I never post comments on any website, but, this recipe is phenomenal and I felt obliged to rate it. I took a few shortcuts and made a few modifications– bullion cube blended with the squash, added a pinch of nutmeg, broccoli, unsweetened cashew milk, doubled the cheddar. It came out divine.
This recipe is SOOO good and did not disappoint. I can’t wait to hear from others who try freezing it to see how it turns out! I do have one piece of advice- silly me when I read the directions and saw 1/2 tsp salt and pepper, I added 1/2 tsp salt AND 1/2 tsp pepper instead of just the pepper to taste as indicated in the ingredient list. I realized after why the dish made my mouth tingle. LOL. But still fantastic.
I made this recipe and agree that it is a little involved for a weeknight. That being said, it hits the spot if you want Mac and cheese without all the calories that usually come with it! I eyeballed the cheese amounts and used extra sharp cheddar for flavor along with the gruyere, but otherwise followed the recipe. My picky eater boyfriend (very picky) said he probably wouldn’t have known about the squash. Thank you!
Do you think it would be okay with all cheddar cheese? I couldn’t find gruyere at the store. Thanks!
I’ve made it with all cheddar and it was still good. I’d also recommend subbing Swiss for the gruyere.
This was great! Thank you for the recipe!
Amazing!. I served it as a side for Thanksgiving since my daughter’s a vegetarian. It was a huge hit. Plenty of leftovers for us! The sauce was so flavorful, we thought about making it a soup and leaving out the noodles. Maybe next time. Thanks!
You say 1 pound cubed butternut squash. How much puree is that? Like a cup? I already have it pureed…
I think more, weigh it to see the oz.
I really wanted to LOVE this recipe. I love all the ingredients, and am a HUGE fan of butternut squash. It is “okay” — not bad at all, but not “wow”. Oddly, a bit bland. I will say, however, that the kitchen looked like a bomb went off after I was done. A lot of steps, and a lot of dirty things to wash. I am definitely not a novice cook, but generally like less “steps” in a recipe, especially one I make for “everyday”. Be forewarned, do not make this if you are in a hurry.
I have genuinely loved the vast majority of SkinnyTaste Recipes, and many of them have become regulars in our home. This just did not hit it out of the park for me.
Can you freeze this? I would like to make it and freeze it in smaller containers.
I just made this and though I love it, it’s too much work for just one person or to half the recipe.. wondering the same.
Good morning! Love many of
Your recipes they have given my family many taste and healthy dinners together. What’s the best tip for making this in advance earlier in the day ? Would you recommend preparing and then sticking in the fridge, then later on popping in the oven closer to the time it should be ready? Thanks again for sharing your recipes and thank you for all that you do! Happy thanksgiving!
Yes that would work! I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving as well!
I prepared that day and left In the fridge for a few hours. Right before putting it in the oven I poured about a half cup of almond milk for some moisture I figured the slightly nuttiness would Go with the squash flavor. This was a GREAT dish thank you so much for always sharing your recipes with us !! Always appreciate your recipes
Made this last night and it felt so indulgent!! It was pretty simple to make, but involved a lot of steps, so this is definitely a meal to make on my days off. I could not get my squash mixture smooth and creamy, but it was still delicious! I had gouda on hand, so I used that and cheddar. So yummy. Will definitely be making this again. 🙂
Amazing! This is my new favorite Mac and cheese recipe! It’s creamy, delicious and leftovers also warm over better than any other! No one could tell there was squash in it but they all knew it was a different recipe than usual and the whole family went back for more. Another W for SkinnyTaste!
So glad!
Do you think it’s ok to use coconut/almond milk for this recipe? Thank you for sharing. Looks amazing!! I can’t wait to try it. 🙂
Wow, this does not taste like a “healthy” version at all! Seriously creamy, homey, comforting Mac and cheese. I have had a butternut squash Mac and cheese recipe that I loved and used for years, this one blew it out of the water. The ONLY thing that the other recipe did that I preferred, was the way it handled the topping the other recipe used the same proportions of Panko and Parmesan, but crisped a bit in the pan first. You spray a non-stick pan with extra virgin olive oil spray, toast the panko in the pan at a low heat until golden (stirring/tossing occasionally) then take the pan off heat and sprinkle the Parmesan on top. It melts into the panko to form some crispy bits, then top the Mac and cheese and bake as normal. With this technique you don’t need to broil at the end, and not so much of the panko disappears into the sauce. Another winner, thank you for this delicious healthy comfort food!
Can this be prepped ahead of time? Would like to make it for thanksgiving
I usually love every Skinnytaste recipe I try but this one was a disaster. Watery, bland, and just so awful it all went in the garbage and we ordered Chinese food. If I ever try this again it will be with more stronger tasting cheese and about a cup less liquid in the sauce.
So delicious!
Phenomenal recipe. Used 2% milk and a little extra cheese; otherwise followed as-is. Squash adds a nice nutty flavor. I’ll definitely make again. I would recommend undercooking pasta slightly as water content in squash continues to cook it once in the oven, but was fine as-is too.
Can I make this ahead of time?
It’s great as leftovers, but I find that it tastes the best fresh out of the oven. The pasta tends to absorb more of the sauce as it sits. If you need to make ahead, I would make just the butternut cheese sauce ahead, then make the pasta and toss it together right before putting in the oven. You could probably make the pasta ahead too if you really wanted to save time, but wait to combine until right before baking
Sure!
Can you prepare ahead and bake day of?
Yes. 🙂
I live overseas with a really limited cheese selection (in Central Asia). What could be substituted for gruyere? Because butternut squash here is amazing and this recipe looks great!
Swiss cheese
This recipe is amazing!!
If you were to add meat to this, what would you recommend!
Chicken sausage.
I pan seared some pork chops to go alongside. It was great!
I made this recipe last night, and none of us could get over how good it was! It surprisingly doesn’t taste like squash. The squash just enhances the cheesy flavour! All three of my young kids finished their plates, which is a real seal of approval for us. Absolutely worth making!
So happy to hear this, Sara!
thinking of combining this cheese sauce with cauliflower for an extra healthy mac n’ cheese. Have you tried this yet?
No I haven’t
This was phenomenal. I made it exactly as written except I added two cloves of minced garlic to the shallot mixture I served it as a main dish with a side of roasted broccoli and carrots. Full meatless meal for 4 adults and 2 kids, and there were NO leftovers. This was a trial run for Thanksgiving and it definitely made the cut. Thank you for this healthy and TASTY alternative.
Awesome
This looks so yummy! Could you make this a little ahead of time by completing all of the steps prior to putting in the oven? I think this would make a great addition to our Thanksgiving! Thanks!
Yes, that would work!
For those of us who are time challenged, would frozen squash purée work (thawed, of course)?
Sure, give it is try 🙂
Would this turn out okay if I prepared the mac and cheese the night before and then baked it the next day?
Yes, give it a try!
Do you think I could sub chickpea pasta to lower the carb count?
Sure!
Love that you have started to put the points broken out for the various WW programs!
Hi Gina! Long time reader/maker of your recipes, first time commenter! If I were to use a can of butternut squash puree to save a little time, do you think 1 can would be enough? Also, when adding the other ingredients to the puree, do you think I should leave as is or potentially add less (or no) broth?
Hello! Yes, i cup will work.
… I found this about pumpkin and it would be about the same for squash…
5 pounds fresh pumpkin = about 4 1/2 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin
• 1 pound fresh pumpkin = about 1 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin
• One 15-ounce can pumpkin = 1 3/4 cups mashed pumpkin
• One 29-ounce can pumpkin = 3 1/2 cups mashed pumpkin
How do you think this would work using cauliflower instead of pasta? Thank you!
I have not tried it that way, but it might work!
Can you roast the squash instead of boiling?
Yes, that would work!
The recipe calls for 1# of squash. I keep puréed squash on hand in the freezer. Any idea how many cups of puréed squash would be the correct amtount in this recipe?
I look forward to trying this.
Thanks , Kate
Hello! I found this online and it will be about the same for canned pumpkin… • 5 pounds fresh pumpkin = about 4 1/2 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin
• 1 pound fresh pumpkin = about 1 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin
• One 15-ounce can pumpkin = 1 3/4 cups mashed pumpkin
• One 29-ounce can pumpkin = 3 1/2 cups mashed pumpkin
Oops, I meant the same for butternut squash!
Hello! I found this about pumpkin and it would be about the same for squash…
5 pounds fresh pumpkin = about 4 1/2 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin
• 1 pound fresh pumpkin = about 1 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin
• One 15-ounce can pumpkin = 1 3/4 cups mashed pumpkin
• One 29-ounce can pumpkin = 3 1/2 cups mashed pumpkin
I have not tried this recipe yet but sounds wonderful !! I love all the great food I’ve made from your site.. Just a couple of things ..Thanks for doing the weight Watchers 3 different colours it’s great I’m a purple and I notice when I print out the recipe the it says 8 points while the main body says it’s only 5 can you clarify for me ? Thank You!!!
Sure, here are the points…
Purple points: 5
Blue points: 8
Green points: 8
At the top of the recipe you show 5 purple smartpoints. However when I print the recipe, you show 8 for all catagories including the purple. So which is correct? Thanks, I love your cookbooks and have all of them and will continue to purchase each one you come out with even if I already have the recipes. Linda
Hello, here are the points… Purple points: 5
Blue points: 8
Green points: 8
Cannot wait to try this! Thank you so much for including the new myWW points!!! : )
Could you use almond milk in this? Maybe a little nutmeg in the seasoning?
Yes, swapping almond milk for regular milk would work. And sure on the nutmeg!
I did this tonight, it works great!
This looks great! If I wanted to make this ahead of time for thanksgiving can I make it all but the breadcrumbs portion? Will it hold overnight?
I think so!
Hi Gina! This looks amazing an looks like a great way to sneak in some veggies for my picky eaters! WI noticed on the new recipes you have been adding the blue, green and purple points values. Will you also be updating the old recipes? I know that will take a while but just checking to see if that was in the plans! Thanks!
Yes, that’s the plan! 🙂