Vegan Butternut Mac Cheese (Printable)

Creamy pasta with roasted butternut squash and a dairy-free cheese sauce, rich and comforting.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni or small pasta shells

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium butternut squash (2 lbs), peeled and cubed
03 - 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
04 - 2 garlic cloves, peeled

→ Sauce Base

05 - ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk (oat, almond, or soy)
06 - ¼ cup nutritional yeast
07 - 2 tbsp olive oil
08 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
09 - 2 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
11 - ½ tsp ground turmeric (optional)
12 - 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
13 - ½ tsp ground black pepper

→ Topping (optional)

14 - ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
15 - 1 tbsp olive oil
16 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# Steps:

01 - Set oven to 400°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Arrange butternut squash cubes, onion, and garlic on the tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss to coat evenly.
03 - Place tray in oven and roast for 25 minutes, or until squash is tender and caramelized.
04 - Boil a large pot of salted water. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
05 - Transfer roasted vegetables to a blender. Add plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, turmeric if using, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy, adjusting seasoning as needed.
06 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Pour in the blended sauce and stir thoroughly to coat evenly. Gently warm over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
07 - If desired, mix panko breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle over pasta in an ovenproof dish and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp.
08 - Dish out portions, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and creamy without a trace of guilt or dairy—your body feels lighter the next morning.
  • One blender, one pot, and you're done in under an hour; no fancy technique required.
  • The roasted butternut squash adds natural sweetness and nutrition that regular cheese sauce could never offer.
  • It converts skeptics—I've served this to people who swear they'd never eat vegan food.
02 -
  • The blender is essential—a food processor won't give you the smooth, pourable consistency you need for sauce.
  • Don't skip the roasting step or rush it; that caramelization is where the butternut squash develops real depth and natural sweetness.
  • Taste the sauce before mixing it with pasta and adjust seasoning then; it's much easier than trying to fix it later in the pot.
03 -
  • If your sauce tastes flat even after seasoning, you're likely missing salt—it's the ingredient that brings all the flavors into focus, so taste and adjust generously.
  • Use the pasta's starchy cooking water as a secret weapon; if your sauce seems too thick before mixing with pasta, add a tablespoon of the reserved pasta water instead of more milk.

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