Learn how to make delicious and healthy vegan butternut squash mac and cheese. Besides being plant-based, this recipe is also nut-free and low-fat, and very easy to make.
What I love about this recipe:
- Ultimate vegan comfort food.
- Very easy and quick to make.
- A high-fat and unhealthy recipe turned into wholesome and healthy meal.
My vegan mac and cheese recipe is oil-free, low-fat, low glycemic, suitable of vegan Candida Diet, gluten-free (use gluten-free pasta), nut-free, and peanut-free.
Table of contents
How to Make Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Mac ‘n’ cheese is one of those vegan recipes that many people consider the ultimate comfort food. What a bliss if you can make this recipe healthy and tasty at the same time!
The Ingredients
The Pasta
First, let’s talk about pasta. When it comes to the choice of pasta, the options are almost endless. For example, you can pick a grain-based pasta i.e., whole wheat, spelt, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, or brown rice pasta. Alternatively, you can choose between high-protein legume-based pastas like black bean, lentil, chickpea, edamame, mung bean, or pea pasta.
In case you’re concerned about the glycemic load of your meal but still want to eat a decent portion of this vegan butternut squash mac and cheese, opt for lentil or edamame pasta. The latter has a significantly lower glycemic load than all the other pastas.
Finally, a shape of your pasta can be important as well. Some people find long pastas such as spaghetti, tagliatelle, or pappardelle to be irreplaceable when it comes to eating pasta. I, for example, prefer varieties that are easier to eat e.g., penne, rigatoni, farfalle, fusilli or rotini, macaroni.
Also, if you have a kid who happens to be a picky eater, consider shapes designed for children. For example, alphabet pasta or any other fun shapes that will get your kid’s attention.
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Sauce
As per the name, the main component of this vegan mac and cheese is butternut squash. Of course, you may choose other pumpkin varieties as well. However, butternut squash will give you the creamiest and sweetest result. In my opinion, the best option for replacing butternut squash would be Hokkaido pumpkin.
Many vegan mac and cheese recipes are made cheesy and creamy with cashews. While it’s a delicious and totally legit option, I was looking for a leaner version. Therefore, I turned to silken tofu. The latter is an excellent low glycemic and high-protein food item that has a perfectly smooth and creamy consistency.
Finally, for flavouring I rely on fresh garlic, nutritional yeast, and Himalayan salt. Optionally, or as a garnish, you may also add black pepper or chili flakes, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
The Process
Vegan Mac and Cheese Sauce
Start by peeling the butternut squash and cut it into cubes. Then, steam them with a bit of water until soft, about 7-10 minutes.
Next, transfer the cooked butternut squash, silken tofu, garlic, nutritional yeast, and Himalayan salt into a blender or a beaker. Now, process until you have a smooth and homogenous consistency. You may need to add a little water if the sauce is too thick. This mostly depends on your squash. First, add the steaming water as it’s delicious and sweet. Then, if you need some more, take filtered water or even plant milk.
In case you love spicy food, blend in some chili flakes, black pepper, or cayenne pepper as well.
Cooking the Pasta
Now, cook the pasta. Depending on the variety, the cooking time is anything between 3-10 minutes. I suggest following the minimum time instructed on the package to get al dente pasta. To be sure, take one piece of pasta out when the time’s about to be up and have a try. If it’s perfect, in a sink, pour the cooked pasta into a big pasta sieve, rinse with cold water and drain well.
For your information, my edamame pasta package recommends boiling it for 5-8 minutes. However, I’ve found that 3 minutes is the maximum this pasta needs. If I cooked it according to the instructions, I’d end up with mashed pasta. So, be careful!
Assembling the Vegan Mac and Cheese Bowl
Then, transfer the pasta into a large bowl, pour on the sauce and combine gently not to break the pasta.
Alternatively, divide the pasta and mac and cheese sauce between smaller individual bowls and mix them together then and there.
How to Serve This Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Garnish your vegan mac and cheese bowl with grated nutmeg, dried sage, chili flakes, and some extra nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan. You’ll find a vegan Parmesan recipe in my Tomato-Zucchini Casserole with Mozzarella Recipe.
Needless to say, this vegan butternut squash mac and cheese is not a balanced dish on its own. Therefore, rather than treating it as a complete meal, have it with a proper side salad of greens and some raw veggies. For example, combine steamed kale, boiled chard, sautéed pak choi, or raw Romain lettuce with raw red or white cabbage, bell peppers, carrot, cauliflower, and/or turnip.
In case you don’t know why I recommend steaming kale, sautéing pak choi, and boiling chard, go and read my blog post How to Cook Vegetables to Retain Nutrients.
If you need inspiration for delicious salad dressings, check out my Guide to Oil-Free Salad Dressings.
Here are some ready oil-free salad dressing recipes for you:
How to Store
In case you have any leftovers, store this vegan mac and cheese sauce in a sealed container or a jar in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken while refrigerated, so be ready to thin it with some water to it when you want to use it again.
I don’t recommend storing it combined with pasta. Moreover, it’s always better to cook pasta freshly every time you eat it. Given the simplicity and short cooking time, I don’t see the necessity to batch-cook pasta.
Here are some more pasta-inspired recipes:
- High-Protein Edamame Pasta with Homemade Marinara Sauce
- Simple Mushroom Tomato Pasta Sauce
- Gluten-Free Homemade Tomato Pasta Sauce
- Spinach Tomato Pasta with Mushrooms
- Balanced Pasta Salad with Kale
- Oil-Free Basil Cashew Pesto Pasta
- Wild Garlic Pesto
Watch how I make this vegan pumpkin mac and cheese with 4 other savoury pumpkin recipes in the below video:
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Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Learn how to make delicious and healthy vegan butternut squash mac and cheese. Besides being plant-based, this recipe is also nut-free and low-fat, and very easy to make.
Ingredients
- 300g (10.6oz) butternut squash cubes, steam
- 175g (6.2oz) silken tofu
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tbsps. nutritional yeast
- ¼ tsp. Himalayan salt
- 200g (7oz) whole grain pasta, dry
Toppings:
- Chili flakes or cayenne pepper
- Dried sage
- Nutmeg, grated
Instructions
- Start by peeling the butternut squash and cut it into cubes. Then, steam them with a bit of water until soft, about 7-10 minutes.
- Next, transfer the cooked butternut squash, silken tofu, garlic, nutritional yeast, and Himalayan salt into a blender or a beaker. Process until you have a smooth and homogenous consistency. You may need to add a little water if the sauce is too thick. This mostly depends on your squash. First, add the steaming water as it’s delicious and sweet. Then, if you need some more, take filtered water or even plant milk.
- In case you love spicy food, blend in some chili flakes, black pepper, or cayenne pepper as well.
- Now, cook the pasta. Depending on the variety, the cooking time is anything between 3-10 minutes. I suggest following the minimum time instructed on the package to get al dente pasta. To be sure, take one piece of pasta out when the time’s about to be up and have a try. If it’s perfect, in a sink, pour the cooked pasta into a pasta strainer, rinse with cold water and drain well.
- Then, transfer the pasta into a large bowl, pour on the sauce and combine gently not to break the pasta. Alternatively, divide the pasta and mac and cheese sauce between smaller individual bowls and mix them together then and there.
- Garnish your vegan mac and cheese bowl with grated nutmeg, dried sage, chili flakes, and some extra nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan.
Notes
For a gluten-free vegan mac and cheese, choose pastas made of quinoa, teff, legumes, buckwheat, brown rice, millet, and sorghum.
As vegan butternut squash mac and cheese is not a balanced dish on its own, have it with a proper side salad of greens and some raw veggies. For example, combine steamed kale, boiled chard, sautéed pak choi, or raw Romain lettuce with raw red or white cabbage, bell peppers, carrot, cauliflower, and/or turnip. If you need inspiration for delicious salad dressings, check out my Guide to Oil-Free Salad Dressings.
In case you’re consciously eating a low glycemic diet and maybe even track the glycemic load points of your meals, choose pastas that have a lower glycemic load. For example, edamame pasta and lentil pasta, which will allow you to eat a bigger portion as well.
In case you have any leftovers, store this vegan mac and cheese sauce in a sealed container or a jar in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken while refrigerated, so be ready to thin it with some water to it when you want to use it again.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Method: Stovetop
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ of the recipe
- Calories: 249 kcal
- Sodium: 162.38mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4g
- Carbohydrates: 39.6g
- Fiber: 7.8g
- Protein: 12.4g
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