Roasted Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Roasted Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is a fall twist to this classic comfort food recipe for dinner. This Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese features roasted butternut squash with a hint of cinnamon and then pureed. This is tossed with Mac, Heavy Cream, Chicken Broth and cooked in the Instant pot. Gets ready in just 4 minutes in the Instant Pot and is tossed with loads of cheddar cheese. The result is creamy and delicious Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese which is just perfect fall recipe for dinner. 😋😍😍

This Roasted butternut squash mac & cheese, is so comforting and hearty! You'll love every single bite of this delicious pasta.😍😍

Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, this one gets ready in minutes. And bonus, a great way to get kids enjoy Butternut Squash. Also try Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk (Vegan) & Apple Butternut Squash Chicken in Crockpot

Do do your kids love Butternut squash? Well! My don't. But including it in a comforting pasta recipe like mac & cheese is the best way to get them enjoy this healthy fall veggie. Also try my Butternut Squash Fettuccine Alfredo , One Pot Pumpkin Alfredo

Roasted butternut squash is the best. Roasting the butternut squash not only enhances it's flavors 10 falls but also makes them mushy and soft which it becomes so easier to blend using an immersion blender.

Butternut squash is one full veggie which I love to use a lot. It's healthy and nutrient rich which is perfect for the changing weather. 🍁🍁😍😍

The best part about this butternut squash mac & cheese is that it's a one pot recipe. Many people make Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese by cooking the pasta separately and Butternut Squash separately. However making it in the Instant Pot gives you the ease of making all of it at once.

Also try my other instant pot pasta recipes 🥘

• Bruschetta Chicken Pasta - Slow Cooker / Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Chicken Parm Pasta
• Instant Pot Crack Chicken Pasta

If you were skeptical about adding butternut squash to this hearty and comforting classic mac & cheese then please do not be. This butternut squash mac & cheese is so full of flavors and equally comforting in hearty! Just the way we love our Mac & Cheese!

Also try

• Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
• Mac and Cheese Tacos
• Low Carb Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
• Broccoli Mac and Cheese
• Crispy Fried Jalapeño Mac and Cheese Balls
• Baked Mac and Cheese
• Easy Low Carb Keto Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Jump to:

• 🥘 Ingredients
• 👩‍🍳 Instructions on making Roasted Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• 🌱 Is this Vegan and Gluten Free?
• 🤔 Make Ahead Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• 💯 Top tips to make the Best Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• 😍😍 Other Fun Cooking Variations to this Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Roasted Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

🥘 Ingredients

• Butternut Squash
• Olive Oil
• Butter
• Salt & Pepper
• Ground Cinnamon
• Elbow Macaroni Pasta
• Chicken Broth
• Garlic Powder
• Minced Garlic
• Half and Half
• Hot Sauce
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Dijon Mustard
• Half and Half
• Aged Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Sage Leaves (for garnish)

See recipe card for quantities. Also, watch the video for a quick visual.

👩‍🍳 Instructions on making Roasted Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

STEP 1: ROAST THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH

• Put the instant pot in saute mode
• Heat olive oil and melt butter in the instant pot
• Add the Butternut Squash along with Salt, Pepper, Ground Cinnamon and Garlic Powder
• Roast for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and slightly brown
• Add Chicken Broth to it and bring to a quick boil
• Once it simmers for about 5 minutes, use an immersion blender to blend this into a puree

OR Just get it out of the instant pot and puree in a traditional blender.

Remember if you're using a conditional blender then do this in batches and also gold on the back shelf before you blend it. If you pour all of them make sure all at once and try to blend it it can burst.

STEP 2: COOK THE PASTA

• Add the Macaroni along with Chicken Broth, Half and Half, Salt and Pepper, Ground Cinnamon and Minced Garlic
• Also throw in a dash of hot sauce, some Worcestershire Sauce and Dijon Mustard
• Give all of this a good stir
• Cover with a lid and Pressure cook for 4 minutes.
• After it gets cooked, quick release the pressure.

STEP 3: ADD CHEESE AND SERVE

• Finally, just open the lid
• Fold in the Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Garnish with freshly chopped Sage leaves and serve this hot.

Remember that overcooking the pasta will make them turn mushy. So donot forget to quick release the pressure once the pasta gets cooked.

💡 Hint: You can pre cooked the Pasta in the instant pot and cook the butternut squash and puree it in a separate dutch oven and then after the pasta gets cooked, pour the Blended Butternut squash puree in it, stir in the Cheese, Garnish and Serve!

🌱 Is this Vegan and Gluten Free?

Yes, this is surely Gluten Free because I have used Whole Wheat Pasta for this recipe. However this is not Vegan because I have used Cheddar Cheese.

However, to make Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, use Vegan Butter in place of butter, Almond Milk in place of Half and Half, Vegetable Broth in place of Chicken Broth, and roast Cashew nuts along with Butternut Squash along with some Nutritional Yeast and then puree it.

Roasting Cashew Nuts along with Butternut squash and then pureeing it all together will make the sauce, thick, creamy and luscious.

You can stir in Vegan Cheese if you wish to. Try my Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo with Cashews & Cauliflower (Gluten-Free)

🤔 Make Ahead Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

To make Ahead of time, make the butternut squash sauce and cool it down and transfer to a baking dish. Meanwhile also cook the pasta separately cool it down and transfer to a baking dish. Wrap it up tightly using a plastic foil and freeze until further use it. You can freeze the butternut squash mac & cheese for up to one week. Reheat in the oven and then serve it.

This butternut squash mac & cheese makes for a great make ahead mac & cheese especially for a crowd. I love to make this as a perfect make ahead side for Thanksgiving. It's bursting with fall flavors and also it's hearty and comforting which we all love especially during the holidays.

💯 Top tips to make the Best Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Mac & Cheese is one search classic which never gets old. However follow the steps to make this Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese better.

• Along with cheddar cheese use white cheddar cheese. I love to use a whole lot of white cheddar cheese for my mac & cheese. It makes my mac & cheese extra cheesy and delicious which the kids cannot get enough of!
• Garnish with fresh grated Parmesan cheese for extra burst of flavors.
• While you are roasting the butternut squash throws of the few sprigs of Sage Leaves along with it and then purée it all together. This will just change the flavors of your Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese all together making it all the more tasty and delicious which I'm sure you will love.
• Replace half an hour with heavy cream and you'll just be left in wonderment as to how creamy this butternut squash mac & cheese gets!

😍😍 Other Fun Cooking Variations to this Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

GO WILD ON CHEESE 🧀

There can never be enough cheese when it comes to mac & cheese. Go wild with your experimentation of using cheese for this recipe and use freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, white cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese as well as freshly grated Parmesan for the amazing deapth of cheesy flavor which kids will love!

CAJUN MAC AND CHEESE

Just use some Cajun Seasoning to give this comforting fall Mac and Cheese a spicy kick. Not only does this make it so delicious, but also makes it a crowd favorite.

TACO MAC AND CHEESE 🌮

Ditch Taco Tuesday and make Taco Mac and Cheese with Butternut Squash. Not only is this healthy but so delicious. Just use a tablespoon of Taco Seasoning and shredded Pepper Jack Cheese. Also try my Mac and Cheese Tacos

Other comforting Pasta recipes 😍😍

• The Simplest Recipe for Cajun Chicken Pasta
• Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta
• Tomato Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
• Bruschetta Chicken Pasta - Slow Cooker / Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Chicken Parm Pasta
• Instant Pot Crack Chicken Pasta