This Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese is an easy way to add more nutrition to a meal loved by most kids. It’s creamy, tasty and an easy meal for weeknight dinners.
If you have the roasted / steamed squash in advance (or using canned) this recipe is ready in less than 10 minutes. No need to use a blender, who doesn’t love an easy clean up?
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Table of Contents
Butternut Mac & Cheese Ingredients
- Butternut Squash: Roasted or steamed. See this post on how to make pumpkin puree.
- Cream cheese: Some recipes use butter and flour to make a creamy sauce, I prefer to use cream cheese and skip that step!
- Cheddar cheese: I like using sharp cheddar, but a mild tasting will also work. If you would like it cheesier you can also add some parmesan cheese to the mix up.
- Olive oil: For added healthy fats.
- Short-cut pasta of your choice: I like using Elbows no. 81 but any compact pasta shape will work.
Tip: Preferably grate your own cheese for more creaminess!
When Can Babies Have Cheese?
The American Academy of Pediatrics & WebMD recommend that baby’s first foods are soft and single ingredient purees. When your baby is ready to explore more textured foods around 9 months of age you can slowly add full fat and pasteurized cheese to the menu. Cheese should be grated or part of a recipe. Some good options are cottage cheese, ricotta, cream cheese, mozzarella, and cheddar. These are lower sodium cheeses.
Check out my baby’s first 100 foods checklist!
Step by Step Instructions
- Roast/Steam about 1 cup squash – or use canned (we will use ½ cup mashed in this recipe for 2 servings).
- Bring some water to a boil and cook your favorite short-cut pasta.
- Add the mashed squash, cream cheese, and olive oil to a saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir until smooth.
- Add the cheddar cheese and mix until melted.
- Mix the sauce with the drained cooked pasta.
Storage Instructions
- Fridge: You can store the mac & cheese in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a splash of milk or more cheese.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months, I like using baby food jars as it is the ideal portion for a meal. Defrost overnight in the fridge or microwave. When microwaving from frozen, If using glass jars I like to place them into a bowl with water.
Serving Suggestions and Substitutions
- Butternut squash puree: You can replace it with carrot puree for similar results both in color and consistency (make sure the carrots are soft).
- Cream cheese: If you don’t want cream cheese you can make bechamel sauce instead. This will result in the same creaminess. Simply add the olive oil to a pan with 1 tbsp all purpose flour and a splash of your milk of choice. When creamy, add the squash puree and continue with the recipe steps.
- Cheddar cheese: I don’t recommend any replacements as this is what will give this dish the classic mac & cheese flavor. You can add more cheese if you desire, there is no limit there!
Here are some ways I serve this meal to my toddler:
- Squash mac & cheese, hardboiled eggs
- Squash mac & cheese, air fryer broccoli
- Squash mac & cheese, grilled chicken
Frequently Asked Questions
It has a slightly sweet taste that’s reminiscent of pumpkin, but you can adjust it by adding more cheddar cheese if you wish.
I like using cheddar and parmesan for my mac and cheese recipes.
I would love to hear your feedback on this recipe, please rate and leave your comment below!
🥣Recipe
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
Equipment
- 1 Sauce pan
Ingredients
- 100 g elbow macaroni or any other short cut pasta
- 1/2 cup butternut squash mashed
- 2 tbsp cream cheese full fat
- 1/2 cup cheddar grated
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt Omit for babies <12m old
Instructions
- Roast / Steam about 1 cup squash (we will use ½ cup mashed in this recipe for 2 servings).
- Bring some water to a boil and cook your favorite short-cut pasta.
- Add the mashed squash, cream cheese, and olive oil to a saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir until smooth.
- Add the cheddar cheese and mix until melted.
- Mix the sauce with the drained cooked pasta.
Nutrition
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