This cheesy, creamy, Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese recipe is kid-friendly dinner idea. A one-pot meal that’s packed with flavor.
This Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with pork sausage is one of my families favorite meals. When I tested this recipe I made it at least 4 times in 2 weeks.
No one complained once about eating this kids mac and cheese once. That’s saying something…
This butternut squash pasta is easy to make and is really delicious. Feel free to use canned squash or fresh squash, both work great. This recipe would be really good swapping the butternut squash out for canned pumpkin or go ahead and skip it all together for a delicious mac and cheese.
If you like this recipe, you should check out my Butternut Squash Soup and Caramelized Butternut Squash recipes.
Check out the video for step by step instructions or keep reading to find out exactly how to make this delicious butternut squash pasta.
How To Make Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Preheat broiler.
- Brown pork sausage in a large oven safe sauté pan, drain and return meat to pan.
- Stir flour, cumin, chili powder, and salt into cooked pork sausage.
- Over medium-high heat, slowly add milk, stirring well.
- Add 4 ounces of cheese, stirring until melted.
- Turn heat off. Whisk in eggs.
- Turn heat to medium-low and cook until thickened, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes.
- Add drained tomatoes, sour cream, and squash.
- Add cooked pasta, mix well. Top with the rest of the cheese.
- Broil for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
Start by browning the meat, draining, then adding the spices to the oven safe pan.
After the spices are added, slowly stir in milk, stirring as the sauce thickens.
Add half of the shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
Kitchen Tip: Sharp cheddar is used because of its strong flavor. Because of its strong flavor, you can use less cheese saving calories and fat.
Turn heat off. Add whisked eggs to the meat mixture, stirring constantly until well blended.
Stir in the sour cream, tomatoes, and butternut squash until well blended.
Related: How to Cook Butternut Squash in the Slow Cooker
Add cooked pasta and stir into the meat mixture. Top with the rest of the shredded cheese, then broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Simple & Delicious Crockpot Meals
Make dinner a breeze with these 10 Family Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes!
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This creamy casserole will become a family favorite dinner. A one pot meal that is packed with flavor. Butternut squash blends seamlessly into this cheesy Mac & Cheese recipe for a delicious spin on the classic dish.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry elbow pasta (8 oz), cooked per box instructions
- 1 lb. seasoned pork sausage, or ground beef
- 1 tbsp. flour
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 cup 1% milk
- 8 oz. shredded sharp cheese, divided
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup butternut squash, cooked
- 1/3 cup light sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat broiler.
- Brown pork sausage in a large oven safe sauté pan, drain and return meat to pan.
- Stir flour, cumin, chili powder, and salt into cooked pork sausage.
- Over medium-high heat, slowly add milk, stirring well.
- Add 4 ounces of cheese, stirring until melted.
- Turn heat off. Whisk in eggs.
- Turn heat to medium-low and cook until thickened, stirring constantly about 2 minutes.
- Add drained tomatoes, sour cream, and squash.
- Add cooked pasta, mix well. Top with the rest of the cheese.
- Broil for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
Notes
Optional Garnish: Cilantro, chives, sour cream, or fresh tomatoes.
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese recipe was adapted from a recipe I found in Food Network Magazine for Mac And Queso With Sausage.
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juliailcadmin says
May 22, 2017 at 12:37 pmThanks for the tips! My baby is still under a year old but I’m already thinking ahead and hoping to instill a love of vegetables in her!
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:27 amGood job on thinking ahead and getting started at a young age with your daughter, Julie!
Amanda | My Gluten-Free Miami says
May 22, 2017 at 6:49 pmLet’s face it…mac and cheese is not usually the healthiest dish. You have really boosted the nutritional value as well as the flavor in this recipe. Kudos!! As far a veggies vs fruit…I tend to eat more veggies, but my daughter loves fruit. Fortunately she likes veggie, too.
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:29 amThanks Amanda! That is great that your daughter is a good veggie eater! My kids like the basics, corn on the cob, carrots, and roasted veggies, but there is a lot between there I am still working on 🙂
Pam Wattenbarger says
May 22, 2017 at 7:26 pmI really like butternut squash. Adding veggies to popular foods like macaroni and cheese is actually a great idea.
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:30 amThanks Pam! The Mac and cheese works great with this squash – it is really good!
Valerie Gray (@valmg) says
May 22, 2017 at 11:17 pmThis dish sounds like it has a very interesting flavor. We have put veggies in mac and cheese but it’s the usual ones like broccoli, carrots, etc.
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:31 amThe main flavor of this dish comes from the seasoned pork. Then the creaminess of the cheese. It all blends deliciously together 🙂
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:32 amThe main flavor of this dish comes from the seasoned pork. Then the creaminess of the cheese:). It all blends deliciously together:)
Adriana Martin says
May 23, 2017 at 12:00 amMac N Cheese is always a great idea and even better if added veggies are included. I am a personal fan of butternut squash and prepare a similar dish during the fall =)
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:32 amI agree, Adriana!
Priya Srinivasan says
May 23, 2017 at 5:10 amWow, adding veggies(read masked) to kids favorite dish, makes meal time very easy! I love how you have added squash to favorite mac and cheese!!! I sometimes i do that with spinach and beets. Though the color will be prominent but then i add adjectives like hulk , spiderman to the dish name!;)
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:33 amI like your play on the names, Priya! And yes, it does make meal times easier 🙂
VeenaAzmanov says
May 23, 2017 at 7:52 amI love butternut squash very much. My kids usually prefer them roasted and in soups. I must try this soon. I think they will like this.
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:34 amI have yet to get my kiddos eating roasted butternut squash or the soup, but I continue to try! Those are some of my favorites 🙂
Christine - Jar Of Lemons says
May 23, 2017 at 8:26 amLOVE butternut squash mac and cheese! Well, mac and cheese in any form, basically 😉 This looks delicious! Saving the recipe for later!
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:34 amRight?! I hope you give it a try Christine! 🙂
Molly Kumar says
May 23, 2017 at 9:41 amOne Pot recipes are definitely such a big time saver and I love butternut squash. I do make something very similar but need to try the one with elbow pasta.
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:34 amI agree, Molly. The less pots and pans the better!
homemadezagat says
May 23, 2017 at 10:21 amI definitely need to eat more veggies. This mac and cheese looks really really good. I would try this for sure.
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:35 amThis is a really easy way to get in more of those veggies in a delicious way!
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
May 23, 2017 at 10:25 amWhat a great idea!! Kids do have a tendency to turn up their noses when it comes to veggies. Just add them to some dish they can’t resist and by golly they gobble it down. Great inspiration.
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:35 amThat is my trick and I’m sticking to it 😉 Thanks Marisa!
ManilaSpoon says
May 23, 2017 at 5:01 pmLooks like proper comfort food indeed! My whole family loves mac n cheese but haven’t tried making it with butternut squash and now we know we should!
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:36 amI hope you give it a try!
Heather says
May 23, 2017 at 7:28 pmI love this recipe!! Perfect comfort food, lightened up.. the pork has to add such a great flavor to this and using the butternut squash is brilliant!!
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:36 amThank you, Heather! And the pork does add a wonderful flavor to the dish.
Amy says
May 23, 2017 at 11:00 pmWe are reversed here too – we eat lots of fruit but have a harder time with vegetables. But we def love mac and cheese! Will have to give this a try!
Create Kids Club says
May 25, 2017 at 9:38 amLet me know how you like it if you do try it out Amy! I hope your family enjoys 🙂
Kelli Shallal says
May 24, 2017 at 12:19 amKelli@hungryhobby
Love, love, love the hack with the crock pot, that’s a new one for me! This is a great way to get those veggies in and the children are none the wiser 🙂
Mary says
January 28, 2018 at 6:17 pmThis was such a hit! Thanks for the great recipe!
★★★★★