Warm, golden, and bubbling straight from the oven, this butternut squash mac and cheese delivers pure comfort with a silky twist. The secret is canned butternut squash purée, which blends effortlessly into the cheese sauce for a velvety, slightly sweet richness without any roasting or peeling. Easy, cozy, and special enough for any table.

Butternut squash mac n cheese with a serving spoon

Why Canned Butternut Squash Makes All the Difference

So many butternut squash style pastas call for roasting cubed squash, which honestly is great and delicious, but sometimes I am in no mood to peel, slice, dice and roast a entire squash just to use it in pasta. It’s an entire extra recipe/project! Busy home cooks like you me, simply don’t have time for that.

Using canned purée keeps the recipe weeknight friendly while still being special enough for company. It blends seamlessly with the melted cheeses, turning everything into a golden, spoon-coating sauce without any of the fuss. Have I convinced you yet?

bowl of butternut squash mac n cheese with a fork

A Cheese Blend That Melts Like a Dream

Is there anything grosser than a cheese sauce that separates? Ew. You must use super easy melty cheeses with bold flavor and a creamy finish. Here we use a trio of cheeses: extra-sharp cheddar, Gruyère and Fontina. Paired these with the squash and the sauce becomes silky and balanced with just a hint of nutmeg to warm things up. It’s mac n’ cheese at it’s finest.

up close shot of a serving spoon in a dish of macaroni and cheese

The Crunchy, Cozy Finish

A golden Parmesan-herb breadcrumb topping adds the perfect crispy contrast to all that creaminess. The thyme and Parmesan add savoriness that ties everything together without overshadowing the cheese. It’s literally perfect. It’s the topping I never knew a Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese needed.

What You Need (Only the Essentials)

bowls if ingredients on a grey background

For the mac & cheese

  • Short pasta – any kind, but I love using shells
  • Unsalted butter – important to control the amount of salt
  • Flour – all purpose
  • Whole milk – works best but you can use what you like or have
  • Butternut squash purée – just 1 can
  • Cheese – Extra-sharp cheddar, Gruyère, Fontina

For the topping

  • Panko breadcrumbs – essential for that crunch
  • Parmesan – perfect salt contrast
  • Thyme – adds some earthiness
  • Butter – helps it get brown and crispy

How Butternut Mac and Cheese All Comes Together

pot of shell noodles in water
Boil the pasta.
pot of melted butter, flour and milk
Make the roux.
whisk in a pot with melted butter and flour mixture
Whisk together.
shredded cheese in a pot with roux
Add the cheese and melt.
cooked pasta shells in a pot with cheese sauce
Add the cooked noodles.
bowl of breadcrumbs
Make the topping.
mac n cheese in a baking dish with breadcrumb topping, uncooked
Assemble mac n cheese.
baked butternut squash mac n cheese
Bake until golden and bubbly!

A simple roux comes together with warm milk, melted cheeses, and smooth butternut squash purée to make a creamy, golden sauce. The pasta gets tossed right in, a layer of buttery breadcrumbs goes on top, and it all bakes until bubbly and perfectly crisp. Easy enough for a weeknight, but definitely worthy of a holiday table.

bowl of mac n cheese with panko topping
Print
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up close shot of a serving spoon in a dish of macaroni and cheese

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese (using canned squash purée)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Laney Schwartz
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

Warm, golden, and bubbling straight from the oven, this butternut squash mac and cheese delivers pure comfort with a silky twist. The secret is canned butternut squash purée, which blends effortlessly into the cheese sauce for a velvety, slightly sweet richness without any roasting or peeling. Easy, cozy, and special enough for any table.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound short pasta (macaroni, shells, or penne)
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3½ cups whole milk
  • 1 (15-ounce) can butternut squash purée
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
  • 2 cups shredded Fontina cheese

For the Parmesan-herb breadcrumb topping

  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • Pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until almost al dente (1–2 minutes less than package directions). Drain and set aside.
  2. In a small saucepan, heat the milk over low heat until just warm. Don’t boil.
  3. In a large pot (can use the same pasta pot), melt 6 tablespoons butter over low heat. Whisk in flour and cook for about 2–3 minutes until smooth and slightly golden.
  4. Slowly whisk in the warm milk, about ½ cup at a time, until smooth and thickened. Stir in the butternut squash purée until fully incorporated and creamy.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar, Gruyère, and Fontina until melted. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  6. Stir cooked pasta into the cheese-squash sauce until evenly coated. Pour into a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
  7. In a bowl add the panko, Parmesan, thyme, salt, and pepper and melted butter. Mix until well combined. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the mac and cheese. Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown. Let sit for 5–10 minutes before serving. 

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