Plant-Based Butternut Squash Mac And Cheese

Prepared and photographed by NutraMilk nutritionist, Florencia Tagliavini.

Recipe inspired by Pepper Bowl.

Give your mac and cheese a more nourishing fall-flavored twist!!

We’ve added butternut squash for a creamier, flavorful and healthier version of traditional mac and cheese. Made with all plant-based ingredients including fresh cashew butter made in the NutraMilk, this is delicious!

INGREDIENTS

For the sauce

• 3 tbsp. cashew butter made with the NutraMilk
• ¼ cup warm water for soaking cashew nuts
• 2 cup butternut squash cubes
• 2 cups water for cooking butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup yellow onion chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the mac and cheese

• 1 cup multi-grain macaroni
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. garlic minced
• ⅓ cup coconut milk
• 11/2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp. salt or as required
• 1 tsp. whole black pepper crushed
• 1 tbsp. basil leaves fresh or dried

For cashew butter

• 2 cups (300g) cashews
• 1/8 teaspoon Pink Himalayan salt (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Making cashew butter

• Place cashews and salt in the NutraMilk container.
• Press Butter cycle, set for 5-6 minutes.
• Press Start.
• Open the container lid.
• If necessary, set for an additional 1-2 minutes for a creamier butter.

For the sauce

• Remove the skin of the butternut squash and cut them into small cubes.
• In a pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Then add chopped yellow onion.
• In low heat, saute until it turns golden brown.
• Now add butternut squash cubes, salt and two cups of water.
• Cook until it turns soft and tender.
• Drain and set aside to cool down to the room temperature.
• In a blender add this mixture and cashew butter.
• Puree until it becomes silky in texture. And set aside.

For the mac and cheese

• Cook multi-grain or gluten-free elbow pasta as per the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• In the same pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil, minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in the puree. And cook it until it thickens.
• Then coconut milk, cooked pasta, nutritional yeast, and salt.

• Cook it until it reaches desired consistency. Adjust the thickness with coconut milk if needed.
• Sprinkle crushed pepper and fresh basil. And serve hot.