There are a zillion ways to make mac and cheese, but this spin on the comfort food classic offers an alternative to the traditional dish’s heaviness. And as a bonus, this mac and cheese makes eating your vegetables a delight—just leave it to mac and cheese to change your mind about how delicious butternut squash recipes can be!

Our butternut squash mac and cheese recipe combines sweet squash, pasta, a creamy yogurt sauce and two cheeses. Cooking the squash first makes it soft and supple enough to blend into the creamy sauce. It adds flavor, vibrant color and loads of nutrients, like potassium and vitamins A and C.

Like most mac and cheese recipes, this one can be served as a side dish or as the main event. Even your pickiest veg-averse eaters will be asking for seconds.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Ingredients

• Whole wheat elbow macaroni: Made from whole grains, this pasta has more nutrients (including protein, fiber, magnesium and iron) than regular pasta. It also has less impact on your blood sugar. Of course, you can also use regular macaroni or any other short pasta shapes.
• Butternut squash: Typically harvested in the fall, butternut squash is often considered an autumn-only vegetable. But you can find whole or cubed squash at most grocery stores year-round. Here’s how to pick the best butternut squash; if buying pre-cubed squash, you’ll need about 4 cups for this recipe.
• Plain Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt adds creaminess and a slight tang to the sauce. Thanks to the extra protein and probiotics, it’s a more nutritious option than cream or sour cream. Low-fat sour cream also works.
• Fat-free milk: Skim milk brings all the ingredients together without adding fat. You can also use whole or 2% milk for a richer mac and cheese.
• Spices: A little seasoning makes all the difference! Salt, pepper and nutmeg balance the dish’s flavors, adding heat and nuttiness that showcases the other ingredients.
• Sharp cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar is essential to a great mac and cheese, adding some tangy contrast to the sweet squash.
• Parmesan cheese: Super savory, this cheese enhances the overall flavor of the dish. The biggest difference between Parmigiano Reggiano and Parmesan is that Parmigiano Reggiano is the real deal. It comes directly from Italy and is overseen by strict cheesemaking rules. It’s more complex and often more expensive, but it’s worth it. Go with the Parmigiano Reggiano if you can. It has more nuttiness and melts like a dream.
• Whole wheat bread crumbs: Bread crumbs create the crunchy mac and cheese topping that dreams are made of. If you have the chance, choose whole wheat again and get all those extra nutrients (you can even make homemade bread crumbs), but more traditional bread crumbs or panko will always do the trick.

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