This is the year we stop buying Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese and start making it ourselves. Because life is TOO short to be at the whims of frozen food. I know people love it, and I know it’s good, but sometimes you don’t get the sauce level you deserve in a box and that pains me.
But truly, this Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese recipe is the one that is by far the closest to the Trader Joe’s version, and it’s easy! This pasta dish is creamy, delicious, low maintenance and comes together in minutes. So don’t sleep on this Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese recipe, it might be a new fall staple.
Table of contents
- Wait, I don’t have to use butternut squash for this mac n’ cheese?
- The cheeses I selected for this Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese
- All the ingredients you will need to make this Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese even better than Trader Joe’s
- How to prepare your squash of choice
- The step-by-step instructions for this Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese recipe
- FAQ
- Looking for similar recipes?
Wait, I don’t have to use butternut squash for this mac n’ cheese?
This recipe is designed for butternut squash of course, BUT that doesn’t mean you are tied to using it. When I remade this recipe this year, I used acorn squash, and it turned out amazing.
There are so many squash varieties (honeynut! acorn! spaghetti!) and they all have similar subtle, nutty flavors, so you can definitely use what you have on hand.
*Tip: I’ve found small acorn squashes or honey nut squashes are the perfect size for this recipe. So I recommend opting for those varietals if you don’t want any leftover squash.
The cheeses I selected for this Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese
The Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese uses gouda, cheddar and parmesan. The gouda rounds out the parmesan’s sharpness, and the cheddar adds a melty creaminess. All three work well together with the sweetness of the squash. When I first developed this recipe, there were many cheeses included, which just proves the beauty of this recipe. If your cheese melts, feel free to use it.
All the ingredients you will need to make this Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese even better than Trader Joe’s
Here’s everything you’ll need to bring this recipe together:
- 2 cups raw butternut squash or squash of choice, 12 ounces of cooked squash
- 3/4 cup milk of choice
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon sage
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup shredded gouda, about 6 ounces
- ½ cup shredded parmesan, about 3 ounces
- 1/2 cup shredded white cheddar, about 3 ounces
- 16 ounces rigatoni pasta
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes for topping optional
- Chili oil for topping optional
How to prepare your squash of choice
I recommend roasting your squash face-down on a baking sheet before preparing it for this recipe. This will create some light browning that will add flavor to the recipe!
A good rule of thumb for quickly roasting squash is to roast at 425°F for about 20-25 minutes. This varies based on the size of your squash, so check it as it roasts.
The step-by-step instructions for this Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese recipe
Depending on your tools, the recipe steps may vary. But here’s a step-by-step on how to bring this Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese together:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Roast your squash until soft, about 25 minutes at 400°F.
- Grate all of your cheeses and set aside.
- When the squash is out of the oven, let it cool slightly and scoop the soft inside out, separating it from the skin. Then, add to a blender. Add the milk, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, sage, paprika, nutmeg and cayenne. Blend until smooth.
- Put a large pot or dutch oven on medium heat. Add in the olive oil and bay leaf. Stir in the butternut purée and begin to cook down.
- Keep this sauce on low heat while you cook your pasta in a separate pot, stir occasionally.
- Cook the pasta in boiling water until al dente, about 6-8 minutes, drain and reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water.
- Pour the pasta into the sauce. Alternate between adding the cheeses and a splash of pasta water. Stir until the sauce fully coats the pasta and the cheese is melted.
- Top with red pepper flakes and a drizzle of chili oil if you’d like some heat, and serve warm.
FAQ
Just like the Trader Joe’s version, this is perfect for freezing. It will last in the freezer for about 6 months, and I recommend reheating slowly in the microwave on a medium setting. Thaw for about 3 minutes and then use a high setting for 1 minute.
This recipe will keep in your fridge for about 5-7 days!
If you choose to omit the squash, you will need to add in something else to help give the macaroni creaminess and moisture! If you choose to do without the squash, I recommend adding sweet potato instead.
The beauty of cheese is its versatility. If you prefer other cheeses, feel free to substitute them into this recipe!
Looking for similar recipes?
Butternut Squash Risotto
Creamy Spiced Vegan Pasta
Tomato & Peach Pasta
And that’s it for this Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese recipe!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Equipment
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw butternut squash, or squash of choice, 12 ounces of cooked squash
- 3/4 cup milk of choice
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon sage
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup shredded gouda, about 6 ounces
- ½ cup shredded parmesan , about 3 ounces
- 1/2 cup shredded white cheddar, about 3 ounces
- 16 ounces rigatoni pasta
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes for topping, optional
- Chili oil for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Roast your butternut squash until soft, about 25 minutes at 400°F.
- Grate all of your cheeses and set aside.
- When the squash is out of the oven, let it cool slightly and scoop out the soft inside, removing it from the skin. Then add to a blender. Add the milk, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, sage, paprika, nutmeg and cayenne. Blend until smooth.
- Put a large pot or dutch oven on medium heat. Add in the olive oil and bay leaf. Stir in the butternut purée and begin to cook down.
- Keep this sauce on low heat while you cook your pasta in a separate pot, stir occasionally.
- Cook the pasta in boiling water until al dente, about 6-8 minutes, drain and reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water.
- Pour the pasta into the sauce. Alternate between adding the cheeses and a splash of pasta water. Stir until the sauce fully coats the pasta and the cheese is melted.
- Top with red pepper flakes and a drizzle of chili oil if you'd like some heat, and serve warm.
Comments
I made this recipe for the 2nd time last night. My fiancée LOVES the Trader Joe’s butternut squash mac and cheese. Because it only comes around once a year I sought out a recipe to replicate it and stumbled upon this one. I have to say this recipe absolutely nails it. It tastes identical to the TJ’s offering but better quality. We used an aged Irish cheddar and a 1 year aged gouda. I forgot to add pasta water this time but it wasn’t needed as the sauce was still smooth and creamy. My only advice is to budget significantly more time to roast the squash. I cut a medium/large butternut squash in half. At 400* it was fork tender after about 70 minutes and probably could have used a little more time. Our oven does not vary on cook times for other recipes so that doesn’t seem to be a factor. I encountered this the first time I made this recipe but forgot to make a note. Obviously with a smaller or thinner squash the cook time will be shorter but since this is a ‘butternut squash’ dish I wanted to comment on using the namesake gourd. Thank you for sharing this great recipe!
I’m glad you like the recipe and thank you for this note! Squash vary greatly in size, so it’s good to keep in mind!
Leave a Comment
Made this recipe? Tell me all your thoughts or if you’ve got any questions!