Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Creamy, cozy, and deliciously nutritious, this vegan butternut squash mac and “cheese” makes our gratitude list! Our ORGANIC INDIA Turmeric Formula adds even more brightness and an earthy complement to sweet, rich roasted butternut squash in a delectable plant-based sauce. We love this comfort dish straight from the skillet, or baked in the oven topped with breadcrumbs. The best part? That classic gooey texture we love about oodles of cheesy noodles comes with powerful health benefits.

Containing the bioactive compound curcumin, Turmeric is a staple in Ayurvedic medicine, revered for thousands of years for its powerful antioxidants and ability to support a healthy inflammatory response. Today an ever-growing body of evidence supports the use of Turmeric to support the joints, heart, liver, mood and blood sugar metabolism. Cultivated and harvested according to ancient Ayurvedic wisdom, our ORGANIC INDIA herbs are all certified organic, and grown using bio-regenerative farming methods. That’s a whole host of goodness to sink your teeth into!

Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Turmeric and Paprika

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 3 cloves garlic in skin
• 10-12 ounces macaroni or other pasta of choice
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup plant milk of choice
• 1/2 cup raw cashews 
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric 
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• ⅓ Cup nutritional yeast
• Sea salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Optional for baking:

• ½ cup panko or breadcrumbs
• 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Pierce butternut with a fork and place on a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. ​Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the skin. Loosely wrap the garlic cloves in foil. In the last 20 minutes of roasting, add them to the baking sheet to slightly brown and soften. Remove the pan from the oven and let the squash cool. Also peel garlic cloves and set aside.
2. While the squash is roasting, cook the pasta according to package directions and set aside.
3. When the butternut squash is roasted, remove the seeds and skin, and scrape the “meat” into a blender with the water, cashews, garlic powder, turmeric, paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper. Puree until totally smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add water, broth, or plant milk until the desired consistency is achieved.
4. For stovetop: Pour the sauce into a pot with the pasta and stir to coat thoroughly. Warm before serving, garnished with fresh herbs.
5. For oven-baked: Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine the cooked pasta and sauce in a baking dish (such as a 9-inch casserole dish or similar). Toss the breadcrumbs with oil to moisten and sprinkle on top. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, covered with foil to start. Remove the foil for the last 10-15 minutes. 

Want a sweet treat to follow up this savory delight? Try our Maple Chai Spiced Blondies.