Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Casserole

My husband and I love to keep things simple for dinner and, for the most part, eat a relatively low-carb diet. However, one of the things that we miss most of all is those pasta-laden comfort foods.

Those foods just taste so good when the weather is cold and rainy outside, don't they? That's when this Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Casserole comes to the rescue.

It seemed kind of a long shot but I took the pasta out of the classic mac and cheese and subbed it with butternut squash spirals. What??!! Yep, I really did and it came out sweet, cheesy, and satisfying.

It may be a little sweeter than your normal mac and cheese but the natural flavor of the butternut squash paired excellently with the cheeses and just a touch of nutmeg made it perfect.

Butternut Squash Benefits

• It's a good source of fiber and antioxidants
• It's high in potassium, in fact, there's more potassium in squash than there is in a banan
• It also contains iron, Vitamin C, calcium and magnesium among other vitamins and minerals
• 1 cup provides your daily dose of Vitamin A
• Findings have found squash is beneficial for digestion, lowering blood pressure, increasing energy levels and contributes to healthy skin and hair.

Make it a Keto Butternut Squash Casserole

This dish is not only low-carb but, with a few substitutions, this Butternut Squash Bake can be an excellent keto dinner dish.

• Sub almond flour for the all-purpose flour
• Omit the panko crumbs in exchange for either ground pork rinds or keto bread crumbs
• Make it creamier by adding half and half in place of the milk

Butternut Squash Spirals or Noodles

It's just amazing what you can do with butternut squash! You can roast it, steam it or pressure cook it, treat it as a side dish or add it to soups and salads or, as I did in this recipe, make noodles out of it. What?? Noodles, you say? Absolutely!

How to Make Butternut Squash Noodles

• Using a spiralizer is the best way to make noodles out of butternut squash. Just follow these simple steps:
• Choose a squash that has the longest, straightest neck possible and the smallest bulbous bottom.
• Cut the roundish bottom off the squash. This is the part that contains all the seeds. Retain this for cubing and roasting for sides or salads or boil for soups.
• Cut off the stem top.
• Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Be sure to cut away all the skin as well as the white layer underneath.
• Now you should have one long piece of squash about 6" long. Cut it in half so you have two pieces about 3" long each.
• Place into spiralizer, with the thickest noodle setting, making sure to anchor well into teeth, and turn on spiralizer or tun handle. Repeat with other half.
• Loosely run your fingers through noodles to separate.

If you don't have a spiralizer, which I highly recommend, (I use an attachment for my KitchenAid) you can use a mandolin, vegetable peeler or a box grater. Take note, the butternut squash is one of the hardest squashes and will take some muscle when using these other methods.

How to Cook Butternut Squash Noodles

There are several ways to cook butternut squash.

• Boil - You can boil them on the stovetop by dropping them into salted boiling water for 2-4 minutes. Watch carefully as they can get very soft, very quickly and who want mush for noodles! Combine them with marinara or alfredo for a great pasta alternative.
• Saute - This is a great way to make them into a tasty side dish. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil then add squash noodles and cook for 7-10 minutes. Toss frequently while sauteing. When serving, you can toss with a little parmesan, herbs or roasted red peppers.
• Oven Roasted - is my favorite and the one I chose for this Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Casserole. When serving them as is and not adding to a casserole, cook them for about 10 minutes. My Air Fryer Salmon and this squash make the perfect pairing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to make Healthy Butternut Squash Gratin

1. Purchase the spiral butternut squash or make your own with a spiralizer or mandolin and place on a large cookie sheet. Spray with nonstick spray and bake. This is an important step as it will help dry the squash out so it doesn't water down the mac and cheese.

2. Melt butter in skillet and saute onions for 5 minutes.
3. Whisk in flour. (Use almond flour for keto diets and gluten-free flour for gf diets)
4. Gradually add milk, whisking until it's smooth and starts to thicken.
5. Add a dash of nutmeg.

6. Add cheeses.
7. Stir well until melted and smooth.
8. Toss in spiral cut butternut squash noodles.
9. Pour into baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray.

10. For the crumb topping, mix melted butter with grated parmesan cheese and panko crumbs. (Use ground pork rinds or specialty keto crumbs for keto diets and a gluten-free bread crumb mixture for gluten-free diets)
11. Sprinkle top of casserole with crumb mixture.

12. Ready to bake.

Once this casserole is done baking it's ready to be served. If you prefer a browner top, you can place it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.

Just look at that bite of cheesy deliciousness! I'm drooling just looking at this incredible winter squash casserole!

I served my butternut squash bake last night with another ultimate comfort food, slow cooker Italian meatloaf, but I've also had it with Salmon with Red Pepper Sauce and Air Fryer Boneless Pork Chops.

So if you are looking for the best butternut squash recipe to make for a side dish, you found it for sure! It's a total game-changer. Enjoy!

More Squash Recipes

Squash Casserole with Pimentos - Yellow squash is combined with cheddar cheese, bacon bits, pimento peppers, and Cheez-It crackers for a rich, delectable side dish that can accompany any meal. One of our favorites for Thanksgiving dinner.

Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup - is a combination of butternut squash, pumpkin, and apple cider, spiced up with cinnamon & nutmeg. Perfect for the fall & winter days to come.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Cranberry and Spinach Salad from Taste and See - is a fantastic fall side dish filled with roasted squash, dried cranberries, spinach, parmesan cheese, roasted pepitas, and drizzled with a warm cran-cabernet dressing.

Butternut Squash Pilaf - is made with quinoa instead of rice and flavored with garlic and parmesan cheese.

Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup - made in an Instant Pot with apples and coconut milk is creamy and perfectly spiced with ginger and cinnamon.

Find even more healthy squash recipes here on 2CM!