Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Source

Heat oven to 200°C. In a baking dish, add squash, garlic, onion, and thyme. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Roast 40-60 min until squash is soft.
Meanwhile, boil macaroni until al dente. Reserve 240ml pasta water. Drain.
Let roasted veggies cool enough to handle. Squeeze garlic from skins. Put squash (skin on), garlic cloves, onion, thyme sprigs, cashews, plant milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, paprika, and pasta water into a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth, adding more water if needed.
Transfer cooked macaroni to a casserole dish. Pour sauce over top (you may have extra — freeze it or scale up the pasta). Mix until fully coated. Top with breadcrumbs.
Bake 10 min until top is slightly golden.

Extra sauce — the blender batch makes more than needed for 450g pasta. Freeze leftover sauce or double the macaroni.
Nut-free? Swap cashews for soaked sunflower seeds or firm tofu.
No butternut squash? Use carrots (3-4 cups chopped) — slightly sweeter but works.
Gluten-free — brown rice pasta, chickpea noodles, or gluten-free macaroni all work. Same for breadcrumbs.
Keeps 4 days fridge — tastes great reheated.
As a side or main — 4-6 servings depending on how you serve it. As a main for 2, you’d have leftovers for lunch.