The very first time I tried butternut squash as an adult, it was gifted to me from a friends garden. I had no idea what to do with, and I ended up making it into a cheese sauce. Over the years, I have perfected my butternut squash cheddar cheese sauce, and it is my favorite butternut recipe!
There are two key flavor elements that make this sauce delicious. I use a salty veggie broth to boil the squash in. If you use the right ratio of squash to broth, there is no need to drain (which helps to save a lot of nutrients!). If your broth is low sodium, simply add salt to taste.
The second key flavor element is the Parmesan cheese! It adds depth of flavor that you don’t get with cheddar alone.
This cheese sauce can be used in a variety of ways. My favorite is over broccoli! It works over pasta, loaded baked potatoes, french fries, or nachos as well!
Variations to the Butternut Squash Cheddar Cheese Sauce recipe:
- Change the type of cheese you use to support the dish you want to make. Here are some suggestions:
- Use pepper jack cheese in place of cheddar for a nacho sauce!
- Try smoked cheddar for a smokey mac and cheese sauce!
- Try another mix in to boost flavors and make this sauce unique. Some options:
- Miso paste for a salty, savory character
- Minced chipotle for a spicy, smokey note
- Italian seasoning for an herbed cheese sauce
- Do you have a large squash? Double the recipe to use a 2 lb butternut, and freeze extra sauce in 1 cup portions for easy leftovers!
- I don’t use extra salt in my sauce because not all applications need it. How much salt you use will depend on what you do with the sauce, and you can always add more later.
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash (from a 1 lb squash, peeled)
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- ½ cup milk of choice (I used soy milk)
- 1¼ cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- Salt, to taste
- In a 2 quart sauce pan, cover butternut squash with vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer partially covered for 25-30 minutes.
- Stir in milk and puree the mixture with an immersion blender.
- Mix in cheeses and blend again until smooth.
- Taste test and add more salt as necessary.
