Miso Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese Bites

Photo: Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Bites
As seen on KHON's Living 808!
Yield
24 Large Pieces or 48 Small Pieces
Vegan
Appetizers and Sides
Entrees
Holiday
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cubed butternut squash
  • 8-ounce macaroni pasta
  • 1 tablespoon miso
  • ¼ cup butter or vegan butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened plain non-dairy milk
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast + more to taste
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Shredded vegan mozzarella or cheddar cheese (optional)
  • Fresh thyme or thinly sliced green onions (optional)
Instructions
  1. Steam cubed butternut squash until tender. Transfer to a large bowl and smash squash with a potato masher until soft. 
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook macaroni according to package directions. 
  3. Preheat oven to 425⁰. Spray either (2) mini cupcake pans or (2) regular cupcake pans with cooking spray. If you only have one, you may need to do it in 2 batches. 
  4. In another large pot, melt butter and miso over medium low heat. Whisk until combined.
  5. Whisk in flour and whisk continuously for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add milk and whisk to remove lumps. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is quite thick and the lumps are gone. This can take anywhere from 2-5 minutes. 
  6. Stir in nutritional yeast, mashed squash, and macaroni. Season with salt and pepper. 
  7. Scoop butternut mixture evenly into prepared cupcake pans. Pack each one down gently – ensure that the pasta is sticking inside. Sprinkle more nutritional yeast or shredded cheese on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Let cool for 10 minutes - use a butter knife to carefully loosen and pop out each bite. Transfer mac and cheese bites to a serving platter and serve immediately. Garnish with extra cheese and thyme. Enjoy!