Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese Recipe (2024)

Roasted sweet potatoes combine with shredded cheddar for a rich, creamy sauce in this Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese. It uses about half the cheese of classic mac and cheese recipes, but I promise you won’t miss it!

Cozy season is officially here, and I love everything about it. Give me all the cozy sweaters, warm fires, and warm pasta dinners (including one of my recent favorites, Instant Pot Italian Sausage Pasta). This Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese, with its roasted sweet potatoes, and beautiful warm orange color is made for cooler weather. It’s a bit of a more healthy option than your classic cheesy mac, but no less delicious. And if you need a cool weather side to serve along with it, the fresh green of shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad or Balsamic Brussels Sprouts would be the perfect match. Roasted broccoli is also a great and easy fit. So many vegetables on one warm plate!

Here’s everything you need to know.

How to Make it

1. Roast vegetables. Roast sweet potatoes, carrots, and onions until very tender, about 40 minutes at 400°F.
2. Cook pasta. Follow the directions for whatever pasta you choose. Any type will work!
3. Make sauce. Blend the roasted vegetables with vegetable broth until smooth.
4. Fill casserole. Combine pasta, sauce, and cheese. Spread out in a 9×13 baking dish.
5. Add breadcrumb topping. Combine melted butter, panko, garlic, and chopped sage. Sprinkle it over the pasta to give the dish great crunch.
6. Bake pasta. Bake the dish, uncovered, until the pasta is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, about 30 minutes.
7. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Onions – Roast all of these vegetables together to give the sauce savory flavor.
• Dried Pasta – Any type will work. I love how the sauce clings to the rings in Fusili.
• Cheese – I love the flavor of white, sharp cheddar in this pasta, but any type of shredded cheddar is great.
• Vegetable Broth – Look for low-sodium to keep the pasta from being too salty. Low-sodium chicken broth works well if you don’t need the dish to be vegetarian.
• Butter, Panko Breadcrumbs, Garlic, Sage – Combine these to make a buttery, crunchy topping.

Make it Ahead

You can assemble the entire dish and store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Let it come to room temperature before baking.

Variations

• Swap in squash – This dish is great with any type of roasted winter squash (I love butternut squash here) in place of the sweet potato.
• Make it gluten-free – Use your favorite gluten-free pasta and gluten-free breadcrumbs to easily make this dish gluten-free.
• Make it vegan – You can skip the cheese completely for a vegan sauce or add a couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast for that savory flavor. Use olive oil instead of butter to make the panko topping.
• Add protein – Add your favorite protein to the dish. Stir drained white beans into the pasta for a vegetarian option. Cooked sausage or bacon are also great non-veg additions.

FREEZE THIS MEAL

If you’re going to freeze this meal, assemble it as directed. Cover the pasta tightly with foil and freeze for up to 6 months. To reheat, thaw in refrigerator for 24- 48 hours before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 400˚ for about 30 minutes, until pasta is bubbling around the edges.