Homemade Mac and Cheese Bites with Butternut Squash (BLW Recipe)

Medically reviewed by Abbey Sharp, Registered Dietitian (RD), BASc.

These homemade butternut squash mac and cheese bites make the perfect on the go healthy snack for baby led weaning, kids and adults!

I’m pretty sure mac and cheese is a childhood right of passage. So there is NO WAY I am skimping out on this childhood experience for my boys. While I have no issues with the blue box stuff (#nostalgia), I wanted to create a finger food for the kiddos that’s easy to take with me for on-the-go snacks, and easy to batch prep and freeze! These homemade mac and cheese bites check all the boxes.

Why This Recipe Works

My kids are obsessed with these homemade mac and cheese bites, and so am I! Here’s why we love em:

• Baby led weaning friendly
• Packed with nutrients
• Naturally sweetened with vegetables
• Made with pantry and freezer staples

Key Ingredients

Chickpea macaroni — I like using chickpea pasta as it provides extra protein and nutrients.

Butternut Squash — You can use fresh or frozen butternut squash for this stuffed shell recipe. Butternut squash is a great source of fibre and is packed with vitamins A, C, E and B!

Cheese — I use a mix of cheeses for these mac and cheese bites. I use grated cheddar, grated fresh mozzarella, and finely grated parmesan cheese. The more the merrier.

Toppings — For extra nutrients, we top the mac and cheese bites with flax and hemp hearts. They don’t change the flavour so your kids won’t even notice it!

How to Make This Recipe

Step 1: Cook the pasta al dente according to box directions. Set aside.

Step 2: To a medium skillet with high sides, over medium heat, heat the butter. Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 3: Add the flour and stir to make a roux.

Step 4: Add the milk and cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently until the milk bubbles slightly and thickens.

Step 5: Add the butternut squash, mustard and paprika and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes until they are soft.

Step 6: Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.

Step 7: Return the sauce back to the pot over medium low heat and add the cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Cook until the cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 8: Take the sauce off the heat and add to the pasta.

Step 9: Beat the eggs and quickly mix with the sauce and pasta. Spray the mini muffin tins with nonstick spray. Fill the muffin tins with the mixture and top with flax, hemp hearts and parmesan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and set in a 350 degree oven. Serve right away, or transfer to a freezer bag to pull out as easy on the go snacks.

Expert Tips

I recommend grating your own cheese instead of buying pre-grated cheese. Pre-grated cheese doesn’t melt as nicely as cheese that you grate yourself.

You can add panko on top of the mac and cheese bites before baking to give them more of a crunch.

If you are looking to buy a muffin tin for this, I recommend a silicone muffin tin as you can easily pop the mac and cheese bites out in a flash.

Recipe FAQs

More Recipes You Might Like

Want some more BLW recipes like these homemade mac and cheese bites? Try these ones:

• Cheesy High Iron Baby Meatballs
• BLW Peanut Butter Banana Mini Muffins
• Vegan Homemade Granola Bars
• BLW Chickpea Peanut Butter Baby Biscuits

Now I want to hear from you. What are your go-to baby led weaning snack recipes?

Homemade Mac and Cheese Bites with Butternut Squash (BLW Recipe)

These homemade Mac and Cheese Bites make for the perfect on-the-go healthy snack or lunch with extra veggies to boot for babies, toddlers, kids, and even parents too.

5 from 12 votes

Print Pin Rate

CourseSnack

CuisineAmerican

Prep Time15 minutes minutes

Cook Time30 minutes minutes

Total Time45 minutes minutes

Servings72 bites

Calories47kcal

AuthorAbbey Sharp

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb chickpea macaroni
• ▢ 2 tbsp butter
• ▢ 1/2 yellow onion finely diced
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 3 tbsp whole wheat flour
• ▢ 1 3/4 cups whole milk
• ▢ 2 cups frozen butternut squash cubes thawed
• ▢ 1 tsp dijon mustard
• ▢ 1/4 tsp paprika
• ▢ 1 cup grated cheddar
• ▢ 1 cup grated fresh mozzarella
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 2 eggs beaten
• ▢ 2 tbsp hemp hearts
• ▢ 2 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese
• ▢ 1 tbsp ground flax

Instructions

• Cook the pasta al dente according to box directions. Set aside.
• To a medium skillet with high sides, over medium heat, heat the butter.
• Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the flour and stir to make a roux.
• Add the milk and cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently until the milk bubbles slightly and thickens.
• Add the butternut squash, mustard and paprika and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes until they are soft.
• Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Return the sauce back to the pot over medium low heat and add the cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Cook until the cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Take the sauce off the heat and add to the pasta.
• Beat the eggs and quickly mix with the sauce and pasta.
• Spray 72 mini muffin tins with nonstick spray (ideally use silicon like these ones). Fill the muffin tins with the mixture and top with flax, hemp hearts and parmesan.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and set in a 350 degree oven.
• Serve right away, or transfer to a freezer bag to pull out as easy on the go snacks.

Notes

• I recommend grating your own cheese instead of buying pre-grated cheese. Pre-grated cheese doesn’t melt as nicely as cheese that you grate yourself.
• You can add panko on top of the mac and cheese bites before baking to give them more of a crunch.
• If you are looking to buy a muffin tin for this, I recommend a silicone muffin tin as you can easily pop the mac and cheese bites out in a flash.

Nutrition

Calories47kcalCarbohydrates5gProtein3gFat2gSaturated Fat1gCholesterol9mgSodium37mgPotassium29mgFiber1gSugar1gVitamin A473IUVitamin C1mgCalcium36mgIron1mg

Mention @AbbeysKitchen or tag #abbeyskitchen if you try and share this recipe!

Abbey Sharp

Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.