Pasta and noodles · Italian-American · 30 min
Alfredo Macaroni & Butternut Squash Bake with Spinach-Apple Salad
- 30 min
- 2–6 servings
- 674 kcal / serving
Creamy Alfredo macaroni with roasted squash blended into a light bake, folded with a crisp spinach salad. It's a simple weeknight combo: comforting pasta textures with a fresh apple-cucumber contrast.
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Ingredients
- ½ (16 oz) jarAlfredo sauce
- ½ (5 oz) pkgbaby spinach
- ½English cucumber
- 30 mlFrench vinaigrette
- 2 cupsfrozen butternut squash, pieces
- 1Gala apple
- 5 ozmacaroni (elbow) pasta
- ⅛ cuppumpkin seeds
- Gala apples
- English cucumbers
From the pantry: black pepper, garlic powder, salt
Cookware
baking dish · chef's knife · colander · cutting board · measuring cups · measuring spoons · medium saucepan · mixing bowls · oven mitts · stirring spoon · tongs
Kitchen help: cups to grams · tablespoons to cups · oven temperatures · butter conversions · what each cooking tool is for · ingredient substitutes
Shopping list by aisle
Produce
- ½ (5 oz) pkgbaby spinach
- ½English cucumber
- 1Gala apple
- Gala apples
- English cucumbers
Frozen
- 2 cupsfrozen butternut squash, pieces
Pantry & dry goods
- 5 ozmacaroni (elbow) pasta
- ⅛ cuppumpkin seeds
Sauces, oils & condiments
- ½ (16 oz) jarAlfredo sauce
- 30 mlFrench vinaigrette
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Ingredients for 2, 4 and 6 servings
| Ingredient | 2 servings | 4 servings | 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfredo sauce | ½ (16 oz) jar | 1 (16 oz) jar | 1 ½ (16 oz) jars |
| baby spinach | ½ (5 oz) pkg | 1 (5 oz) pkg | 1 ½ (5 oz) pkgs |
| English cucumber | ½ | 1 | 1 ½ |
| French vinaigrette | 30 ml | ¼ cup | 90 ml |
| frozen butternut squash, pieces | 2 cups | 4 cups | 6 cups |
| Gala apple | 1 | ||
| macaroni (elbow) pasta | 5 oz | 10 oz | 15 oz |
| pumpkin seeds | ⅛ cup | ¼ cup | ⅓ cup |
| Gala apples | 2 | 3 |
Quantities in US units. Any other household size: MealPot scales the recipe and the grocery list for you.
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- In a medium pot, boil water and cook the pasta with a pinch of salt until just tender, then drain. Add the frozen butternut squash to the pot during the last minute of cooking so it warms through.
- While the pasta cooks, rinse the spinach and vegetables. Slice the apple and cut the cucumber into thin half-moons, placing them in a bowl together.
- In a separate bowl, toss the sliced apple and cucumber with the vinaigrette and set aside to marinate briefly.
- Drain the pasta and squash, then transfer to a baking dish. Stir in the Alfredo sauce and any desired spices until everything is evenly coated.
- Bake the mixture until the sauce is warmed through and the top develops a light golden color, about 10 minutes.
- Just before serving, add the spinach and pumpkin seeds to the apple-cucumber salad and drizzle with any remaining vinaigrette; toss to combine. Plate the pasta bake with the salad on the side.
Two tips
- Make-ahead: prep the salad components up to the vinaigrette toss and refrigerate for a quick assembly later.
- Serving idea: swap apples for pears for a different crunch and sweetness, using only ingredients listed above.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 674 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 89 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 810 mg
Estimates from the recipe's published nutrition data; they change with the version you pick above.
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Ingredient quantities, timing and nutrition follow the original Mealime recipe ↗ (captured 2026-09-12). The photo is MealPot's AI-rendered illustration of the finished dish; the description, directions, aisle list and serving table are MealPot's.