hearty mac & cheese

 

Mac & Cheese is one of those comfort foods you might think you'll never really enjoy again once you switch to a plant-based (and gluten-free) lifestyle. Luckily for us, we have versatile ingredients like cashews, beans and nutritional yeast that enable us to create creamy textured, savory sauces that can be topped over your favorite pasta noodle.  I call this a 'Hearty Mac & Cheese' because it's nutrient-dense and usually ends up as the star of our meal as opposed to a side to something else.

 

mac & cheese ingredients

makes 3 cups sauce

12 ounces gluten-free pasta - Tinkyada Organic Brown Rice Elbow Pasta

1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked for a minimum of 4 hours) - see substitution note below if you have nut allergies

1 cup cooked garbanzo beans

1 1/4 cup broth or milk of choice - shiitake mushroom is my go-to for this recipe

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

2 garlic cloves peeled

1 tablespoon coconut vinegar or apple cider vinegar 

1 tablespoon onion granules

1 tablespoons vegan butter or other butter of your choice - Earth Balance is my favorite! (optional) 

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper powder - I used ancho chile (optional)

sea salt to taste

cracked pepper to taste and garnish

 

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.  While the pasta is cooking prepare the sauce by adding all of the ingredients listed above to a high speed blender and blend until smooth.  Add the sea salt and pepper to taste.  Note - if the sauce is too thick, add in a little more broth/milk and blend again until you create the consistency you desire.  

Pour half of the sauce into a large pot and turn the heat to medium low.  The remainder of the sauce can be refrigerated in a tightly sealed container for up to a week or stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.  You can also make a double batch of noodles, which would require the use all of the sauce.

Once the pasta noodles are cooked - to al dente is best - drain and rinse them with cold water.  Add the pasta noodles to the sauce and cook on medium low until completely heated through.   Plate the Mac & Cheese as an entree or a side and garnish with a bit of cracked pepper.

 

Variations and substitution options for this recipe:

- substitute another 1/2 cup of beans in place of the cashews if you have nut allergies

- substitute 1 cup roasted or steamed pumpkin, butternut squash or sweet potato for the garbanzo beans

- add 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds because they are so good for you!

- garnish with fresh herbs to enhance the flavour

- sprinkle toasted bread crumbs, crushed pistachio nuts or pumpkin seeds over the top for a bonus crunch factor

 

The possibilities are endless, so enjoy your M&C any way you like it!

 

 

"It's diamonds in your pockets one week, macaroni and cheese the next." 

 ~ Jolene Blalock 

 

 

 

 

  

Comments

[Janet]

SO delicious! I added some fresh herbs and smoked paprika to the sauce before blending so the color was not as hey-is-that-cheese but holy smokes it was tasty. Thanks for a lovely bowl of food!

[Karen]

Those additions sound perfect and I'm so glad you liked it! :)

+K