Vegan Mac N 'Cheeze'

3.60 (7)
⏱ 30 mins 🍽 Serves 3 🏷 Vegan

This plant based mac and cheese features a rich sauce made from blended butternut squash, cashews and nutritional yeast. It is served with chickpea pasta and finished with a crunchy, seasoned breadcrumb topping and fresh parsley. The entire dish comes together in about half an hour for a satisfying vegan meal.

Vegan Mac N 'Cheeze'

Ingredients

  • Breadcrumb Topping
  • 1 slice gluten-free bread
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Pasta
  • 250g dried chickpea pasta or your favourite pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, sliced
  • 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
  • 280g peeled and cubed butternut squash
  • 70g raw cashews
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Torn fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Method

  1. Place a large pot of water on to boil.
  2. Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan. Cook the diced onion until it softens, which should take 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Introduce the celery and carrots, cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes until they soften. Add the butternut squash and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until it starts to brown. Pour in just enough water, roughly 500ml, to almost cover the vegetables. Add the cashews and 1 teaspoon of salt, bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are fork tender.
  4. For the pasta, salt the boiling water and cook the pasta to al dente as directed on its package. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
  5. To make the breadcrumb topping, roughly chop the bread and pulse it in a food processor to create coarse crumbs. Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, paprika and salt, tossing to combine. Cook while tossing regularly for 3 to 5 minutes until golden and crisp.
  6. Move the vegetable and cashew mixture along with its cooking liquid into a blender. Blend until smooth, then add the nutritional yeast, garlic powder and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Blend again until completely smooth, then check the seasoning.
  7. Combine the cooked pasta with the creamy sauce, tossing to coat evenly.
  8. Finish by sprinkling the crispy breadcrumbs and torn parsley leaves over the top before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Nutrition data not available.

Recipe details

CategoryVegan
AuthorFood Network UK