Creamy vegan mac'n'cheese with roasted vegetables

August 12, 2017

Creamy vegan mac'n'cheese with roasted vegetables

I've been making mac'n'cheese for such a long time now and it's always been so loved by everybody! It was always a hit at my kids' birthday parties followed by calls from their friends' parents asking for the recipe. I do not take credit for the recipe, it was printed on the packaging of a locally produced cheese and it was simply brilliant! As soon as I decided to go vegan, I started thinking if there was a way to make a vegan version of this family favorite and, to my surprise, it was easier than I expected. I've since made this recipe with all sorts of pasta, including quinoa pasta, and it was always a success! I do recommend using short hard pasta such as elbow cut macaroni though, as they will keep their shape and texture the best (quinoa pasta tends to be a bit mushy but we love it anyway!). The key to creaminess is boiling the pasta in a combination of almond milk and water which will gradually boil down to form a sauce. At this point just add the prefered (vegan or not) cheese, stir and enjoy! Serve with roasted vegetables for a touch of smokiness.

Ingredients (serves 4)

- 2 cups elbow cut macaroni (or other small hard pasta)

- 1 cup almond milk

- 3 cups water

- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Vegan cashew parmesan (adapted from minimalist baker`s vegan parmesan cheese recipe)

- 3/4 cup cashews

- 4 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder

- 1 Tablespoon dried chopped onion/onion powder

- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

- a pinch cayenne

- sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Roasted vegetables

- 1 large onion, sliced

- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into bite size pieces

- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Place the vegetables on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper, toss with the olive oil and roast at 400F for about 20 minutes or until fork tender.

To prepare the vegan cashew parmesan, simply place all the listed ingredients in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.

In a nonstick pot, combine the pasta with the almond milk and water and bring to the boil (on medium heat), stirring often. Lower the heat to the minimum, season with salt and pepper and simmer, stirring often, until most liquid is absorbed (please refer to the pictures below). Remove from heat, add the vegan cashew parmesan and stir to coat evenly. Serve immediately with roasted vegetables, avocado, marinated hot peppers and olives. Enjoy!