Who doesn’t love the comforting creaminess of a traditional mac n cheese? We recently whipped this up in quantity for an event, and people kept coming back for more of this rich and satisfying dish. A vegan cheese that melts is an extra-special addition, but it’s not essential if that’s not available to you. The cashew cheese is flavorful enough!
2 packages of organic pasta (12 oz. each)
1 package vegan cheese shreds (such as Daiya or FollowYourHeart)
optional: vegan ham or bacon (such as LightLife, Yves, Tofurky, etc.)
Sauce
1 C cashews + 2/3 C water
1/8 – 1/4 C nutritional yeast
1 tsp. Braggs Liquid Aminos
2 tsp. stoneground mustard
1 tsp. miso
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. turmeric
black pepper, to taste
1 C more water for blending
1/8 tsp. each: guar gum & xanthan gum (for thickening)
- Cook pasta (al dente), then rinse and drain.
- In a high-speed blender, blend cashews with all other sauce ingredients until smooth, saving 1 cup of water and the two thickeners until the end.
- Add remaining water, then slowly add xanthan and guar gum, while blending sauce on high speed.
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a casserole dish, combine pasta and sauce, mixing in half of the Daiya cheese and veggie ham/bacon (optional). Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese on top turns crispy brown.
- Allow to cool a little before serving.
Yum!
