Weeknight Cooking

My Favorite Vegan Mac and Cheese

by:
March  9, 2016
4 Reviews
My Favorite Vegan Mac and Cheese
Photo by Linda Xiao
Author Notes

There are lots of ways to make vegan mac and cheese, believe it or not, but this is the recipe I return to again and again. It's easy, fast, and super creamy—everything a stovetop mac should be. —Gena Hamshaw

  • Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
  • 2/3 cup (about 3 ounces) raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 2 hours (and up to 8), drained
  • 1/2 cup cooked cannellini, great white northern, or navy beans
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons white miso
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 small clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 dash cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 12 ounces elbow pasta or mini shells (whole wheat, gluten-free, and regular pasta are all fine)
  • 1 cup cooked green vegetables, such as chopped broccoli or cauliflower florets, blanched peas or chopped asparagus spears, or steamed spinach (optional)
  • Salt, to taste
In This Recipe
Directions
  1. Place the cashews, beans, lemon juice, paprika, turmeric, miso, nutritional yeast, garlic, cayenne, and water into a blender or a food processor and blend/process until totally smooth. Set the sauce aside.
  2. Bring a pot of salted water to boil and add the pasta. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, till it's to your liking.
  3. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and fold everything together gently, until the pasta dish is creamy and evenly coated. Adjust seasoning to taste. You may not need to use all of the sauce: If you have some leftover, use it as a dip or as dressing for a grain bowl.
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Review
Gena Hamshaw
Gena Hamshaw is a certified nutritionist, recipe developer, and food blogger. She shares her latest culinary adventures at The Full Helping. She's the author of two cookbooks, Food52 Vegan (2015) and Choosing Raw (2014). She enjoys yoga, sweet potatoes, cashews, and things that are smothered in sauce.

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