Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese
A vegan version of a traditional family comfort food, the baked mac and cheese.
Equipment
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
Vegan Cheese
- 1 Cup Raw Cashews
- 1 Tbsp Oil This is to saute the vegetables. Use your favorite oil, I used olive oil.
- 1 tsp Minced Garlic
- 1/2 Sweet Bell Pepper Colors that work the best are the yellow, orange, or red.
- 1 Small Onion Or 1 tsp Onion Powder.
- 2 tsp Oil This is added to the blender for the vegan cheese.
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Yellow Mustard
- 1/8 tsp Turmeric
- 1/4 Cup Pasta Sauce of your choice.
- 1 1/2 Cup Vegetable Broth
- 1 Tbsp Cornstarch Add this to the broth and blend before adding to the blender.
Pasta and topping
- 1 Package Pasta of your choice I used a Gluten Free Penne.
- 1/2 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs I used a Gluten Free Panko
- 2 Tbsp Vegan Margarine
- 3/4 Cup Plant Based Milk I used a plain unsweetened almond milk.
Instructions
Making your Vegan Cashew Cheese
- Place the cashews into a medium size bowl with hot water and soak for no less than 4 hours or over night.
- Clean and chop the sweet bell pepper and small onion.
- In a medium skillet, on medium high heat, add oil, diced peppers, onion, and minced garlic, cook until soft and slightly browned. Set aside to cool.
- Drain and rinse the cashews after soaking, set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Add the soaked cashews into the blender with oil, tomato paste, mustard, pasta sauce, and all the seasonings.
- Once the sauteed vegetables have cooled, add to the blender.
- Measure the vegetable broth in a large measuring cup and add the cornstarch.
- Mix until there is no lumps.
- Slowly add the vegetable broth mixture to the blender as you turn on the blender to a low speed.
- Once all the broth is added to the blender, continue slowly increasing the speed to the highest setting.
- Continue at the highest speed for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Now slowly decrease the blender speed.
- Continue blending if the cheese isn't smooth enough to your liking.
- After the cheese is well blended and smooth, set aside.
Assemble the dish
- Grease a 13 x 9 glass baking dish with a vegan margarine or oil, and set aside.
- Cook the pasta of your choice to package instructions.
- Drain the pasta and place into the 13 x 9 glass baking dish.
- Pour the vegan cheese over the cooked pasta until completely covered.
- After the cheese has been added, pour the almond milk over the dish.
- Melt vegan margarine in a small skillet, on medium heat, once melted add the panko bread crumbs and saute until slightly browned.
- Sprinkle the toasted panko bread crumbs over the pasta and cheese and place into the oven.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, the top should be slightly toasted when done.
- Once the top is slightly browned, remove from the oven and let the mac and cheese rest for about 10 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite veggies as a side dish or a main dish, ENJOY!