Spicy Vegan Mac and Cheese

Katie Yost | The Veggie Option
Servings

6

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Creamy cashew-based cheese sauce poured over pasta and broiled to a crispy golden top - this vegan mac and cheese does not compromise on comfort. Spiceology Brunch Junkie seasons the sauce with layered savory depth while a spiced breadcrumb crust adds the crunch you did not know you needed. Weeknight dinner just got a serious upgrade.

Spicy Vegan Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

  • 1 box pasta of choice (Cavatappi is perfect for this)
  • 2.5 cups diced Yukon gold potatoes (~4-5 potatoes)
  • 1/2 cup carrots, diced
  • 1/3 cup sweet white onion, chopped
  • 2-4 cloves garlic
  • ~1/4-1/2 cup water (preferably use liquid from boiled veggies)
  • 1 cup cashew pieces (cheaper than whole cashews)
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
  • 2-3 tablespoon lemon juice (I add to taste, this adds the tang!)
  • 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons Adam McKenzie Brunch Junkie
  • lots of salt, to taste

Directions

  1. Soak cashews in boiling water (as long as you can, try for at least 30 mins).
  2. Cook pasta according to packet instructions.
  3. Bring several cups of water to boil in a pot. Add chopped potatoes, carrots, and onion in the boiling water, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables are soft enough to blend (Cooking time varies based on how small you have chopped your veggies, poke them with a fork to see how soft they are).
  4. When veggies are soft, remove them from cooking water with a slotted spoon, and place them in your blender. Add some of the cooking water from your veggies to your blender, along with your remaining ingredients (including cashews).
  5. Blend until smooth, take your time! The sauce will take a moment to fully blend, but you will get a nice smooth consistency after a few minutes of blending.
  6. Put cooked noodles in an oven safe dish and top with cheese sauce, mix until the noodles are fully coated.

  7. Mix 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs with a few tablespoons of Spicy Bloody Mary Seasoning and sprinkle that on top of the mac & cheese.

  8. Put your dish under the broiler for a few minutes to get a crispy top layer, remove from the oven and enjoy! Top with salt & pepper as desired.