Description
This Creamy Vegan Mac & Cheese recipe offers a delicious, dairy-free twist on the classic comfort food. Made without cashews, it uses yellow potatoes, carrots, and nutritional yeast to create a rich and velvety sauce that perfectly coats tender macaroni noodles. Quick to prepare and naturally flavorful, this dish is ideal for a wholesome, plant-based meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 cup yellow potatoes (unpeeled, chopped into small cubes)
- 1/2 cup carrots (peeled, chopped into small pieces)
- 1/4 cup onion (diced)
Liquid & Pasta
- 1 cup water
- 8 oz macaroni noodles (or noodles of choice)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (such as soy or almond)
Sauce & Seasonings
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- Pinch of pepper
Instructions
- Prepare Vegetables: Dice onion, potatoes, and carrots into small cubes and pieces to ensure faster cooking.
- Simmer Vegetables: In a medium saucepan on the stovetop, combine the chopped onions, potatoes, carrots, and 1 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer for 8-10 minutes until the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender.
- Make Roux: While the vegetables simmer, heat olive oil over low to medium heat in a small saucepan. Gradually whisk in the flour, combining thoroughly to form a paste.
- Prepare Sauce Base: Increase the heat to medium and slowly whisk in the non-dairy milk. The mixture will begin to thicken quickly within 1-2 minutes. Keep whisking until a dough ball forms, then immediately remove from heat to avoid burning.
- Cook Pasta: Cook macaroni noodles according to package instructions until al dente or desired tenderness, then drain and set aside.
- Reserve Vegetable Liquid: Once the vegetables are tender, drain them but save the cooking liquid in a separate bowl for later use.
- Blend Sauce: In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the cooked vegetables, flour mixture, garlic powder, salt, nutritional yeast, dijon mustard, lemon juice, turmeric, pepper, and 1/4 cup of the reserved vegetable liquid. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until the sauce is smooth. Add additional vegetable liquid 1-2 tablespoons at a time if the sauce is too thick until desired consistency is achieved.
- Combine and Serve: Pour the creamy sauce over the cooked noodles and gently mix to coat evenly. Serve immediately and enjoy your creamy vegan mac & cheese without cashews!
Notes
- Using smaller diced vegetables ensures faster cooking and a smoother sauce.
- Saving the vegetable cooking liquid is crucial for achieving the right sauce consistency without adding extra water.
- Adjust the thickness of the sauce by adding reserved liquid gradually to prevent it from becoming too runny.
- For best results, serve immediately to enjoy the creamy texture.
- This recipe is naturally free of dairy and nuts, making it suitable for those with allergies.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan
Keywords: vegan mac and cheese, dairy-free mac and cheese, cashew-free vegan cheese, creamy vegan pasta, plant-based comfort food
