Quick Macaroni Cheese from Food for a Future
15 minutes
+ 60 minutes to soak the cashews - the dish itself only takes 15 minutes to make
Serves: 4
Do you have cheese cravings? Want an easy to make but filling meal? This mac & cheese recipe is delicious! Get the pasta on to boil then whizz up the sauce and heat quickly. Nom.
Recipe from our lovely friends at Food for a Future, an East Midlands vegan outreach group from the legendary Veggies
Shopping tips
- Jalapeno peppers are a chilli pepper widely used in Mexican and other Latino food. Brands to look for include Tesco and Old El Paso but there are others. Use a bit of chilli powder if you can't find them or want a more budget alternative! It doesn't have to be spicy hot, it just adds depth of flavour.
- Nutritional yeast flakes are a vegan must-have! Found in Holland & Barrett, independent health food shops and increasingly, in larger branches of some supermarkets. Alternatively, try online: everyone from RealFoods, Goodness Direct and Veggie Stuff to Ocado and Amazon sells it!
Ingredients:
Pasta
- Large pot of boiling, salted water
- 350-400g small-medium tubular pasta, eg macaroni, penne or rigatoni
Sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 1 hour). Raw means unroasted and unsalted. Cashew pieces are a cheaper option
- 1 small onion
- 1 tsp garlic - fresh or from a tube
- 1 tsp dill
- ½-1 tsp salt, start small, add more if necessary
- 1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 1.5 cups boiling water (360-400mls)
- 10 jalapeno pepper pieces (from a jar, or 1 whole pepper) OR a pinch or two of chilli powder
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp cornflour or arrowroot
Optional
- 1 tbsp soya sauce (tamari is GF)
- Paprika - sweet or smoked - to sprinkle on top
- ½ pack silken tofu, blended with the rest of the sauce - this adds extra protein and smoothness
- Melting vegan cheese and sliced tomatoes for a topping. Violife melts well and is widely available
Method:
- Put pasta on to boil in the salted water.
- Blend sauce ingredients together for 3 minutes until smooth.
- Heat up the sauce and pour on the cooked, well-drained pasta. Mix in well, taste and season. Serve - preferably with something green like broccoli or a big salad.
- If you want to bake it, set the oven to 220°C/450°F/Gas Mark 7, add some grated vegan cheese and sliced tomatoes and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown. Or stick it under a hot grill to brown the top. Violife parmesan-style - Prosociano - is particularly nice.
Did you know that Vegan Recipe Club is run by a charity?
Viva! is a UK-registered charity which educates people about the realities of factory farming and how it impacts our health, the planet and animals. Vegan Recipe Club is part of our project to make going – and staying – vegan really easy by providing amazing recipes which make even meat-eaters’ mouths water!
We’re doing it because veganism saves animals, protects our planet and is better for the environment and your health.
We don’t receive any government funding. We can only keep going with YOUR help. Please consider donating to Viva! to help us continue to offer these life-saving services.
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