Recipes

Vegan Mac & Cheese

This dish is guaranteed to call for seconds, even from the most anti-vegan diner (tried and tested!)

Prep Time 15mins
Cook Time 30-40mins
Difficulty Easy
Serves 4
Vegan Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

  • 500g macaroni pasta
  • OR 500g elbow pasta
  • 2 heads broccoli
  • 2 zucchinis
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 brown onion
  • 3 potatoes (small-medium)
  • 4 1/2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt (or to your taste)
  • small pinch chilli flakes (optional)
  • 2/3 cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup water (and additional as required)
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • bio cheese (optional)
  • OR daiya cheese (optional - for the final 'melty' touches!)

Method

  • Prep Ingredients: Cut the broccoli and zucchinis into bite sized pieces. Peel and grate the potatoes. Press or mince the garlic cloves. Finely chop the brown onion.
  • Preheat oven to 190°C*
  • Bring a pot of salted water to the boil, and cook your pasta as per the packet instructions.
  • Steam both the broccoli and zucchini while your pasta cooks - these should only take 3-4 minutes because of their finely chopped state.
  • Meanwhile, in medium-sized frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, stirring until the onion is translucent (~5min).
  • Add the grated potato, all three powders, salt and chilli flakes. Stir to combine and cook, continually stirring, for roughly 1 minute (to enhance flavours).
  • Add the cashews and water, stirring to combine. Let the pan come to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat as necessary (to avoid boiling) until the potato is tender and cooked through (~8min).
  • Pour the fry pan mixture into your blender/processor. Add the nutritional yeast and apple cider vinegar. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth (~2min). If required for a smoother consistency, add water in 1/4 cup increments until the desired consistency is reached.
  • Add additional salt and/or vinegar to taste.
  • Pour the pasta, greens and sauce into a bowl and stir until well combined, then transfer to an oven-proof bake dish.
  • If desired*, add cheese to the top of your macaroni dish before heating it in the oven (middle shelf) for 15-20min (or until cheese has melted).

* if you are not adding any cheese (vegan or otherwise), you can absolutely skip the oven baking step at the end of your recipe.

Oven baking will allow the top of your macaroni to become crisp and golden regardless of the addition of cheese, so it’s entirely up to you how you would prefer your consistency. Oven baking does however allow some moisture to be removed from the dish, which is preferential if you would prefer to slice your macaroni into firm squares and take it with you.

Regular cheese is also completely fine if you so wish to use it!

 

Gluten free adaptable:
Use gluten free macaroni (or try pulse pasta as an alternative)