The CREAMIEST, most satisfying vegan mac n cheese that is actually healthy! Cauliflower and pumpkin add lots of nutrients to this classic American comfort food, plus nutritional yeast and cashews for extra cheezy flavour.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This creamy vegan mac n cheese comes together easily, packing in nutrients and flavor. Grab the exact amounts in the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower
- Pumpkin
- Garlic
- Brown onion
- Vegan margarine
- Raw cashews
- Nutritional yeast
- Plain flour
- Apple cider vinegar
- Soy milk
- Vegetable stock
- Light miso paste
- Dry macaroni
- Cumin
- Cayenne pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Powdered vegetable stock
- Garlic powder
- Ground coriander
- Panko bread crumbs
- Olive oil
Instructions
Follow along with this step-by-step guide to make your The BEST Vegan Mac n Cheese (made with Pumpkin Squash & Cauliflower). You’ll find all the exact times, temperatures, and measurements in the recipe card below.
Step one: Soak or boil cashews, then prep cauliflower, pumpkin, onion, and garlic.
Step two: Toss cauliflower and pumpkin with spices and oil, roast until tender.
Step three: Bake panko topping until crispy.
Step four: Sauté onion and garlic in margarine, add cashews, flour, and nutritional yeast to coat.
Step five: Stir in miso-stock mix, vinegar, and soy milk; simmer until thickened, then turn off heat.
Step six: Blend the sauce with roasted veggies until silky smooth, adding a splash of soy milk if needed.
Step seven: Stir sauce into cooked pasta, serve topped with crispy panko crumbs.
The BEST Vegan Mac n Cheese (made with Pumpkin Squash & Cauliflower)
Equipment
- High speed blender
Ingredients
- 1/2 head cauliflower medium
- 750 g pumpkin
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 brown onion diced
- 2 tbsp vegan margarine
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked and drained
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 cup soy milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- 1/2 tbsp light miso paste
- 750 g dry macaroni cooked to packet instructions
Spice mix
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp powdered vegetable stock
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
Topping (optional)
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/390F.
- If you have time, soak cashews in water overnight. For the quick version, boil cashews for 15 mins, then rinse under cold water and drain. *Note – if you do not have a high powered blender, I'd recommend soaking the cashews overnight or boiling them for 25 minutes to make them extra soft and to get the sauce as silky smooth as possible.
- Prepare vegetables: cut cauliflower into florets, peel pumpkin and cube into medium size chunks. Dice onion and mince garlic.
- Combine all spice mix ingredients. Spread cauliflower and pumpkin onto two large roasting trays. Drizzle with olive oil, then coat with spice mix, using your hands to ensure even coverage. Roast for 25-35 minutes, until cooked through and golden on the outside. The cauliflower should be very soft and be easily pierced by a fork.
- Combine topping ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and mix well. Spread into a thin layer on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Melt margarine in a mediuim saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and stir for 2 minutes until fragrant, then add garlic and stir for a 1 more minute. Add cashews, flour and nutritional yeast and stir until well coated.
- Muddle miso paste and vegetable stock together.
- Gradually add vegetable stock/miso muddle, apple cider vinegar and soy milk, stirring constantly. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until mixture has thickened. Turn off heat.
- Add the sauce plus the roasted pumpkin and cauliflower to a high speed blender. Blitz until smooth, adding an extra splash of soy milk if the sauce is too thick.
- Combine sauce with cooked pasta of choice, serve and top with the crispy panko crumbs.
Vanessa C says
Delicious, hearty and healthy!
Luke says
This Mac n Cheese is creamy and delicious! Even better than the real deal. Would recommend 100%
TJ says
this was so delicious! can’t wait to make it again!
Rose Bollard says
Looks really good!
Izzy Rickcord says
So yum!!!!!
Pip says
Such a great recipe! Delicious and such more veggie packed and nutritious than the traditional version
sarah says
Effortless and fantastic.
Hong Nguyen says
This recipe is freaking amazing