Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
This Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese tosses pasta in a silky, blender-made sauce of pumpkin, soaked cashews, nutritional yeast and coconut milk. It's creamy, cheesy, and ready in about 40 minutes, the ultimate fall comfort food.
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Servings: servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups pumpkin puree
- ½ cup raw cashews soaked in cool water overnight or for 1 hour in boiling water
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 10 ounces rigatoni pasta medium-sized macaroni shells, or pasta of your choice; use gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free version
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and salt generously. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until just al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta in a colander.
- In a high-powered blender, add the pumpkin, the soaked and drained cashews, nutritional yeast, ground mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, nutmeg, salt, black pepper to taste, lemon juice, and coconut milk. Blend until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy, about 1–2 minutes. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly, adding more salt as needed.
- Return the cooked and drained pasta to the saucepan and add the cheese sauce.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until the sauce is well combined with the pasta and warmed through, about 3–5 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water. Season the mac and cheese to taste and serve hot.
Notes
Soaking the cashews: Soak them in cool water overnight, or cover them with just-boiled water for 30–60 minutes if you're short on time. Drain before blending.
Gluten-free: The pasta is the only ingredient that contains gluten. Use 10 ounces of gluten-free pasta (such as brown rice, chickpea or lentil rigatoni or penne) and cook it just to al dente; everything else is naturally gluten-free.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The sauce thickens as it sits, so stir in a splash of non-dairy milk or water when reheating. The sauce alone can be frozen for up to 3 months; cook fresh pasta when you're ready to serve.
Nutrition (Estimate per Serving)
Calories: 525kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 16gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 893mgPotassium: 728mgFiber: 7gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 19189IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 6mg
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