Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese
Make the creamiest vegan sweet potato mac and cheese with just a few simple ingredients! The vegan cheese sauce is completely dairy-free and is made with wholesome sweet potatoes which gives it a beautiful orange colour. Whether you're exploring a vegan lifestyle or just looking for a fresh take on a classic mac and cheese dish, this recipe delivers flavours and the perfect texture to satisfy all your comfort food cravings.
Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
- high speed blender
- medium sized pot
- 8x10" baking dish
Ingredients
- 8-10 oz pasta of choice
- 2 cups orange sweet potato peeled and diced
- 1/2 yellow onion roughly chopped (large chunks)
- 5 cloves garlic peeled
- 1/2 cup cashews raw, soaked overnight in cool water or in boiling water for 10 minutes
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt kosher
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp tamari or gluten free soy sauce
- 1 cup plant milk unsweetened
- 1 cup vegetable broth low sodium
Instructions
- In a medium pot over high heat, bring water to a boil then add sweet potato, onion and garlic. Cook until ingredients are fork tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and transfer ingredients into a blender.
- Drain cashews and add to the blender along with nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, thyme, tamari, plant milk and broth. Blend on high until completely smooth and adjust to taste as needed.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Once ready, drain water and return the pasta to the pot over low heat. Add about half of the sauce to the pot and stir to evenly incorporate.
- OPTIONAL STEP: If desired, transfer the pasta to an oven safe baking dish about 8x10" and top with additional vegan shredded cheese or breadcrumbs. Broil in the oven at 400F for 5-6 minutes on the top rack until the top is nice and golden.
Notes
- To make the cashew cheese sauce smooth and creamy make sure your cashews are soaked really well. If you’re short on time, a quick soak in boiling water for 10 minutes works well.
- Adjust the salt, pepper, and smoked paprika according to your preference to enhance the sauce's flavor.
- Opt for pasta shapes that hold sauce well, like elbows or shells. For a gluten-free option, brown rice or chickpea pasta are great choices.
- For the creamiest consistency, blend the sauce until completely smooth. A high-speed blender is the best thing to use here!