Mac and Cheese: The Ultimate Comfort Food (and it’s vegan!)

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Let’s talk about the ultimate comfort food: Mac and Cheese. A formidable meal and a dietary staple for any kid growing up in the 80s and 90s. When it’s cold, when I’m sick, when I’m having one of those blanket-burrito-until-I-am-one-with-the-couch kind of days, nothing hits like Mac and Cheese. I could write love songs about Mac and Cheese.

In case my love of this dish isn’t abundantly clear, I cannot imagine life without it. Therefore, having a vegan option that gives that same nostalgia and warmth is necessary. No one should have to avoid Mac and Cheese just because they don’t eat…cheese. I present to you, Pumpkin Mac and Cheese. 

It sounds weird, I get it, even to someone like me who loves all things gourd. But this recipe has it all. I know there are plenty of vegan cheese sauces out there, this is just the version I’ve settled on that has all the things I loved about the dish growing up. It’s creamy, it’s got that cheesy zest (nutritional yeast doing some heavy lifting there), the onion powder- something my mom always put in her cheese sauce, an essential flavour, if you as me, and the COLOUR- it’s such a gorgeous orange (duh, pumpkin) and there’s definitely something to be said for a tasty look;) Now, I’m not saying it’s identical to mom’s recipe, or the KD we all loved, it’s got it’s own flavour but it is SO good. I promise, you won’t be mad about it.

One last thing I’ll note: this cheese sauce is a great way to sneak extra veggies into the mouths of picky eaters. Why eat cheese when you can fill up on fibre and not regret it later? Alright, I’m done, there are just too many awesome things about this recipe. See for yourself.

Mac and Cheese: The Ultimate Comfort Food (and it’s vegan!)

Print Recipe

• Author: monnccte
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cups Canned or cooked pumpkin (you can also use sweet potato, just swap directly)
• 1/2 cup Nutritional yeast
• 2–3 TbspNon-dairy milk (I use oat milk, just enough to help with blending)
• 2–3 Cloves roasted garlic (depending on how much you love garlic)
• 1 Tbsp Onion powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Put all ingredients in the blender. Blend until creamy, use milk to loosen up the mixture if it’s too thick to blend.
2. Mix in with cooked pasta and serve!
3. To freeze, portion out into small containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

I also keep portioned pots of this in my freezer for an easy weeknight meal. All you need to do is cook your pasta and mix in your defrosted sauce. Give it a try!

Keywords: Mac and Cheese

FAQs

Q: Can I use fresh pumpkin?

A: Absolutely! Just chop and roast your pumpkin first so it’s soft (you could even do this on the same pan as the garlic).

Q: Is this recipe suitable for someone who is lactose intolerant?

A: As long as you use a non-dairy milk! Be sure to choose one without a strong flavour so it doesn’t change the taste (I use oat milk).

If you give this a try or have any questions please let me know in the comments! Bon Appétit!