Recipe: Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

We enjoy this vegan macaroni and cheese for lunch about once a week. It's almost as quick to make as a box of Kraft, but it's so much healthier! It's a great way to sneak in some vegetables and whole grains to your kids' diet. It's warm and comforting, smooth and flavorful, and full of vitamins and healthy fat.

Ingredients

16 oz macaroni or other pasta

1/3 cup raw cashews (soaked for 1/2 hour)

1 potato

1 carrot

1/2 onion

Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 1/2 Tbsp)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

dash of hot sauce (like Tabasco or Cholula) 

pepper to taste

To Make

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. While the pasta is cooking, roughly chop your potato, carrot, and onion into one-inch pieces. Place them in a small saucepan with about a cup of water and simmer until fork tender, about ten minutes. Allow to cool a little, then pour the contents into a high-speed blender. Add the cashews, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, smoked paprika, dijon mustard, hot sauce and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add more water, salt, or spices to taste. Mix with drained pasta and enjoy!

Serves 4 to 6. 

Tips

Everyone's taste is a little different. You may want to add more or less lemon. Err on the side of too little, and add more to taste. 

To store, keep sauce and pasta separate, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. I like to make a double recipe and save the extra cheese sauce in the fridge for nachos, topping baked potatoes, or mixing into cheesy broccoli rice casserole. 

To reheat, first warm the sauce with a little milk in a saucepan on the stove. Add a pinch of salt. Once the sauce is warm, mix the pasta in and warm through.

FAQ

Can I make this nut free? 

Cashews are recommended for their creamy flavor and texture. I have had success mixing in half sunflower seeds and half cashews, but the sunflower seeds are not as rich and have a hint of a bitter flavor. Some people make a similar recipe with no nuts or seeds, but I feel it is lacking something. 

What kind of potato should I use? 

Any kind will work. I usually use russet, but use whatever you have on hand. You're looking for about 1/2 to 1 cup of potato. If it's on the larger side, add more cashews.

Should I peel the potato? 

You can. I like to keep the skins on for the extra nutrition. You can't really notice it in the blended sauce.

Can I use a regular blender? 

You will get better results with a high-speed blender. If you don't have one, be sure to soak your cashews beforehand (I can skip this step with my Nutribullet). You may want to boil your cashews in the the water with the vegetables for extra softness.

Can I use regular paprika? 

I recommend the smoked paprika, it adds a warmth that the kids notice when I omit.

Can I add nutritional yeast? 

I left nutritional yeast out of the recipe because I don't like the taste. If you do, feel free to add 1/4 cup!