Ingredient List:
1 lb macaroni
½ cup unsalted vegan butter
½ cup flour
2 cloves of fresh garlic (minced)
2 cups of high quality vegetable broth
2 cups of plant based milk (full fat plant- based milk works best)
½ tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp ground turmeric
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
2 cups shredded vegan cheddar cheese
Bring a pot of water (about 4 quarts) to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Generously salt the water and carefully add dry macaroni. Give a quick stir to the pot to make sure the pasta is not all stuck together and then cook at a boil for approximately 10 – 12 minutes or until the macaroni is just slightly underdone (pasta should be just slightly more than al dente). Drain pasta and set aside.
In a separate saucepan, melt vegan butter over medium-low heat and then add minced garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in flour and allow to cook for one more minute. Slowly begin to stir in the 4 cups of plant-based milk/vegetable broth by adding small additions (about ¼ cup of liquid at a time) and whisking the liquid with the flour mixture until it is well combined and doesn’t have any lumps. (Note: your sauce will have a smoother, creamier texture if the plant-based milk / vegetable broth has been slightly warmed before adding it to the flour mixture.) Repeat this step as many times as is needed to create a thick, smooth sauce. Once the sauce has come together and there are no remaining lumps of flour, whisk all remaining plant-based milk and vegetable broth into the mixture all at one time and stir until well combined. Next stir the Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, onion powder, paprika, and nutritional yeast into the sauce until well incorporated. Continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the sauce begins to simmer. Reduce heat slightly and allow to simmer for another two to three minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Remove sauce from heat and stir in 1 cup of shredded vegan cheese, adding cheese in small amounts and stirring after each addition until the cheese is fully melted/incorporated. Pour the sauce over the macaroni and stir until well coated.
Brush the bottom of an oven-safe, 9 x 13” glass baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil and then pour the macaroni & cheese into the dish. Top with remaining 1 cup of shredded vegan cheese and bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven until bubbly and golden brown. Total baking time will vary between 10 & 15 minutes based on the meltability of your cheese.
Note: you can skip baking the macaroni and cheese if you prefer it to be a bit creamier/saucier. Just mix 2 cups of shredded vegan cheese into the sauce after removing it from the heat, then pour over the macaroni and stir until well coated. Serve immediately!
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