Ingredients

For the Roasted Butternut Squash

• 1 medium-sized butternut squash (2 ½ – 3 lbs / 1.1 – 1.3 kg)
  1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
  ½ teaspoon salt (3 g)
  ¼ teaspoon black pepper (1 g)

The roasted butternut squash gives the sauce its characteristic orange color and amazing velvety texture.

For the Vegan Cheese Sauce

• 1 ½ cups roasted butternut squash flesh (340 g)
• ½ cup raw cashews, soaked (75 g)
• ½ cup nutritional yeast (30 g)

The nutritional yeast adds this unique, chees,y and savory flavor.

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (3 g)
• ½ teaspoon onion powder (1.5 g)
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (0.5 g)
• ¾ teaspoon mustard powder (2 g)

Mustard powder adds an interesting, sharp cheddar taste to the sauce.

• 1 tablespoon white/light miso paste (18 g)

Miso paste is another ingredient that adds umami-rich depth to the sauce.

• 1 can light coconut milk (13.5 oz / 400 ml)

Coconut milk is used for the creamy texture of the sauce. Do not worry! The lemon juice prevents the sauce from developing a coconut taste.

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (30 ml)
• 2 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch (16 g)

Tapioca flour is used to achieve the stretchy mac-and-cheese-like sauce.

Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Pasta

• 12 ounces elbow pasta (340 g)

Traditional elbow macaroni is used to make the dish nostalgic and delicious.

For the Crispy Topping

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (50 g)

Panko breadcrumbs are lighter and crispier compared to traditional breadcrumbs.

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (10 g)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt (3 g)
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (0.5 g)
• 3 tablespoons vegan butter (42 g)

Roast the Butternut Squash

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds from it, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash halves, cut side down,n onto a baking sheet.

What I love about this part of the process is that you don’t have to peel and cut the butternut squash.

Roast the squash in your preheated oven for 45 – 50 minutes or until completely fork-tender. The outer layer will appear slightly wrinkled, and the kitchen will be filled with a sweet, nutty, almost caramel-like aroma. The flesh should easily yield to a fork.

Let the squash cool a little, and then remove 1 ½ cups of flesh.

Recipe Tips: I always roast extra butternut squash and use it for soups or risottos on the following days.

Soak the Cashews

Place the raw cashews into a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let the cashews soak for about 1 hour.

If your blender cannot handle nuts easily, it’s better to soak the cashews overnight in cool water.

The first time I forgot to soak the cashews, the sauce appeared slightly chunky. However, it still tasted yummy! Nevertheless, soaking is crucial if you want your sauce to be perfectly smooth.

After soaking, the cashews will appear softer and slightly plump.

Blend the Vegan Cheese Sauce

In a blender, combine:

• roasted butternut squash flesh,
• soaked cashews,
• nutritional yeast,
• garlic powder,
• onion powder,
• smoked paprika,
• mustard powder,
• white miso paste,
• coconut milk,
• lemon juice,
• tapioca flour,
• salt, and pepper.

Blend everything until totally smooth.

At first, the consistency of the sauce seems thick and orange. However, after about 1 minute of blending, the sauce becomes incredibly shiny and golden-colored. In addition, the odor at this step is amazing and consists of savory, cheesy, smoky, and rich aromas.

Sometimes, I need to pause the blending process and scrape the ingredients from the sides because some cashews tend to hide at the top of the sauce.

Recipe Tips: After blending, taste your sauce carefully because you can adjust saltiness, lemon juice, or nutritional yeast content at this point more easily than later.

Cook the Pasta

Boil elbow macaroni in a large pot of salted water, following the instructions on the packaging until “just al dente.”

Keep in mind that the pasta will continue to cook while baking. Thus, stop cooking before it becomes fully soft to avoid overcooking.

Strain the cooked pasta and place it back into the pan while hot. Steam will help you mix the pasta and sauce more easily.

Always keep ½ cup of pasta water in case the sauce becomes too thick. Just add it to the sauce to get the desired consistency.

Combine Pasta and Sauce

Pour the cheese sauce over the hot pasta and gently mix until the pasta pieces are covered in sauce.

As soon as you pour the sauce into the pasta, the sauce will instantly become golden, shiny, and creamy. Moreover, thanks to tapioca flour, the consistency will become luscious and rich.

You will clearly hear a bubbling sound while mixing pasta and sauce. It will be hard not to start eating your meal at this step.

Recipe Tips: In case the sauce appears to be too thick, add pasta water to it. If you notice that the sauce is too thin, wait a little bit because it will thicken while heating.

Make the Crispy Topping

In a bowl, combine:

• panko breadcrumbs,
• nutritional yeast,
• kosher salt,
• smoked paprika,
• and melted vegan butter.

Mix everything gently until the breadcrumbs are thoroughly covered.

The breadcrumbs should remain fluffy and slightly moist. After baking, the top will be golden, crispy, and buttery, creating a perfect combination with the creamy noodles underneath.

Once, I substituted panko breadcrumbs with traditional breadcrumbs, and the topping appeared denser and not as crispy.

Bake the Vegan Mac and Cheese

• Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Grease your 2 – 3-quart baking dish with vegan butter and transfer the mac and cheese there.
• Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture all over the top.
• Bake for about 15 – 20 minutes or until the topping becomes golden-brown and crispy on the edges.

As soon as the mac and cheese is done, you will notice how aromatic and inviting the food becomes. The odor will consist of buttery, cheesy, smoky, and warm smells. While serving, you can notice how the crispy bread crumbs crunch, and the creamy pasta under it melts in your mouth.

Let the mac and cheese rest for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to set.

Tips on How to Avoid Mistakes

Use Unsoaked Cashews

• Don’t throw the cashews into your blender unsoaked.
• Why does it occur? It seems that blending the cashews longer might help.
• How to avoid? Always soak the cashews first to make the sauce smooth.

Overcook the Pasta

• The pasta becomes fully soft while being baked.
• Why does it occur? People often forget about the baking process.
• How to avoid? Stop cooking the pasta when it’s only “al dente.”

Do Not Use Lemon Juice

• You don’t use any acidic ingredients
• Why does it occur? The sauce tastes flavorful enough.
• How to avoid? The lemon juice adds flavor to the sauce and balances the richness of coconut milk.

Substitute Coconut Milk with Thin Plant-Based Milk

• Replace coconut milk with almond milk.
• Why does it occur? Almond milk is commonly used in vegan recipes.
• How to avoid? Use oat milk or soy milk instead because coconut milk gives you a thicker sauce.

Under-season the Sauce

• Salting the sauce insufficiently.
• Why does it occur? The cashews and squash slightly dull the taste.
• How to avoid? Taste the sauce before mixing it with the pasta.

Modification Ideas

Include Roasted Garlic

Sometimes, I add a whole roasted head of garlic to the blender to create an even sweeter and deeper sauce.

Add Some Leafy Vegetables

If you prefer your mac and cheese a little bit more nutritious, add some leafy vegetables to the mixture.

Make Your Mac and Cheese Spicy

Add cayenne or pickled jalapeños to your sauce. The spices add nice heat to your creamy sauce.

How to Store and Serve

Surprisingly, this mac and cheese can be stored well.

• Room Temperature: for up to 2 hours
• Refrigerator: store in an airtight container for up to 4 days
• Freezer: freeze for up to 2 months

When reheating, add a little amount of oat milk or water to loosen the sauce up.

I believe this mac and cheese tastes best when it’s hot, coming straight from the oven with a crispy topping. However, I have tried the leftover pasta cold from the fridge, standing directly in front of my fridge. I have to admit that it tasted yummy too!

Whenever I serve this dish for the holidays, I pair it with roasted vegetables or a refreshing green salad.

For me, this vegan mac and cheese became a dish that I love preparing regularly. As soon as autumn starts, I begin craving it all the time. It’s tasty, comforting, and reminiscent of the old times. To my surprise, even members of my family who don’t like vegan dishes ask for seconds each time.

Hopefully, this dish will become one of your go-to dinners too!