Quick Macaroni Cheese from Food for a Future

Do you have cheese cravings? Want an easy to make but filling meal? This mac & cheese recipe is delicious! Get the pasta on to boil then whizz up the sauce and heat quickly. Nom.

Recipe from our lovely friends at Food for a Future, an East Midlands vegan outreach group from the legendary Veggies

Shopping tips

  • Jalapeno peppers are a chilli pepper widely used in Mexican and other Latino food. Brands to look for include Tesco and Old El Paso but there are others. Use a bit of chilli powder if you can’t find them or want a more budget alternative! It doesn’t have to be spicy hot, it just adds depth of flavour.
  • Nutritional yeast flakes are a vegan must-have! Found in Holland & Barrett, independent health food shops and increasingly, in larger branches of some supermarkets. Alternatively, try online: everyone from RealFoods, Goodness Direct and Veggie Stuff to Ocado and Amazon sells it!
Gluten free
Reduced sugar, diabetic friendly
Quick meal
Low fat, low sugar
Cheap

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Total time

15 minutes

Cuisine

United States and Canada

Meal

  • mains
  • lunches
  • sides-light-meals-and-salads

Servings

4

Ingredients

Pasta

  • Large pot of boiling, salted water
  • 350-400g small-medium tubular pasta, eg macaroni, penne or rigatoni (use GF if preferred)

Sauce

  • 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 1 hour). Raw means unroasted and unsalted. Cashew pieces are a cheaper option
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 tsp garlic – fresh or from a tube
  • 1 tsp dill
  • ½-1 tsp salt, start small, add more if necessary
  • 1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1.5 cups boiling water (360-400mls)
  • 10 jalapeno pepper pieces (from a jar, or 1 whole pepper) OR a pinch or two of chilli powder
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp cornflour or arrowroot

Optional

  • 1 tbsp soya sauce (tamari is GF)
  • Paprika – sweet or smoked – to sprinkle on top
  • ½ pack silken tofu, blended with the rest of the sauce – this adds extra protein and smoothness
  • Melting vegan cheese and sliced tomatoes for a topping. Violife melts well and is widely available. Greek-style from Tesco or Sainsbury also melts and tastes very good

Instructions

  1. Put pasta on to boil in the salted water.
  2. Blend sauce ingredients together for 3 minutes until smooth.
  3. Heat up the sauce and pour on the cooked, well-drained pasta. Mix in well, taste and season. Serve – preferably with something green like broccoli or a big salad.
  4. If you want to bake it, set the oven to 220°C/450°F/Gas Mark 7, add some grated vegan cheese and sliced tomatoes and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown. Or stick it under a hot grill to brown the top.

Optional extras / notes

‘+ 60 minutes to soak the cashews – the dish itself only takes 15 minutes to make

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