Have you ever wanted to eat mac and cheese right away? You’ll love this recipe! From start to finish, this easy vegan mac and cheese takes only 20 minutes! Cashew sauce, which is easy to prepare, is a delicious, creamy, savory golden sauce. When you need comfort food quickly, this is the dish to make. We’ll show you exactly how to make it!
The mac and cheese begins with the cooking of the noodles. Shell-shaped noodles are our favorite because they hold the sauce in place like little spoonfuls. Yum! You can use wheat, gluten-free, or legume-based noodles (like Banza) for more protein and fiber.
The pasta water will be used in the sauce.
The eight-ingredient cashew sauce is creamy and rich in flavor, thanks to nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic, lemon juice, and chili powder. The pasta water adds flavor and thins the sauce.
Once blended up, the sauce lathers the noodles for a seriously dreamy, reminiscent-of-childhood bowl of goodness.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- We like Banza gluten-free shells.
- Lemon juice, 2 Tbsp (1/2 lemon according to the recipe)
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- Peeled two medium cloves of garlic
- Ground turmeric, 1/4 tsp
- Chili powder 1/2 tsp
- 1 tsp of sea salt
- Black pepper, one pinch is enough
FOR SERVING optional
- Vegan parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cover cashews with boiling water in a heatproof dish. Allow to soak for 15 minutes or until they are very soft. Drain and rinse cashews, and then set them aside.
- While you are waiting for the water to boil, generously season it with salt. Stir the pasta and cook it according to the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup (240ml) of pasta water (amount written in the original recipe // adjust for batch size), drain the noodles, and return them to the pot without heat.
- After soaking the cashews, transfer them to a high-speed blender. Add the nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic, chili powder and salt. Blend until smooth. If necessary, add more pasta water to achieve the desired consistency. If necessary, adjust the seasonings by adding salt, nutritional yeast, or lemon juice to add acidity/brightness. Turmeric can also be added for a more vibrant color. It should be very tasty!
- Pour the cheese sauce on top of the pasta and coat with it. As needed, add more pasta water to the noodles.
- Serve immediately or top with vegan Parmesan cheese. In a tightly sealed container, leftovers can be stored for up to three days. Reheat leftovers on medium heat in the microwave or stovetop. Add a small amount of plain dairy-free unsweetened milk (almond is best). Not freezer-friendly.