“Mac and cheese no longer has to be off the menu if you don’t do dairy. A blend of hearty cauliflower, butternut squash, cashews and nutritional yeast gives this vegan macaroni and cheese the gooey, cheesy texture and flavor of traditional mac, without a bit of dairy!”

Ingredients

  • ½ cup fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs, toasted
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1½ cups cauliflower florets
  • 1½ cups cubed butternut squash ( ½-inch)
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 8 ounces whole-wheat elbow pasta
  • 1 cup no-chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1½ teaspoons onion powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt

Directions

  • 1Preheat oven to 350°F. Put a large pot of water on to boil.
  • 2Combine breadcrumbs, parsley and oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • 3Add cauliflower, squash and cashews to the boiling water; cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is very tender, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cauliflower, squash and cashews to a blender.
  • 4Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions, stirring occasionally. Drain and return to the pot.
  • 5Add broth, nutritional yeast, mustard, vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder and salt to the blender; puree until smooth. Add the sauce to the pasta and stir until well coated. Transfer to an 8-inch baking dish and top with the reserved breadcrumb mixture.
  • 6Bake until heated through, 20 to 25 minutes.