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!
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
- Put pasta on to boil in the salted water.
- Blend sauce ingredients together for 3 minutes until smooth.
- 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.
- 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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