Meaty Vegan Mac and Cheese

When you're craving a Meaty Mac and Cheese but you're vegan you can get pretty creative with your ingredients! ENJOY!

You guys sure do love my pasta bowls. I have to say that I don’t blame you. I love them too, haha. I have pasta a few times a week. Carbs are life and don’t let anyone tell you different. In my experience people who restrict themselves end up angry at their food and really, who needs that. In my household we are restricted to a certain degree. The mister has celiac disease so that means no gluten, like zero, nada, niente. BUT that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy all the carb like things. We just have to be smarter. Long gone are the days when gluten-free meat crappy card-board like texture and taste. Gluten free has EVOLVED and now we can enjoy SO many wonderful pastas, breads and recipes. Restaurants are dedicating entire menus to gf so that the celiac person does not have to suffer anymore.

There are a bazillion different pasta companies that make wonderful pasta using all sorts of different ingredients. Lentil, rice, corn, chickpea, millet, the list can go on. My fave is brown rice and corn. I love the texture and dare I say my gluten eating carnivores never complain when they are diving into my creations.

This MAC AND CHEESY got an upgrade with my walnut and tofu meat. Think gourmet hamburger helper but make it vegan. It is insanely good and even tho it’s one of my most saved posts on IG I thought it needed a home here too.

Meaty Vegan Mac and Cheese

Teri-Ann Carty

When you're craving a Meaty Mac and Cheese but you're vegan you can get pretty creative with your ingredients! ENJOY!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Servings 2

Equipment

oven
stove
food processor or blender

Ingredients

BUTTERNUT SQUASH "MEATY" MAC & CHEESY SAUCE INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic
pinch of chilli flakes
2 cups butternut squash (roasted)
½ cup cashews (soaked and rinsed)
1 cup cashew milk
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1-2 cups hot pasta water
1 tsp sea salt & cracked black pepper

PASTA INGREDIENTS

1 bag short noodle of choice
½ onion (diced)
1 large clove garlic
½ bunch rapini (chopped)
2 fistfuls spinach
1½ cups walnut tofu meat (recipe below)
2 cups cheese sauce
reserved pasta water
chili flakes, shaved parm, sea salt and cracked pepper.

"MEAT" INGREDIENTS

1½ cups walnuts
1 package extra firm tofu
1 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder & oregano
½ tsp each ground cumin, cayenne, smoked paprika
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp olive oil and maple syrup
2 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste

Instructions

BUTTERNUT SQUASH "MEATY" MAC & CHEESY SAUCE INSTRUCTIONS

Sauté onion, garlic & chili flakes. Set to the side.
Add squash, drained soaked cashews, milk, nooch, turmeric, Dijon, onion & garlic to a blender.
Pulse to combine. Turn on high adding pasta water to thin out to your desired consistency.
Season well.

PASTA INSTRUCTIONS

Boil pasta in salted water.
In a large pan add olive oil, chili flakes, garlic and onion. Sauté for several minutes. Add rapini and tofu meat.
Cook until rapini starts to soften. Add cheese sauce and spinach.
Drop pasta into the pan tossing everything together.
If needed, add pasta water to thin out.
Season with sea salt pepper and cheese.

"MEAT" INSTRUCTIONS

Crumble walnuts in the food processor until pea sized.
Mash tofu with fork (or hands!) until pea sized.
Whisk wet and dry ingredients together and combine with walnut and tofu mix.
Spread on baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 35 min, stirring at half way to ensure even baking.

Keyword cheesy, dairy free, gluten free, mac and cheese, meat alternative, meat free, plant based

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