The Most Amazing Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese

No, it isn’t cheese…even though it kind of looks like it.

Instead, it’s a creamy, flavorful alternative to the dairy stuff that will leave you richly satisfied in your decision to leave the cows alone.

Vegan Mac and Cheese that has been made healthy with wholesome ingredients. I made this dish and it looks just like the picture and tastes just as good!

You’ll Need:

• 10 ounces dried macaroni or about 2 2/3 cups
• 1 cup peeled/diced yellow potatoes or russets
• 1/4 cup peeled/diced carrots
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup water preferably use liquid from pot of boiled veggies
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper optional
• 1 pinch paprika

Instructions:

1. Cook macaroni al dente, according to package instructions (usually requires boiling for 6-8 minutes in salted water), drain, and set aside.
2. Bring several cups of water to boil in a small pot. Place chopped potatoes, carrots, and onion in the boiling water, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and soft enough to blend. Cooking time will vary slightly, based on how small you have chopped your veggies.
3. When veggies are soft enough to blend, use a slotted spoon to remove them from cooking water, and place them in your blender. Add 3/4 cup of that cooking water to your blender, along with your remaining ingredients (including cashews).
4. Blend until smooth.
5. Pour sauce over your cooked macaroni noodles in a dish of your choice, taste for salt, and serve immediately.
6. Or, place macaroni mixture in a baking dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, or until crumbs are turning golden brown.

NOTES:
If you are not using a high-speed blender (like Vitamix of Blendtec) for this recipe, I recommend soaking your cashews for at least 30 minutes before attempting this recipe.