How to Cook Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

Serves: 6-8

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients needed to make Vegan Macaroni and Cheese:

• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• ½ medium head cauliflower, stems trimmed and chopped into 1’’ florets
• ½ medium head broccoli, stems trimmed and chopped into 1’’ florets
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium yellow onions, finely diced
• 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted
• 2 ½ cups unsweetened soy milk
• 1 can (14 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• ¾ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp sea salt
• ¾ tsp cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup + 3 tbsp olive oil

Cooking instructions for Vegan Macaroni and Cheese:

• Warm up your oven to 400 degrees F and position a rack midway within it.
• Drizzle a couple of tbsp oil in a large sauté pan and meat it over moderately low heat until it begins to shimmer.
• Throw in the onions and sauté for 15 minutes, stirring rarely, until they caramelize completely.
• Stir in a dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper to season and transfer them into a bowl; set aside.
• Scatter the cauliflower and broccoli florets into a rimmed baking sheet, followed by the minced garlic on top and smother them with a tbsp of oil.
• Sprinkle a tsp of salt as well as ½ tsp black pepper over them and toss them all together to mix well.
• Place them in the oven and roast for 15 minutes, or until the veggies are cooked through and get seared at places.
• Place the baking sheet onto a wire rack and allow to cool.
• Fill a large, deep-bottomed pot with water and stir in enough salt to make it heavily salted.
• Bring it to a boil over high flame and drop in the pasta.
• Cook according to the directions provided in its package until done al dente.
• Tip it into a colander to drain and wash under running cold water until they cool down and they don’t adhere to each other; set aside.
• Meanwhile, toss the walnuts into a blender and pour in coconut milk.
• Pulse them into a smooth paste and set aside.
• Wipe the pot clean and drizzle ¼ cup olive oil into it.
• Het it over moderate flame and stir in flour, 1 tbsp salt, rest of black pepper, Dijon, cayenne as well as paprika until well mixed.
• Cook, while whisking it often, until they form a smooth roux and the raw smell of the flour cooked off.
• Continue to cook for another couple of minutes or until the blend changes its colour slightly and stir in the yeast.
• Cook further, whisking it from time to time, for 2 more minutes or until it browns slightly and beat in the coconut-walnut paste until well combined.
• Whisk in the soy milk until they blend together to form a smooth mixture and cook over moderately high heat for 5 minutes or until it begins to simmer and thickens considerably.
• Fold in the cooked pasta, roasted veggies as well as caramelized onions into the simmering sauce until coated properly and cook for 3 more minutes until the above ingredients are warmed through.
• Adjust the seasonings if necessary and pour it into serving bowls.
• Serve warm.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons