This recipe takes mac and cheese to a new level, nay, a new dimension of deliciousness. It’s different from what most people are used to, but it’s important to try new takes on old classics. You can always make a healthy rendition of a traditionally unhealthy dish, and this recipe is the perfect example of that.
- Prep Time:15m
- Cook Time:45m
- Total Time:1h
- Serves: 4 servings
- Category: Sides, Entrees, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the Mac & Cheese
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 c vegan butter
- 1/4 c spelt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- squeeze of a lemon wedge
- 1 c coconut milk
- 1/4 c nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp. dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 tsp. turmeric
- 1/4 -1 teaspoon smoked paprika (to taste), plus a little more on top
- 8 -12 oz elbow pasta, (for gluten free use quinoa or brown rice)
- 1 2 cups pasta water, use a little at a time
- 1 c organic frozen peas
- sea salt & pepper, to taste
For the Crusty Topping
- 1/4 c panko breadcrumbs (for gluten-free, use gluten free panko breadcrumbs)
- 1/4 c pine nuts, chopped
- pinch of cayenne & smoked paprika
- drizzle of olive oil on top before baking
- sea salt & pepper
Instructions
For the Mac & Cheese
- Melt the vegan butter in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the onions with a pinch of sea salt and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the flour and whisk to thicken before adding the garlic to cook for a few more minutes on medium-low.
- Add a good squeeze of lemon to the pot and stir to combine. Pour in the coconut milk, nutritional yeast, mustard, tomato paste, turmeric, paprika, and a few more pinches of sea salt and stir to combine. Let all of this simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.
- While the sauce is simmering, cook your pasta according to the instructions on the box. It typically takes about 8-10 minutes to cook pasta, so your pasta should be done by they time your sauce is done simmering. Don't drain the water when the pasta finishes cooking because you'll need some for the sauce.
- Taste your sauce and adjust seasonings if necessary. In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, some of the sauce, and peas. Pour in pasta water as needed to thin the sauce. You can stop here and serve this now if you like, or you can continue on to the next step to bake it.
For the Crusty Topping
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the pasta mixture in a 9x13 glass baking dish, add more pasta water and possibly more sauce. This will dry out a little while baking so make sure it’s really creamy first.
- Add the breadcrumbs, pine nuts, a little sea salt, and a pinch of cayenne and paprika on top. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and bake for 8-10 minutes, just until the crust starts to become golden brown. Serve with extra sauce and enjoy.
