Megan CurtinBeing vegan doesn’t mean you have to cut out your favorite comfort foods. In fact, it means you can eat your comfort food in peace knowing you aren’t packing on the pounds.
Where typical mac and cheese packs a big punch of unhealthy, this recipe packs a big punch of plant-based goodness.
For this recipe I mixed zucchini noodles with normal noodles to give me a bit of veggie vitmains with a bit of comfort food.
You could also sub spaghetti noodles, gluten-free noodles or any other type of noodles you desire.
This recipe has NO CASHEWS or nuts of any kind which makes it perfect to whip up without having to soak cashews a whole night ahead.
You could also add more veggies to this like peppers or mushrooms! Broccoli would also be an excellent choice.
This cheese sauce turned out so well I would make it again to use as a dip for french fries or used to make a cheesy potato casserole.
Contents
Tools
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Cravings by Chrissy Teigen 12pc Aluminum Cookware Set |
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OXO 5 Qt Stainless Steel Colander |
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ood Grips Wooden Spoon Set |
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Chef’s Knife |
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arlic-A-Peel Garlic Press, Crusher, Cutter, Mincer, and Storage Container |
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Ingredients
- 1 box zucchini noodles
- 1 jalapeno
- 1 bag vegan shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 bag vegan mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup vegan cream cheese
- 1 yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tbsp flour
- Salt
- Peper
- Garlic salt
- Onion Powder
- Nutrient yeast
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Vegan Butter
Directions
- Cut up garlic and onion into small pieces.
- Cut jalapeno and rinse a few seeds. The more seeds you leave on the hotter things stay.
- Throw some butter into a pot with the spices and sautee the onions, garlic, and pepper until translucent. The amount of spice is personal preference but I do a few shakes of each before, during and after cooking.
- While that is sauteing start the water for your noodles.
- Once you are done sauteing add the flour and a splash of nutrient yeast. Stir until well combined.
- Add cheese and mix well. Vegan cheese takes a bit longer and a bit more heat to melt so that is why you want to add it in now.
- Your water is probably boiling now so throw in your noodles, rinse and set aside when they are done.
- Add your milk to the pot with the cheese and veggies. Season again! If you want it a bit runnier then add more milk.
- Add in your zucchini noodles and regular noodles. Stir together until blended.
- Eat, enjoy and be merry.
Extra Tips and Tricks
Zucchini noodles are not like normal noodles in the sense that they don’t need to be boiled in water. This is why you throw them in right before you are ready to eat.
You can make your own zucchini noodles by slicing a zucchini but I prefer to buy them becuase I’m lazy.
This might seem like an odd one, but you CAN NOT sub cucumber for zucchini noodles because cucumber is full of water and it will dilute your cheese sauce. Yeah, I’ve tried and ruined dinner.
Nutritional yeast is what gives the sauce the cheese taste so if you want your sauce to be supper cheese tasting then add more in. If you use the proper amount of cheese though you shouldn’t need to add more then what I have recommended.
You can omit the jalapeno if you find them to be spicy. You can also add in any veggies you want to power it up a bit.
You can use any vegan cheese you want but I prefer the brand follow your heart, the same creators of veganse. It is legit the best vegan cheese and is WAY better than Daiya!
Having the proper tools can make a world of a difference.
You can choose to put the finished mac and cheese in a skillet, add some bread crumbs and throw it in the oven for a mac and cheese bake with a crunch.
Megan Curtin
