Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
This Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese is creamy and decadent - made with a pumpkin cauliflower sauce that is healthy & delicious. Nut-free. Potato-free. Carrot-free.
Ingredients
FOR THE CAULIFLOWER SAUCE
- 1 head cauliflower about 4 heaping cups, cut in florets, I used orange cauliflower but white works too
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 1 shallot diced
- 4 cloves garlic diced
- 3 sage leaves diced
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk unsweetened
- 3/4 cup broth*
- lemon juice & zest to taste**
- salt & pepper to taste
FOR THE PASTA
- 1 lb pasta shells
- fried sage, everything but the bagel seasoning, parsley, hot sauce optional toppings
Instructions
- Add cauliflower to a large pot and fill with water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove the lid and lower heat to a simmer. Cook cauliflower until fork tender (approx. 10 minutes). Drain and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- While the cauliflower is cooking melt the vegan butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic & sage and sauté until tender (approx. 5 minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside.
- To a blender, add the cooked cauliflower, pumpkin puree, non-dairy milk, broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, a healthy pinch of salt & pepper and the cooked shallot/garlic mixture. Blend until smooth and set aside.***
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and place the pot back on the stove with no heat.
- Add the hot pasta back to the empty pan and pour your desired amount of sauce over the pasta. Toss to combine and heat through - if needed turn heat to low until hot. Taste and add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with optional toppings.
Video
Notes
*I used vegan chicken broth. You can get it at Whole Foods or online, here.
**I used 1 whole lemon. Based on reviews, that is too much lemon flavor for some people. So start with a small amount and build up to your personal taste.
**If your sauce is too thick, add additional broth and/or non-dairy milk until the consistency you want is achieved.
TO MAKE AHEAD OF TIME: Make the sauce ahead of time and store in the fridge. Right before eating, cook up the pasta and combine with the sauce over the stove. The sauce should keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 5g