Description
A comforting and creamy vegan twist on the classic mac and cheese, infused with pumpkin and savory spices.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 small sugar pumpkin or 1 small butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds or 1 kg)
- Olive oil or avocado oil, for roasting
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in cool water overnight or for 1 hour in boiling water
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt + more to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon mellow white or yellow miso paste
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour or cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup canned lite coconut milk
- 10 ounces rigatoni pasta or any pasta of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Slice pumpkin or squash in half, deseed, and rub cut sides with oil. Roast cut side down on parchment for 30-40 minutes until tender.
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside, saving a bit of pasta water.
- Scoop out 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin flesh and blend with soaked cashews and other sauce ingredients until smooth.
- In a saucepan, combine pasta and sauce over medium heat, stirring gently. Add reserved pasta water if too thick.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, garnished with herbs or a sprinkle of paprika.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Reheat gently and add a splash of water or coconut milk to maintain creaminess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: vegan mac and cheese, pumpkin pasta, comfort food
