Ultimate vegan mac and cheese
We believe that everyone should be able to enjoy the comfort of a creamy, cheesy pasta dish, which is why we love this vegan mac and cheese recipe from Speedy Bosh!, the latest book from Henry Firth and Ian Theasby. The sauce swaps dairy milk for an unsweetened almond substitute mixed with blended cashew nuts, which provide a dose of dietary fibre and heart-healthy fats. Traditional cheese is replaced with a vegan alternative in the recipe, plus a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast for an extra hit of savoury flavour and a plant-based source of vitamin B12. Topped with crispy breadcrumbs, it’s the ultimate comfort meal for cosy nights in.
Serves 4-6
300g macaroni
750ml unsweetened almond milk
50g cashew nuts
40ml olive oil
1 garlic clove
40g flour
100g vegan cheese
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp Dijon mustard
50g fresh breadcrumbs
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the macaroni and cook for 1 minute less than stated on the packet instructions. Drain the pasta and set to one side.
2 Meanwhile, put the almond milk and cashews into a medium saucepan, heat on medium-high and bring to the boil. Allow to cool, then transfer the mixture to a blender and blitz until smooth
3 Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Peel the garlic clove and grate it straight into the pan. Fry the garlic until just starting to brown, then add the flour to the pan and whisk until it combines with the garlicky oil to make a paste. Cook for 1 minute, reduce the heat to low and slowly pour in a little of the nut milk mixture in at a time, whisking until completely combined and all the nut milk is incorporated. Cook for a further 2 minutes, then grate the vegan cheese and add it to the pan with the nutritional yeast and mustard. Stir everything together, adding a splash more almond milk if the mixture is too thick.
4 Season the sauce with salt and pepper, take the pan off the heat and tip in the drained pasta. Stir to coat the pasta in the sauce. Preheat the grill on high.
5 To make the topping, put the breadcrumbs, olive oil and a big pinch of salt and pepper into a bowl and stir to mix. Scatter the crumbs over the pasta.
6 Place the pan under the grill for 2–3 minutes, keeping a close eye on it, until the topping is crispy. Divide your vegan mac and cheese between pasta bowls and serve immediately.
Recipe from Speedy BOSH! by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby (HQ, HarperCollins, £22)
