Vegan Cauliflower Nacho Cheese Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower (medium head, separated into florets and rinsed)
• 1 onion (medium, finely chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 red bell pepper (roughly chopped, seeds removed)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (for sautéing)
• 1 can Great Northern beans (15 oz can, drained)
• 2 tsp liquid aminos (such as Bragg's; use up to 3 tsp if desired)
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 0.25 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
• 0.5 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
• 1 lb pasta (high protein or standard pasta for serving)
• pasta water (as needed to thin the sauce)

Steps

1. 1

   Chop and rinse one medium head of cauliflower, separating it into florets.

2. 2

   Place the cauliflower florets in a steamer basket over boiling water. Steam until fork tender, which should take approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Once tender, set aside to cool slightly.

3. 3

   While the cauliflower is steaming, finely chop one medium onion and three garlic cloves. Roughly chop one red bell pepper, removing the seeds.

4. 4

   In the same pan used for steaming (after emptying water), heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.

5. 5

   Add the chopped onions to the pan with a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes until they become translucent.

6. 6

   Add the chopped garlic to the onions and continue to sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.

7. 7

   In a blender, combine the steamed cauliflower, one can of drained white beans, 2 teaspoons of liquid aminos, 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, the juice of one lemon, and the chopped red bell pepper.

8. 8

   Blend the mixture until smooth. If the blender is too full, blend the initial ingredients first to create space.

9. 9

   Add the sautéed onion and garlic mixture to the blender and blend again until completely incorporated and smooth.

10. 10

    Transfer the blended sauce back into the sauté pan. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over low-medium heat.

11. 11

    While the sauce heats, boil one pound of pasta in salted water according to package directions. Reserve some of the starchy pasta water before draining.

12. 12

    If the sauce is too thick, stir in small amounts of the reserved pasta water until your desired consistency is reached. Taste and add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt if needed.

13. 13

    Serve the warm nacho cheese sauce over the freshly cooked pasta.

Notes

The sauce can be stored in a glass container in the refrigerator for a few days. The author recommends making the pasta fresh each time you serve it. If the sauce thickens too much during reheating, thin it with a little water or plant milk.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegan
• dairy-free
• high-protein
• high-fiber
• healthy
• dinner
• pasta sauce