Vegan Butternut Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 4.667 cup butternut squash (Peeled, seeded, and cubed; fresh or frozen)
• 0.5 onion (Chopped into large chunks; body directions specify yellow onion)
• 4 garlic cloves (Smashed, peeled, and roughly chopped)
• 16 oz macaroni noodles (Cook according to package instructions until al dente; salt the cooking water)
• 0.75 cup raw cashews
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 cup pasta water (Reserved from cooking macaroni; recipe reserves 1½ cups total, using 1 cup for the sauce and adding more a tablespoon at a time if needed)
• 1 tsp salt (Or to taste)
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 0.5 tsp ground mustard (Optional)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C), with a clean sheet pan inside.

2. 2

   While the oven preheats, peel, seed, and cube the butternut squash to yield about 4⅔ cups. Chop the onion into large chunks. Smash and peel the garlic cloves, then roughly chop them; keep the onion and garlic pieces fairly large so they do not burn in the oven.

3. 3

   Spread the squash, onion, and garlic in a single layer directly on the preheated sheet pan.

4. 4

   Roast for 25–30 minutes, or until the squash is easily pierced with a fork. The source recommends leaving the vegetables undisturbed for the full cook time to help steam build and soften the squash.

5. 5

   While the squash roasts, cook the macaroni in salted water according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1½ cups of pasta water, then drain the macaroni and return it to the cooking pot.

6. 6

   Transfer the entire pan of roasted squash, onion, and garlic to a blender. Add the cashews, nutritional yeast, 1 cup of reserved pasta water, salt, black pepper, and optional ground mustard.

7. 7

   Blend until smooth and creamy. If needed, add more reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce is smooth and pourable.

8. 8

   Pour the sauce over the cooked macaroni and gently stir to combine.

9. 9

   Set the pot over medium heat and warm through, continuing to stir gently.

Notes

The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. It thickens as it sits; before using, blend it with a little hot water until pourable, then pour over the noodles and heat through. For a nut-free version, the body excerpt suggests sunflower or pumpkin seeds in place of cashews. Suggested accompaniments include roasted carrots, apples, crispy baked BBQ tofu, or a green salad.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• side dish
• vegan
• dairy-free
• oil-free
• fall
• roasted
• comfort food