Vegan Dinners
Vegan Mac and Cheese with Cashew Sauce
This dish features tender elbow macaroni enveloped in a golden, velvety sauce made from emulsified raw cashews and savory nutritional yeast. The natural fats in the cashews provide a luxurious mouthfeel, making this a deeply satisfying and protein-rich meal.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 710 kcal
Method
Soak the raw cashews in boiling water for at least 30 minutes. Soaking is vital as it softens the cellular structure of the nut, ensuring that when blended, they transform into a perfectly smooth, heavy-cream-like emulsion rather than a gritty paste.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the elbow macaroni according to package instructions until al dente.
Drain the soaked cashews and place them into a high-speed blender. Add the vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and turmeric.
Blend on high for 60-90 seconds until the sauce is completely smooth and steaming hot. The friction of the blender helps the nutritional yeast bloom, which intensifies its savory, nutty flavor profile.
Drain the pasta, reserving half a cup of the cooking water, and return the pasta to the pot.
Pour the cashew sauce over the warm noodles and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water to achieve your desired consistency.
Notes
Always use raw cashews; roasted cashews will result in a grainy texture and a flavor that is too intensely 'nutty' for a cheese-style sauce.
For a baked version, top the finished mac and cheese with panko breadcrumbs and broil for 3-5 minutes until golden.
Add a pinch of turmeric not just for the golden color, but for the subtle earthiness it brings to the savory profile.
The protein in this dish is primarily derived from the raw cashews and the pasta, making it a hearty and complete meal on its own.
