Serves 4
Total time: 30 minutes
Active time: 20 minutes
Photo by Vanessa Rees
This is a beautiful bright orange mac, flavored with pepperoni type pizza seasonings; fennel, thyme, and oregano. I used to call it Pizza Mac & Cheese, actually! I’ve written a lot about vegan Mac & Cheese in the past, so I’ll skip all the broohaha, and just tell you to check out the latest Make It Vegan video and then get your mac on! For roasted brussel sprout directions, use this recipe.
Notes
~I always have a jar of roasted red peppers on hand, but making your own doesn’t take much time or effort. If you’ve got the oven on to cook something else, anywhere between 350° and 425°F, simply sneak in a pepper or three on a small baking pan. Roast whole for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the pepper appears collapsed, then transfer to a paper bag immediately and close the bag up securely. This will steam it, so that when cool the skin comes off easily. Once you get the skin off, open the pepper up (if it hasn’t already broken open) and discard the seeds. Voilà!
~If you don’t have any pizza seasoning laying around, simply use these spices: 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed or ground fennel, 1/4 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic)
~You can make this a baked mac, if you prefer! Transfer the whole shebang to an 8×8 casserole and bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.
~If you forgot to soak the cashews, have no fear. You can boil them for the same creamy effect, and still have this on the table in 30 minutes. Just submerge in boiling water for 15 minutes, drain, and proceed.
Ingredients
1/2 lb macaroni or other small pasta
3/4 cups unroasted cashews, soaked in water for 2 hours
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced medium
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 tablespoons organic cornstarch
1 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
1 roasted red peppers (jarred or homemade)
1 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons pizza seasoning (see note)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Directions
Preheat a 2 quart sauce pot over medium heat. Saute onions in oil with a pinch of salt for 5 to 7 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds or so, then transfer to a blender or food processor.
Boil a large pot of salted water for cooking the pasta. Once boiling, cook pasta according to package directions.
Drain the cashews and add them to the blender along with the vegetable broth, corn starch, nutritional yeast, red peppers, tomato paste, pizza seasoning, salt, mustard and turmeric. Blend until very smooth. Scrape down the sides every 30 seconds or so and test for smoothness.
Transfer the sauce in the blender back to the sauce pot where you cooked the onions. Turn the heat up to medium and let cook, stirring very often, until thickened. This should take between 10 and 15 minutes. Taste for salt. It should taste slightly salty because you’re going to be pouring it on the pasta.
The pasta should be done while the sauce is thickening, so drain and place pasta back in the pot you cooked it in. Set aside.
When sauce is thickened, add it to the pasta in the pot, and use a large slotted spoon to mix well, taking care not to break the pasta. Serve!
OMG, this is so tasty. I didn’t have time to soak the cashew, so I just blended the heck out of them – smooth, creamy & delicious!
So I had a hankerin’ for comfort food last night and I was straining my brain trying to decide between pizza and mac and cheeze. PPK to the rescue!!! This was every bit as delicious as one would expect a mashup of the two best foods on earth to be! P.S. It made, like, pretty much a METRIC TON! I’m looking forward to the leftovers!
My husband is allergic to cashews, almonds and hazelnuts. Do you have any ideas for me of things to substitute for the cashews in your recipes? I want to avoid resorting to white sauce or cheese. Thanks you@
Made this tonight. It was awesome!
This tastes different than other mac and cheeses. I like it. And even though I made Brussels sprouts before and thought they were gross, I roasted them like you said and it made all the difference. Delicious.
Mades this for lunch today. So easy and SO DELICIOUSLY DELICIOUS!! YUUUUUUUUMMYYYYY!! Thank you for inspiring me to cook! YUM!
Yum! made this for the first time today, love the video!
I added chopped jalapenos, and red pepper flake topped with panko and vegan parm cheese. and baked it till the crust browned.
I also used medium shell pasta.
bless the cashew.
Totally going to make this for my vegan friends who just had a (second) baby so they don’t have to cook as much!
I just made this. So good ! Thanks.
I recently made this for a few dinner guests and was asked what type of crack I put in this dish. Delish!
Sooo yummy! My son picked this out – he just got braces and needs to eat soft foods all weekend, so why not make them delicious, too? Such a creamy sauce, wonderful taste and texture. Thank you Isa! Just getting started with your new cookbook, used your advice to organize my everyday and other spices, very helpful!
I just made this last night, and I cannot wait to make it again! Awesome meal, and the kids loved it too! I just had to call it pizza mac and cheese for the little one. He thinks he’s a vegetable hater. Lol!
Just made this…..I have to admit I’ve been very scared of vegan Mac and cheese, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE regular Mac and CHEESE. I decided since I’ve cut out animal products in my diet several weeks ago and adopted a plant based diet. – Mac & Cheese was a thing of the past
Before this recipe, I have tried probably a handful of different vegan mac and cheeze recipes over the years, and I’ve never made any of them more than just once. But this one, Isa, this ONE is the bomb. I make it for my kids (and myself and my hubby) at least once a week, when that craving for mac and cheese creaminess hits. It is delicious. This is the only vegan mac and cheeze my kids like, and I thank you THANK YOU for inventing it! It has become a household regular for us!
Isa, my fiance wants to know which ingredient causes the sauce to congeal while heating. Or is it just because the water cooks out?
Made this last month and just re-heated in the microwave and tastes so good, freezes well so I’m going to make double next time. I also topped it with the roasted brussel sprouts! nom nom nom!
I’m vegetarian and did this recipe for my vegan boyfriend – we looove it sooo much! I didn’t miss the “real” cheese. Also, I forgot to add the roasted pepper, but added pepper seasoning. He hates brussel sprouts, so I just did the MacnCheese – I missed some additional garnish, next time I try it with roasted pumpkin, I think it fits very well!
So, I’m from Germany and I don’t know what Nutritional Yeast is – is it an American thing, or where can I buy it?
Anyway, I love your recipes and hope for moooooore! yummy!
Just poured this in the pan…the flavor is awesome! I was just wondering if anyone has tried just running this on high in the vitamix instead of cooking it on the stove? I started to do it but wasn’t sure how long it would take to thicken…
This was amazing, as usual. And I love the new videos 🙂
Today I had a weird craving for Kraft Mac&Cheese-how embarrassing. I haven’t had any non vegan food in so long and rarely have cravings. So it was a strange hankering. I know that this has a different flavor profile with the Italian seasoning, but it really satisfied. So creamy and orange! The sauce has this amazing texture, the consistency is perfect. Thank you thank you!!
Made this for dinner tonight. Fantastic!!! Added a dash of smoked paprika just for fun 🙂
Just made this and had two servings…yum!!!
This was awesome! I used silken tofu instead of cashew cream since I was taking it to a nut-free potluck. It was still yummy and everyone, kids and adults, liked it, even my picky family. Cashew cream will definitely make it richer and creamier but the tofu worked as a substitute. Will absolutely be making this again!
I hate to be *that* girl… but is there anywhere I can find nutrition facts on this?
Looks delis! Would LOVE to try this… I was wondering what you would suggest as a substitute for the cashew cream? Two of my three kids are allergic to tree nuts 🙁
This is just unreal. I cannot believe how good this tastes!!! Just made a whole pot and have already eaten half of it! After all the rubbish versions of vegan mac and cheese that I have tried, I didn’t believe this could really work.
Hi, I plan on making this tonight and just wanted to clarify, for the roasted red peppers, do you use the entire jar or is it only one pepper? Thank you!
I have been searching for a vegan Mac and cheese that I actually can stand by.. This is the one! So so delicious. Gonna make it for my daughters 3rd Birthday party. Thought I’d add broccoli to it breadcrumbs on top and give it a bake!
I just made this for dinner. It is incredible how much this tastes like mac-and-cheese casserole, the baked kind with a flour roux. You are a GENIUS, and my hero, because I can’t eat dairy at all.
I’m new to vegan cooking. If I were to soak a lot of cashews to use in the future, would they keep well? I see you use them a lot in your recipes and wondered if I could save time by doing so.
I can’t wait to try this.. do you have any pizza seasoning that you prefer? I was going to order some online.. for now I will add the noted ingredients. I’m hoping this can be a staple on my monthly menu. I love mac n cheeze! :))
I like Penzy’s blend a lot.
Just made this and ate way too much of it. You should re-christen it pizza mac and cheese, because it really does taste so much like pizza. Excellent recipe!
This is pure magic, my husband and mother LOVE this. We made it two days in a row and trekked out in the snow to get raw cashews. 🙂
Yum. Made this tonight but with roast broccoli as it is not the season for Brussel sprouts.
Loved it. Fought with hubby over the pot licking. Toddler wolfed it down. Pizza macaroni night is now vying for a weekly slot.
Just made this – it’s absolutely amazing!
Oh my goodness but this is GOOD! Better than GOOD! I love it! Tastes like pizza only better!
I have made this 4 times now! It is so delicious! My husband is allergic to dairy, so this was a great find. I have never been a fan of Mac & Cheese, but I can’t stop eating it! Thank you so much for this scrumptious recipe!
OMG, so amazingly delicious! My search for a great vegan mac and cheese has finally ended! My omni husband was skeptical, but after his first bite he couldn’t get enough. As others have said, it totally tastes like pizza. And do make a double batch. It’s filling, but to good to stop at one serving 🙂
this was amazing! thanks a million for this
This was my first form scratch “cheeze” adventure!! And it was sooooo yummy! I can’t wait to try the chipotle one and the sauerkraut one too! I’m thinking I should even make a bulk batch of that fantastic sauce to keep in the freezer! Does it freeze well?
I want to say thank you! I have an allergy to dairy and I am so grateful I found your blog! You are also inspiring me to become vegan! I never thought vegan food could taste so good!