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Vegan Squash Mac & Cheese

Course Brunch, Dinner, Special Occasion
Keyword Holiday Recipes, Vegan Cheese, Vegan Mac and Cheese
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 5 people
Author The Earth Kitchen

Equipment

  • food processor or high speed blender
  • casserole dish
  • Mixing bowls
  • strainer / colander
  • soup pot

Ingredients

FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE

  • 2 cups roasted squash (mashed) see notes
  • 2 cups vegan shredded cheese of choice (see notes)
  • 1½ cups unsweetened plant milk soy or cashew
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp chili flakes optional, for heat

FOR THE PASTA

  • 3 cups (1 pack) elbow macaroni plain or sub gluten free pasta of choice
  • 3 tbsp vegan butter

FOR THE CRUNCHY BREAD CRUMB TOPPING

  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter melted

Instructions

FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE

  • On a baking sheet, line a silicone mat/parchment paper. Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Coat lightly with a neutral flavored oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place squash flat on the baking sheet (or smooth surface down).
  • Roast squash between 30-45 minutes or until squash is tender. Allow squash to cool before handling.
  • Using a food processor or blender, scoop out flesh of squash and drop in processor. Add remaining ingredients such as vegan shredded cheese, plant milk, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
  • Blend ingredients until it reaches a smooth creamy consistency. Pour into a bowl or set aside until ready for use.

FOR THE MACARONI

  • Bring water to boil with half a tablesboon of sea salt. Boil macaroni in salt water to al dente or according to box instructions. Reserve about a cup of pasta water to incorporate for the sauce. Drain macaroni on a colander or strainer.

FOR THE MACARONI & CHEESE PREPARATION

  • Using the same pot, heat stove to medium low. Coat pot with vegan butter until melted. Pour cheese sauce into pot until it has thicken.
  • Toss macaroni in the pot and gently fold with cheese sauce. Pour a little bit of the pasta cooking water into mix to loosen up the sauce. Turn off heat.

FOR THE BREADCRUMB TOPPING

  • In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter.
  • Mix until melted butter is evenly combined with breadcrumbs.

PREPARATION

  • On a casserole dish, pour mac and cheese on an even layer. Sprinkle panko breadcrumb topping until the top layer is covered.
  • Set your oven to broil on low for 7-10 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. If you don't use a broiler, you can bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown and crispy.
  • Serve with a sprinkle of paprika for color or fresh herbs as garnish. Enjoy!

Notes

  • SQUASH - Honey nut, kabocha, or butternut squash will be perfect for this recipe. I have used honey nut and butternut squash as they are my favorite. If you are short on time, you can roast the squash in advance (at most 1-2 days and stored in the fridge) and use when you are ready.
  • CHOICE OF VEGAN CHEESE - Quality vegan cheese matters! Use your most favorite brand. For this recipe I like to mix VioLife's shredded cheddar cheese and Mozzarella cheese.
  • PLANT-BASED MILK - Ensure that milk is unsweetened and plain to avoid unnecessary flavors. Avoid milk such as almond or oat as results will be much watery. Unsweetened plain soy or cashew milk is much preferred as consistency is a lot thicker and neutral in flavor. I used soy milk as it gave the best consistency.
  • GLUTEN FREE? This recipe can easily be made gluten free by substituting your pasta to gluten free options and the panko breadcrumbs. For breadcrumbs, you can use corn tortilla chips and crumble them up for a crunchy topping or corn flakes! The topping is totally optional, and can also be omitted. Ensure that the butter and cheese of choice does not contain any gluten. However, if you use the same brand of cheese as I do, it is already gluten free.