Pumpkin Mac n Cheese

Pure comfort food. Silky, satisfying and super cheesy sauce, garlic and sage roasted pumpkin vegan mac n cheese. Topped with a crunchy golden truffle oil-infused panko breadcrumb topping.

Ingredients

• One medium pumpkin

• 2 large garlic cloves 

• 3 fresh sage leaves (optional)

• Pinch of nutmeg 

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for a few hours or overnight 

• 2 cups non-dairy milk (I used almond) 

• 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast

• 2 Tbsp plant-based butter 

• 2 Tbsp plain flour

• 1 tsp cornstarch

• ½ cup vegan cheese (I used Daiya) 

• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs 

• 1 Tbsp truffle oil (optional) 

• 400g macaroni / elbow pasta

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C, cut your pumpkin in half, deseed and rub a little olive oil, salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg over the flesh. Peel your garlic and place along with a sage leaf underneath each half of the pumpkin halves, skin side facing up on a baking tray. Roast for 15 mins, then flip and roast for another 10 minutes or until soft. 

2. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and spoon the soft flesh into a blender along with the roasted garlic, soaked cashews, 1 cup of plant-based milk, nutritional yeast and salt and pepper to taste. Blend on a medium to high speed until smooth. 

3. To a large pot of salted boiling water add the macaroni and cook to packet instructions minus 2 minutes so the pasta is al dente. (You could use penne or fusilli if you don’t have macaroni to hand)

4. In a frying pan, add a little truffle oil (or 1 Tbsp of plant-based butter if you don’t have any) and add the remaining sage leaf and let it sizzle in the oil for a few minutes to release its aroma. Remove the sage leaf, add the panko breadcrumbs a little salt and pepper and fry on low, stirring until golden. Set aside. 

5. To the frying pan, melt the butter then add the flour and cornstarch, stir until combined. Add the remaining plant-based milk, vegan cheese and whisk until there are no lumps. Add the contents from the blender and stir until combined. 

6. Save a cup of the pasta water and then drain before adding the pasta to the sauce, stirring everything together. (If the mixture is too thick stir in a little of the reserved pasta water to loosen.)

7. Add the golden panko breadcrumbs on top and serve! If you have more time you can transfer the Mac n Cheese to a baking dish, top with the breadcrumbs and return to the oven for 10 minutes until golden brown.  

Enjoy! 

H x

If you enjoyed this post, why not try out my Ghost Pumpkin Tagine!