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Creamy Cashew Mac and Cheese

North American · 30 min · Easy · 4 servings

Creamy Cashew Mac and Cheese

A blender sauce of soaked cashews and nutritional yeast that clings to every elbow of pasta — properly creamy, savory and comforting, with not a plastic slice of vegan cheese in sight.

~640 cal per serving — Calories are approximate, per serving — a guide only.

soy-free
Plan it:

Method

  1. 1

    Cook the pasta

    ⏱ 9 min

    Boil the pasta in well-salted water until just al dente. Scoop out a mugful of pasta water before draining, then set the pasta aside.

  2. 2

    Blend the sauce

    ⏱ 2 min

    Put the drained cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, smoked paprika, onion powder, plant milk and a good pinch of salt into a blender. Blend until completely smooth — a full minute or two, so there's no grit.

  3. 3

    Combine and loosen

    ⏱ 4 min

    Return the pasta to the pot over low heat and pour in the sauce. Stir until it thickens and coats the pasta, loosening with splashes of the reserved pasta water until it's glossy and creamy.

  4. 4

    Season and serve

    Taste and adjust with salt, pepper and an extra squeeze of lemon. Serve straight away, while it's at its silkiest.

Notes

No high-speed blender? Soak the cashews in boiling water for a full 30 minutes so they blend perfectly smooth. The sauce thickens as it sits, so keep the pasta water handy to loosen leftovers.

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