Extremely-creamy, cozy, and excellent for fall. This vegan Pumpkin Mac & Cheese has a silky cashew-pumpkin sauce that tastes deliciously cheesy-no dairy wanted. Make it quick on the stovetop, or bake it with a crispy panko-sage topping for the proper vacation aspect.
Mac and cheese is already peak consolation meals, however including pumpkin takes it to an entire new cozy degree. The sauce is ultra-smooth and tacky because of cashews, miso, and dietary yeast, whereas pumpkin makes it additional creamy with a comforting fall twist. Eat it straight off the range for a fast dinner, or bake it right into a effervescent casserole with crispy sage and panko while you need to impress.
Whereas I like having my grab-and-go vegan mac & cheese powder within the pantry, this pumpkin model feels next-level. It is wealthy, decadent, and a bit fancy, however nonetheless fast and simple to make (and secretly filled with healthful components).
Why This Pumpkin Mac & Cheese Is a Should-Make
- Versatile: Make it stovetop-easy for a fast dinner, or costume it up with panko and sage for a holiday-worthy aspect.
- Healthful cheesiness: For those who’re not a fan of store-bought vegan cheese substitutes, you may recognize that this cheese sauce is made with easy, healthful components: cashews, miso, dietary yeast, and pumpkin puree. It is filled with good-for-you components that style AMAZING.
- Make-ahead: Whether or not you make this pumpkin mac & cheese as a meal prep lunch or prep it upfront for a vacation so you possibly can pop it within the oven the day-of, it will retailer and reheat nicely.
Substances for Pumpkin Mac & Cheese
- Pasta: elbows, shells, bowties, or orecchiette. Use gluten-free pasta if wanted.
- Pumpkin purée: 100% pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling). Or, make your personal by reducing a pie pumpkin in half, scooping out the seeds and strings, then roasting cut-side down at 400ºF for 40-50 minutes till tender. Scoop out the flesh and mash or mix till {smooth}.
- Uncooked cashews: when blended, they take advantage of luscious creamy sauce. I purchase uncooked cashew items as they’re extra inexpensive. (Verify the recipe notes for a nut-free model if wanted).
- Dietary yeast: provides a savory tacky taste. (Do not confuse it with bread yeast, that is a completely completely different factor). Discover dietary yeast within the well being meals part of your grocery retailer or on-line.
- White miso: provides a bit umami funk = actual cheese vibes. It is certainly one of my go-to secret weapons to make vegan cheeses have that aged umami taste. Most grocery shops carry it or order it on-line.
- Cornstarch: helps the sauce thicken & cling.
- Heat spices: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper.
- Optionally available topping: panko, vegan butter (or olive oil), paprika, dietary yeast, and crispy sage. For the crispy savory topping.
How one can Make Vegan Pumpkin Mac & Cheese
- Prepare dinner the pasta: Observe the bundle instructions and prepare dinner till the pasta is al dente.
- Make the sauce: Add the cashews, pumpkin, water, dietary yeast, cornstarch, miso, and seasonings to your blender. Mix till the combination is totally {smooth}, scraping down the edges as wanted.
- Thicken the sauce: Pour the sauce into the pot you cooked the pasta in (saves on a dish) and simmer over medium warmth for five to eight minutes, or till it is thick and creamy.
- Add the pasta: Stir within the cooked pasta. You’ll be able to eat it now all creamy and luscious or…
- Take it to the subsequent degree and bake it. Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Coat a baking dish with nonstick spray or oil and unfold the mac & cheese inside, in a fair layer.
- Make the topping: Stir collectively the panko, melted butter, dietary yeast, and paprika and sprinkle the combination over the pumpkin mac.
- Bake: Place the pan within the oven and bake for 25-Half-hour, or till the highest is golden.
- Add the crispy sage (if desired): Fry the sage leaves in a little bit of oil or vegan butter till they’re crispy. Switch to paper towels, then sprinkle with salt and serve along with your pumpkin mac and cheese.
Suggestions and Variations
- Swap the squash: Butternut, kabocha, honeynut, and even candy potato all work rather than pumpkin. Minimize in half, scoop out the seeds (or prick candy potatoes with a fork), and roast at 400ºF (200ºC) till the flesh is delicate and simply pierced with a fork, about 25-35 minutes for smaller squash or candy potatoes, 40-55 minutes for bigger ones. Let cool barely, then scoop out the insides and mash or mix till {smooth} earlier than utilizing.
- Cashew-Free or Nut-Free: Change cashews with blanched almonds or uncooked sunflower seeds. Or use store-bought vegan heavy cream (see recipe notes).
- Gluten-free pleasant: Use GF pasta and GF panko. If you do not have panko, pulse toasted GF bread into coarse crumbs for higher crunch than customary breadcrumbs.
- Oil-free tweaks: Skip the butter/oil within the sauce. For the topping, toast the crumbs in a dry pan till golden earlier than sprinkling over the casserole.
- Make-ahead sport plan:
- Possibility 1 (greatest for texture): Prepare dinner the pasta and make the sauce, however retailer them individually within the fridge (as much as 2 days). Mix simply earlier than baking so the noodles keep completely saucy.
- Possibility 2 (nonetheless works, a bit softer): Assemble the entire casserole with topping, cowl, and refrigerate for as much as 2 days. When baking straight from the fridge, add 5-10 minutes to the bake time. If the pasta has soaked up an excessive amount of sauce, simply stir in a splash of plant milk earlier than topping and baking.
What to Serve With Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
How one can Retailer & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge: Switch leftovers to an hermetic container or cowl them within the baking dish. Refrigerate for as much as 4 days.
- To reheat: Heat leftovers within the microwave, a 350ºF oven, or in a pan on the stovetop over medium-low warmth, with a splash of plant milk.
- Freeze: The sauce freezes fantastically (as much as 3 months). Cool fully, portion into hermetic containers, and freeze. Thaw in a single day within the fridge, then whisk over low warmth with a splash of plant milk to deliver it again to silky earlier than tossing with freshly cooked pasta. (I do not advocate freezing the assembled pasta, because it tends to get mushy.)
For those who do this pumpkin mac and cheese recipe, tell us by leaving a remark, ranking it, and do not forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram. You may as well pin this recipe on Pinterest to reserve it for later!
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
Extra Vegan Cheese Recipes You may Love
(click on stars to vote)
Pumpkin Mac & Cheese (Vegan)
Creamy, cozy, and excellent for fall! This Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese is loaded with tacky taste because of dietary yeast and miso, and will get its silky texture from blended cashews. Make it on the stovetop for a fast dinner, or bake it with crispy sage and panko for a comforting foremost worthy of a vacation desk.
Servings:
Substances
Panko and Sage Topping (Optionally available):
Directions
-
Soften the cashews (non-obligatory): When you have a high-powered blender, you possibly can skip this step. In any other case, add the cashews to a small pot, cowl with water, and produce to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes till very tender. Drain and rinse nicely earlier than utilizing. Alternatively, soak cashews in cool water in a single day, drain and rinse earlier than utilizing. (Softening the cashews helps them mix easily right into a creamy sauce).
-
Prepare dinner the pasta: Carry a big pot of water to a boil. Prepare dinner pasta based on bundle instructions till al dente. Drain and put aside.
-
Make the sauce: Add the cashews, pumpkin, water, dietary yeast, cornstarch, miso, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to a blender. Mix till fully {smooth}, and creamy, stopping to scrape down the edges as wanted. (The combination shall be skinny however will thicken when cooked).
-
Thicken the sauce: Return the empty pasta pot to the range over medium warmth. Pour within the sauce and prepare dinner, stirring usually, till thickened and {smooth} 5-8 minutes.
-
Mix: Add the cooked pasta to the pot and stir to coat evenly. If having fun with straight away, warmth via and serve! Add an additional splash of water or plant-based milk to loosen if wanted. Function-is, or proceed to the subsequent steps for a baked model.
Optionally available: Baked Mac and Cheese with Panko + Sage
Notes
Use gluten-free pasta and panko breadcrumbs.
Oil-Free?
Make the pumpkin mac and cheese as written, however skip the buttery panko topping. For those who nonetheless desire a crispy end, toast the panko in a dry pan over medium warmth till golden, then sprinkle overtop.
Cashew-Free?
Change cashews with blanched almonds or uncooked sunflower seeds. Boil for quarter-hour till tender, then drain and rinse earlier than mixing. Or use 1 ½ cups store-bought vegan heavy cream and cut back the water within the recipe to 1 ½–2 cups, including extra as wanted to succeed in your required consistency.
Diet
Serving: 1 serving with panko topping (recipe makes 8 servings) | Energy: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 14g | Fats: 14g | Saturated Fats: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 4g | Monounsaturated Fats: 7g | Trans Fats: 1g | Sodium: 588mg | Potassium: 439mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 8622IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3mg
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I might love if you happen to left a ranking and remark, it helps others discover the recipe and makes my day! 💕
