Vegan Chipotle Mac and Cheese
Indulge is an adult version of a childhood favorite. Vegan Chipotle mac and cheese is all about savory, spicy goodness. Then add some healthy veggies for good measure, and love the flavors! Dig in; mac and cheese isn't just for kids.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 502kcal
Ingredients
Chipotle Cheese Sauce
- 1 cup raw almonds soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup unsweetened unflavored almond milk (or plant milk of choice)
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce or Tamari
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 adobo chili pepper plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
- 1-2 dashes cayenne pepper optional
Other Ingredients
- 16 ounces whole-grain or gluten-free Farfalle Bow-tie pasta
- 1 head broccoli core removed and cut into florets
- 16 ounces button mushrooms sliced (or mushrooms of choice)
- 1 yellow onion sliced thin
- 6 baby bell peppers, sliced thin
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Almond Chipotle Cheese Sauce
- Soak raw almonds overnight, drain, and place in a large blender cup.
- Add all other ingredients.
- Blend on high until creamy
Pasta and Vegetables
- Fill a large pot with water and add a few teaspoons of salt.
- Bring to a boil.
- Add pasta, stir, and reduce heat to simmer.
- Cook according to pasta instructions (my pasta took 13 minutes to cook)
- In the meantime, heat a skillet to medium heat and saute garlic and onions until onions are translucent.
- Use a little vegetable broth so the onions and garlic don't stick.
- Add mushrooms and continue cooking with the onions and garlic until mushrooms are browned.
- Now, add the sliced baby bell peppers
- Add vegetable broth as needed, so vegetables don't stick.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- When the pasta has 5 minutes remaining, add the raw broccoli to the pasta water and stir.
- When the time is up to drain the pasta, drain the pasta and broccoli together in a colander.
- Add noodles and broccoli back to the pasta pot.
- Then, add sauteed mushrooms, onions, and baby bell peppers.
- Next, pour the cheese sauce over the noodles and vegetables.
- Stir, and serve.
Notes
- For a nut-free option, choose white beans or silent tofu as the base of the cheese sauce. However, reduce the water by ½.
- It can be made gluten-free with gluten-free pasta
- Any noodle shape can be substitutes
- Allergic to almonds, an alternative sauce is nacho cheese sauce
- Looking for a cashew cheese sauce, try miso cashew cheese sauce
- Add any vegetables you enjoy
- Spicy ingredients like adobo chili and sauce, and cayenne should be added slowly, and you should taste test as you go.
- Chipotle mac and cheese reheats well for leftovers and lunch.
Nutrition
Calories: 502kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 485mg | Potassium: 1006mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 827IU | Vitamin C: 98mg | Calcium: 192mg | Iron: 3mg