Creamy Baked Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

by Jenny Engel and Heather Goldberg, Spork Foods

Spork Foods Recipe

This mac ‘n cheese is a most popular dish! It goes over well with everyone, not only vegans, and has even converted a few non-vegans on the spot. For a really cute presentation, bake it in individual, brightly colored ramekins, and give each of your guests their own scoop of heaven.

Serves 4-6

BASIC INGREDIENTS:

6-8 cups of water for boiling, salted

12 ounces of quinoa or spelt elbow macaroni

SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup non-dairy butter

1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 ½ cups unsweetened almond or soy milk

2/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon light miso paste

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons mustard, stone ground or German

1/2 cup homemade bread crumbs (Recipe in Note)

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bring salted water to a boil in a large (6-quart) pot. Add quinoa or macaroni and cook as described on package, about 7-9 minutes.

For the cheese sauce: Heat a medium (4-quart) pot over medium heat. Add non-dairy butter and flour.

Whisk together to form a paste, creating a roux. Add almond or soy milk, nutritional yeast, sea salt, black pepper, garlic, miso paste, lemon juice, and mustard. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring constantly, until cheese sauce looks thick and creamy.

Once macaroni is finished cooking, drain and add to pot with cheese sauce. Mix thoroughly to coat. Place mixture in a greased 8 x 8 baking dish, or 6 personal ramekins or cocottes, and top with homemade bread crumbs (recipe in NOTE below).

Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until bubbles appear in center of dish. Serve right out of oven.

NOTE: Homemade breadcrumbs are easy! Just place 2 pieces spelt bread (roughly chopped) on a baking sheet in a preheated 350°F oven. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon dried basil or oregano, and toss to coat. Bake for 7–9 minutes, until crisp. Pulse in a food processor until fine.

THE SPORKIE SCOOP

FOR YOUR SMARTS : The word macaroni comes from the Italian phrase “Ma caroni!” meaning “How very dear!” – because this style of pasta is so petite, it makes everyone happy.

FOR YOUR PARTS : Just embrace nutritional yeast. And when you purchase it (to get your B-12s

and tons of other vitamins) be sure to buy high grades, sometimes called “primary,” which are usually grown on sugar beets or molasses.

How to Connect

Connect with Jenny Engel and Heather Goldberg of Spork Foods by visiting http://www.sporkfoods.com or clicking on their book cover (which by the way is an excellent resource for a conscious diet).