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Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.2 from 89 reviews
  • Author: Chef
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese is a creamy, comforting plant-based take on the classic mac and cheese. Using sweet potatoes, cashews, and nutritional yeast, this dairy-free sauce offers a rich, cheesy flavor with a hint of smokiness from paprika and umami notes from soy sauce. Perfectly cooked pasta is tossed in the luscious sauce, making it a hearty and satisfying meal for vegans and non-vegans alike.

Ingredients

Pasta

  • 16 ounces uncooked pasta

Sauce

  • 2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potato (about 1 medium sweet potato)
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 medium yellow or white onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter

Instructions

  1. Soak Cashews: Place the raw cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them soak for 20-30 minutes to soften while preparing other ingredients.
  2. Prepare Sweet Potato: Peel and cube the sweet potato until you have about 2 cups. This will form the base of the sauce.
  3. Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Salt the water well to enhance flavor and help sauce adherence.
  4. Boil Sweet Potatoes: In a separate pot, cover the sweet potatoes with water and boil for about 15 minutes or until they are fork-tender.
  5. Sauté Aromatics: Roughly chop the onion and mince the garlic. In a pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté onion and garlic for about 5 minutes until the onions become translucent.
  6. Blend Sauce Base: Drain the soaked cashews and add them to a high-speed blender with 2 cups of fresh water. Blend until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
  7. Add Cooked Ingredients: Add the sautéed onion and garlic along with the drained sweet potatoes to the blender.
  8. Season and Blend Sauce: Add salt, black pepper, dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, paprika, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and vegan butter to the blender. Blend until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt or seasonings as needed to enhance the cheesy flavor.
  9. Combine Pasta and Sauce: Pour the creamy sweet potato sauce over the cooked pasta and stir thoroughly to coat each piece.
  10. Serve: Garnish with red pepper flakes and chopped chives as desired and enjoy your hearty vegan mac and cheese!

Notes

  • Soy sauce adds a lovely savory depth and enhances the salty, cheesy flavor of the sauce—don’t skip it!
  • If sweet potatoes are unavailable, substitute with butternut squash or pumpkin for a slightly different but still delicious flavor.

Find it online: https://emilysplate.com/vegan-sweet-potato-mac-and-cheese-recipe/