Vegan Mac & Cheese Sauce

I’m not going to lie, I can’t really even take credit for this brilliant recipe, but my sister-in-law can. She served baked mac and cheese at my niece’s first birthday and it was so delicious! I immediately asked where she got the recipe and she responded (to my horror and embarrassment): from your blog.

First, I was shocked (and secretly impressed) that anyone reads my blog.

Second, that such deliciousness could come out of my original vegan cream sauce. So, here’s the recipe!

Vegan Mac & Cheese Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash, chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 whole garlic cloves
• 2 shallots, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon white pepper
• ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
• Pinch of cayenne (optional)
• 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for 30 minutes or overnight
• ½ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 cup unsweetened soy or nut milk

Directions:

1. Place the chopped butternut squash, garlic, and shallots into a baking pan. and
2. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper (and cayenne).
3. Mix well so that the olive oil covers all the ingredients.
4. Bake on 450 for 30-40 minutes until butternut squash is golden.
5. While the squash is cooking, make the vegan cream sauce. In a blender, process the cashews with a 1/4 cup of the soaking water.
6. Add in the roasted butternut squash, garlic and shallots.
7. Add in  the soy or nut milk and nutritional yeast.
8. Blend until smooth. Add in garlic. Use additional milk to thin out the sauce.
9. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste.

To make the mac and cheese:

1. Mix the sauce with cooked pasta.
2. Pour it into a glass pyrex or other oven-safe stoneware.
3. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs.