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Masala Mac and Cheese! Garam masala, cumin, fennel, cayenne, nigella and fenugreek seeds in this Indian Spiced cheese sauce. Vegan Recipe. can be gluten-free
I don’t know why I haven’t made masala mac before. The spices work out so well in the cheese sauce and makes a fabulous mac and cheese. Masala basically means spices or a sauce made with spices.
The cheese sauce with spices and cashews is flavorful and comes together quickly if you have the spices. I use quite some spices for a complex flavor. Use any that you have and the sauce will still be fabulous. I saw the Ethiopian Mac in Kittee’s book and that gave me the idea to make the Indian Masala Mac!
To make this masala mac and cheese nut-free, use soaked sunflower or pumpkin seeds in the sauce. This Mac is going to be a crowd pleaser at the next event for sure. There can never be too many mac and cheese recipes right!
mmm.. mmm .. mmmmmm
More Mac’s from the blog.
- ROASTED TOMATO CHIPOTLE MAC AND CHEESE WITH CAULIFLOWER SAUCE
- NACHO MAC AND CHEESE CASSEROLE
- SPICY MAC N YEASE
Make this today!
VIDEO:
Masala Mac and Cheese Vegan Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 oz pasta
- 2 tsp oil
- 1/4 tsp each of cumin seeds, coriander seeds, nigella seeds
- 1/8 tsp each of fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1/2 inch piece of ginger, chopped
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 medium tomato chopped
- 1/3 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup water, use 1 cup water for thinner sauce, the sauce thickens quite a bit
- 3/4 to 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 1/4 cup non dairy milk
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp onion granules
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to instructions.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add all the whole spices/seeds and cook for 2 minutes or until they change color and get fragrant. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and a pinch of salt. Cook until translucent. 3 to 4 minutes. Add cayenne, garam masala and cinnamon. Give it a quick mix. Add tomatoes, cashews, water, salt and lime juice, bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes. Total 6 to 7 minutes.
- Cool slightly and blend with nutritional yeast and non dairy milk in a high speed blender, until smooth. Return the sauce to the skillet. Add cooked pasta and black pepper, onion granules cover and cook over low-medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes,or until it thickens. At this point I usually add some chopped broccoli or baby greens and fold in.
- Stir, taste and adjust salt, spice and tang. Add prepared mustard for additional tang if needed. Cover and let it sit for 5 minutes. Serve garnished with cilantro and paprika. Add a side of grilled Spiced Tofu and a small salad on the side to make a meal.
Video
Notes
To sub fenugreek seeds, use 1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves or 1/4 tsp ground mustard.
To make this nut-free, use soaked sunflower or pumpkin seeds in the sauce Nutritional values based on one serving
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this for dinner and loved the flavors, but next time I will try using coconut milk to make it creamier.
Super tasty…I’ve been craving it ever since making it!
wow – it really left a lasting impression!
So delicious I can’t stop eating it!
that’s great! so addictive – thank you
I would love to make this, but my son has a cashew allergy…is there another nut that would also work well? (He is only allergic to cashews & pistachios)
almond + walnut, or macadamia
A friend recommended this recipe and it did not disappoint! I cannot eat tomatoes, so I mixed in some tamarind concentrate with the water, and it was still delicious. I tossed in some chili flakes because I was out of cayenne. Delicious and satisfyingly spicy!
awesome!
If I don’t have the individual spices, can I sub in a certain amount of curry powder?
Yes. Garam masala would be a better option that curry powder but it will work. Depending on the brand, sometimes the curry powder blends have more of certain spices, start with 1 tsp and add more later when you taste
hey ! i was just wondering what kind of non dairy milk do you use or would work best
i usually use almond milk. Cashew milk or soy milk will also work.
This looks so good. Do you use soaked cashews or do they soften whilst cooking? I am not sure how good my blender would be at blending them!
The cashews soften during the 7 min cook time with the sauce ingredients so they blend really easily. If you are not sure, you can soak them for half na hour or so before using.
Hi could you emit the yeast from this recipe or sub it with something else?
yes just omit the nutritional yeast.
I made this for dinner tonight and loved it. My husband, who doesn’t care for creamy pasta sauces as a rule, predictably gave it a thumbs down. But… he just came to my room to tell me, “I changed my mind.” I think the spices won him over. Great recipe! Thank you!
🙂 awesome!