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Vegan Chipotle mac and cheese. Roasted Tomato Chipotle Mac and Cheese with Cauliflower sauce. Vegan Soyfree Recipe. Can be Gluten-free and Nut-free. Jump to Recipe
I was thinking of posting a bread today, then decided to make some cheesy pasta for lunch instead and hence the post. mmmm.. mmmmm.. Most days my confort food is things like Gobi Aloo or daal chawal(daal and rice) or rajma chawal( red kidney beans curry and rice).. but there are days when I or hubbs get a pasta craving.
I did not even like mac and cheese before, but the vegan mac and cheese from Bang Bang Cafe (which is 1 block from my house) is delicious and off I went to the kitchen to make me some.
Hubbs and me both were never too fond of cheese and most of our pasta preps usually are a way to eat more veggies. But now with no need for the real cheese, the fresh creamy sauces can be taken to a whole new level with a little twist here and there!
This cheesy sauce feels light on the tummy, has cauliflower cream, some caramelized cherry tomatoes and onions, smoky chipotle pepper flakes and nutritional yeast for the cheese flavor. The mild smoky chipotle peppers and the roasted tomatoes make this one delicious sauce. Adjust the peppers, nutritional yeast, salt to taste. Make more or less sauce per preference.
I am out of elbows, so this is a colorful shells mac and cheese. Use gf pasta for a gf version.
Cherry tomatoes caramelizing with red onions below. sizzle!
Chipotle pepper flakes, Cauliflower and water added to the tomatoes..
Vegan Chipotle Mac and Cheese. Roasted Tomato Chipotle Mac n Cheese with Cauliflower sauce.
Vegan Chipotle mac and cheese. Roasted Tomato Chipotle Mac and Cheese with Cauliflower sauce. Vegan Soyfree Recipe. Can be Gluten-free and Nut-free.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked Pasta, I used spinach and tomato shells
- 2 teaspoons organic canola oil
- 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, or regular chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion slices
- 1-2 teaspoons chipotle pepper flakes, to taste, add mroe later if needed
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder , or 2 cloves of garlic chopped
- 1/3 heaping cup grated Cauliflower
- 3/4 cup water, substitute half with non dairy milk for creamier sauce
- 1.5 Tablespoon ground raw cashew, or use other thickening options, a few Tablespoons cornstarch or flour for a nutfree sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, (less or more to taste)
- Topping: 1 Tablespoon coarsely ground raw cashew or bread crumbs mixed with nutritional yeast flakes to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to instruction.
- In a large pan, add 2 teaspoons oil and heat on medium high.
- Drop in halved cherry tomatoes, or cubed regular tomatoes and onion slices.
- Arrange them in one layer and cook for 8-10 minutes until caramelized to your preference. (You can also roast the tomatoes in the oven at 450 degrees f / 230ºc for 20+ minutes. * To make oil-free, dry roast the tomatoes and onions in the oven till slightly caramelized. Or you can cook them on medium heat in evoo for a non scorched taste. )
- Add chipotle pepper flakes, garlic powder and black pepper to the pan and mix for a few seconds.
- Add the grated cauliflower, salt and water and bring to a boil. (add more grated cauliflower for thicker sauce. You can also use small chopped cauliflower. Cover and cook till tender)
- Let the mixture cool a bit. (If using flour or starch, add to the boiling mixture and mix well).
- Blend this mixture with ground cashew and nutritional yeast, into a smooth paste and return to the pan.
- Add the pasta, toss, taste and adjust salt, spice, nutritional yeast, mix and bring to a boil on low-medium.(2 minutes)
- Remove from heat. Let it sit for a minute before serving.
- Top with coarsely ground cashew or bread crumbs mixed in with nutritional yeast for a cheesy sprinkle or any non dairy cheese before serving.
- You can also add roasted veggies, blanched broccoli or greens to make this a complete meal
Notes
Nutritional values based on one serving
Nutrition
Calories: 246kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 349mg, Potassium: 325mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 180IU, Vitamin C: 18.6mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 1.9mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!
Some Smiles for the rest of the week.
Chewie, Our adopted fluffster: Hey, I just met you..
Simo, our first foster .. I hope he is being loved and cuddled.. I cried for 3 days when he got adopted..
Tuggie: Our third foster (rescue from a puppy mill).. he pooped in my jacket pocket :). he found a great home with a shih tzu mix to help him learn hid doggy ways.
Chewie loves to get a chest rub!
4 out 5 of our foster dogs(2009-2010), were from Death row dogs in CA. They were picked on the day they were to be put to sleep and put on a plane to Seattle. Can you believe that!
These pretty faces, super adoptable breeds, even puppies, are euthanized in high kill CA shelters with kill rates as high as 60%. #AdoptDontShop
I made this over the weekend & it was seriously the best thing I’ve eaten in a long time!!!! Sooooo delicious!!! I will be making this often 🙂
any place to pin this?
There is a pint it button at the top of the post and P button at the bottom. both will open the pin it box
Hey Richa, I just realized I forgot to tell you I made your delicious sauce. Delicious! Thank you for sharing! This was my version: https://tastespace.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/red-lentil-fusilli-with-zippy-vegan-rose-sauce/
just made this! delicious. even licked my stirring spoon clean! yum.
Thanks for trying out and loving it Ange! xoxo
I followed a link here from vegansaurus and was surprised to find a shout-out to Bang Bang’s vegan mac! It’s definitely the best ever. I started going there right when they first opened and I wish I was still Seattle so I could eat some. 🙁
You can make this one! its quick and easy. i will try to replicate bang bang’s version soon too.
Richa you are such an amazing person – I don’t understand how they can put those adorable pups to sleep or the people that do not take active steps to prevent overbreeding – In NH we have one of the Highest placement rates/adoption rates for pups and they come from all over the US.
LOVE this take on Mac n’ cheese, my tummy is ah grumbling for some!
Thanks Heather. They definitely need better laws in states like CA with so much overbreeding.
This mac and cheese looks amazing! The chipotle flavoring sounds really interesting, I’m excited to try that out next time I cook dinner.
This Looks awesome! Can you use chia instead of cashews?
Can you eliminate the tomatoes and hot spices to make it “mild cheddar”?
Thanks!!! I wish I had cauliflower in the house to make this tonight 🙂
Sure you can. Increase the cauliflower for more sauce. The chia will help thicken it a bit too, but wont add much creamy bulk. You can use blanched cauli or grate and cook for a few minutes, puree with nutritional yeast and salt. bring to a boil with the pasta, top with daiya cheddar. Let me know how it turns out. Theres is a cashew cream base sauce on the blog too in case you are out of cauliflower. https://fettabbau-trim.today/2012/03/spinach-penne-with-red-bell-peppers.html%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Aw, your fosters are so cute. Thanks for the recipe, I’m saving it to Pinterest next. I can’t have cashew (darn, wish I could because so many recipes use a cashew cream) so I often substitute almond. But I like the idea of the cauliflower in the sauce and here I think I’ll stick with the cauliflower, roasted tomato, and chipotle, that should be plenty flavorful with or without the nuts.
Love the doggies and the ronis!!!