Ingredients

brown rice pasta (or pasta of choice)

2 tbsp vegan butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups homemade cashew milk
1 tsp white miso paste
1/2 tsp salt
pinch (~1/8 tsp) black pepper, paprika, or cayenne pepper
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or fresh lemon juice)

1 large or 2 small pieces of multigrain bread, toasted
1 tsp seasoned salt
drizzle of olive oil

Method

1. In a medium sized pot, cook pasta according to package directions to just al dente. Leave pasta in strainer after draining (and rinsing if using brown rice pasta) so the pot is ready to use for making the sauce.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Over medium heat, add vegan butter to pot and allow to melt.
4. Add minced garlic and sauté until just golden brown in colour.
5. Add cashew milk, white miso paste, salt and pepper and whisk to combine miso fully with the milk.
6. Add nutritional yeast and apple cider vinegar, and whisk to combine. Allow to cook until thickened slightly into a cheese sauce. Remove from heat.
7. In a blender or food processor, pulse the toast and seasoned salt to create breadcrumbs.
8. To assemble, add cooked pasta to sauce in pot. Stir to coat the pasta entirely, then add the sauce and pasta to a 8 or 9 inch baking pan.
9. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the pasta and drizzle with olive oil so that the crumbs create a nice crust when cooked.
10. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, and allow to cool slightly before eating.

Notes:

1. You may use coconut oil instead of vegan butter in this recipe, however it does change the flavour of the dish as the coconut oil has quite an overpowering flavour.
2. Homemade cashew milk is preferred for this recipe as it is creamier than store-bought milks (without added ingredients) and doesn’t contribute any overpowering flavours.
3. I can get the majority of these ingredients from my local Bulk Barn (*not sponsored*), whose selection for healthy ingredients has improved exponentially! I recommend getting your bread from a local bakery to add the most flavour to your crispy topping and to decrease on plastic waste.
4. If you’re strapped for time, you can skip adding the breadcrumbs and baking the mac and cheese, and just coat the pasta in the sauce like you would with Kraft Dinner. The extra steps just take the mac and cheese to another level.
5. My favourite way to enjoy vegan mac (and many other staple recipes) is with a simple green salad. I’ll simply top mixed lettuces with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper, and it makes the perfect side dish.