I know it’s been a while since I posted anything on here, but I thought it might be nice to post a couple things as more people are cooking at home right now.

I have to be honest, since I stopped eating dairy, I have missed eating macaroni and cheese. I found a couple boxed vegan macs that I like okay but I really wanted to come up with my own recipe for something decadent.

Now admittedly this is not going to taste exactly like mac and cheese- vegan cheeze can be creamy but I haven’t tasted anything that actually tastes like cheese. However, this still definitely hits the spot when it comes to creamy, savory, fatty deliciousness! I hope you like it as much as I do!

This makes a batch big enough to serve 6 plus people. As such, if cooking for two, I would suggest making the full batch of sauce, splitting it 3 ways, and saving 2 of the containers for later to pour over fresh noodles, as it keeps well in the fridge up to a week.

I can’t tell you what to do for add-ins because I know everyone has their opinion on what does or does not belong. I can suggest roasted cherry tomatoes and Field Roast maple apple sausages as a great option. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2-3 cups sweet potato, peeled and in large cubes (1 to 1 1/2 inches)

1 cup cashews, salted

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons vegan butter (Earth Balance or similar)

1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon vegetable or no-chicken base

1 cup non-dairy milk

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika (more for topping)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Black pepper as desired (omit if you prefer)

5-6 cups pasta

Directions

Pour the cashews into the pot of the Instant Pot and add just enough cold water to cover the cashews. Put the sweet potatoes in a steam basket or on a wire rack and lower that into the pot above the cashews. Process on Manual High for 10 minutes and then wait 10 minutes to release (quick release). If you do not have an Instant Pot, you can soak the cashews overnight and steam the sweet potatoes on the stove or in the microwave.

While that is processing, start adding all of the other ingredients besides the pasta into a high speed blender. Cook the pasta in a large pot per package directions.

Once your cashews and sweet potatoes are done, drain and discard the water and then add them to the blender. Blend at a medium speed until everything is smooth, about 1 minute.

Once your pasta is cooked to desired tenderness, drain it and then add the sauce and the pasta back into the large pot. Throw in add-ins and heat on the stove if needed, stirring to combine. Serve topped with some extra smoked paprika.