Vegan Mac n Cheese

So I went to Yardhouse for a friends birthday lunch and the girl next to me ordered Mac n cheese. And I couldn’t help but think about eating Mac n cheese for the rest of lunch and then the rest of my drive home. It was ridiculous.

I knew I didn’t have any cheese at home. I stopped buying dairy for my home a long time ago (unless of course someone else bought it or I was making something specific.) I never just have it on-hand. I knew I had nutritional yeast at home so I decided to tackle it. Mac n cheese must be the bane of vegan existence because its one of those things that we strive to perfect and there’s just no real substitute.

I’m not gonna lie, this mac n cheese isn’t your traditional Kraft mac n cheese by any means. But it is creamy and it is cheesy and it is tasty. That’s what counts right?

Vegan Mac n Cheese
– 1.5 cups of cooked pasta (I used shells because that’s what I had)
– 1/4 cup earth balance spread
– 1/2 of a small onion, chopped finely
– 3 cloves of garlic, minced
– 1/4 cup all purpose flour
– 1 cup almond milk
– juice of half a lemon
– 1 tbsp sweet & hot mustard (or Dijon)
– 1 tbsp vegenaise
– cayenne & paprika to taste
– 4 tbsp water (adjust as needed)
– handful of fresh spinach
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

While the pasta is bowling, add the earth balance to a small pot until melted. Add onions and sauté for a couple minutes. Next add garlic and flour. Whisk in almond milk, nutritional yeast, lemon, mustard, vegenaise and spices. Keep over medium low heat. Sauce will thicken, add water as needed.

Toss cooked pasta with sauce and fresh spinach. Layer with bread crumbs. Drizzle with extra cayenne and paprika, if desired, and olive oil. Cook for 10 minutes or until bread crumbs are browned. I served mine with a little bit of sriracha buuuut I like everything spicy.