I’ve been on a continual quest since going completely plant-based to make a mac and cheese that I really loved. I think I just got one step closer this afternoon! Last week I shared a recipe for Tahini Alfredo, which has now been dubbed “thank you sweetie noodles” in my house, as that was what David told me when I handed him a bowl of it—how funny is he? I really loved the creaminess of that recipe, and I loved that it didn’t rely on any heavily processed ingredients for the sauce. I got to thinking about how to adjust it a little bit to give it a cheesy flavor, as well as that classic orange color. And since this is a kid friendly meal I thought it should also be a mom-friendly meal. This Mac and Cheese with Pumpkin comes together in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta!
I also amped up the nutritional value to this by using pureed pumpkin in the sauce (you could use any other pureed vegetable—even baby food—to sneak some veggies in. Cauliflower would make a great “white cheddar” sauce!). This dish is high in vitamins A, C, B6, iron, and fiber—and I could go on and on! Can boxed Mac and Cheese brag about that? And where does that orange color come from?
Hope you love this YELLOW, vitamin packed Mac and Cheese with Pumpkin! We’re enjoying ours tonight alongside of some Field Roast Frankfurters and Apple Hand Pies as part of our Election Night Party feast!
Yields 8
Creamy macaroni with a bright yellow cheesy sauce—your kids will never suspect they're getting a big serving of veggies!
15 minPrep Time
15 minCook Time
30 minTotal Time
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Ingredients
- 16 oz whole grain elbow pasta (one box)
- 2 c unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 2 T cornstarch
- 1/2 t garlic powder
- 1 t onion powder
- ¼ t turmeric
- 1 c pumpkin puree
- 2 T nutritional yeast
- 2 t salt
- 2 T olive oil
- toasted panko bread crumbs for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Add the milk, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, olive oil, turmeric, nutritional yeast, pumpkin and salt to your blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Add pasta to boiling water. Cook and then drain well.
- Add sauce to the pasta pan while the pasta drains. Warm it over medium heat and allow it to thicken slightly.
- Add pasta to sauce and stir well. Let cook about 5 more minutes over low heat to let the flavors soak in to the pasta.
- Serve with bread crumbs sprinkled on top. Enjoy!
[…] Mac and Cheese with Pumpkin […]