Vegan Mac and Cheese with Collard Greens (gluten-free)
Looking for a comforting weeknight dinner? This delicious Vegan Mac and Cheese is made with pantry ingredients but also sneaks two portions of veggies in!
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
Cheese Sauce
- 1 heaped cup butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1½cm cubes
- ½ cup cashews or sunflower seeds - see budget-friendly tip below (soak overnight if preferred - it helps the nuts/seeds to blend more easily if your blender isn't high-powered)
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ½ cup Manitoba Milling Company Unsweetened Milled Whole Seed Flax Beverage
- 2 tablespoon avocado/olive oil or vegan butter
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
To Serve
- 1 cup collard greens (or chard), shredded thinly
- 2 cups gluten-free macaroni, uncooked
- Red cabbage sauerkraut
Instructions
For the sauce
- Steam butternut squash for about 10 minutes or until tender and remove from the heat.
- Add this and all other cheese sauce ingredients to a high speed blender and blitz for about 1 minute, until the sauce is completely smooth. Set aside.
To assemble
- Steam the collard greens for about 30 seconds on the stovetop, until wilted. Set aside.
- Cook the macaroni as per package instructions. Drain and rinse (if required) and pour back into the saucepan.
- On a low heat, add the cheese sauce and stir to coat the macaroni.
- Stir the collard greens into the mixture and allow it to heat gently for a few minutes, stirring regularly.
- When the mac and cheese is warm enough to eat, serve in large bowls with a forkful of red cabbage sauerkraut on the side and enjoy immediately!
Notes
Budget-Friendly Tip:
Using sunflower seeds instead of cashews definitely makes this recipe cheaper, but do be aware that they will provide a slightly different taste. Cashews are a little creamier and are my top pick for the recipe, but sunflower seeds work really well if you want to make this more cost-effective.