Vegan Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

For 4 portions

• 🍝 350g macaroni (dry)
• 🎃 400g winter squash
• 🌰 100g cashews
• 🧄 2 cloves garlic
• 🥛 300ml soy drink
• 🍞 30g nutritional yeast
• 🥣 1 Tsp mustard
• 🍋 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 🫑 0.5 Tsp smoked paprika
• 🧂 1 Tsp salt
• 🌿 0.25 Tsp black pepper
• 🏺 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 🍞 30g dried breadcrumbs

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
2. Peel the butternut squash, cut it into 2 cm chunks and put it in a pan with the cashews and peeled garlic. Cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for 12–15 minutes until the squash is very soft.
3. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in plenty of salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the packet says. Drain.
4. Drain the squash, cashews and garlic and put them in a blender with the soy milk, nutritional yeast, mustard, lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Blend for 1–2 minutes until completely smooth and silky. Taste: it should be cheesy, savoury and well seasoned. Add a splash more milk if it's thicker than double cream.
5. Stir the sauce through the macaroni and tip it into a baking dish of about 20 × 30 cm.
6. Mix the breadcrumbs with the olive oil and scatter over the top.
7. Bake for 15–20 minutes until bubbling and the top is golden and crisp. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.