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Close up shot of creamy Vegan Red Pepper Macaroni and Cheese
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4.72 from 14 votes

Vegan Mac and Cheese with Red Pepper

Vegans and non-vegans alike will love this vegan mac and cheese with red peppers! It’s a creamy, cheesy, and tangy dish you won’t want to miss!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: mains
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 5
Calories: 506kcal
Cost: £1.20

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, sliced into thin wedges (£0.09)
  • 1 red pepper, sliced into strips (£0.50)
  • 3 garlic cloves (£0.69/3)=(£0.23)
  • 100 g cashews (£1.70/2) =(£0.85)
  • 400 g macaroni (£0.54)
  • 400 ml unsweetened soy milk (£0.85)
  • 4 tbsp nutritional yeast (£3.00/3)=(£1.00)
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard (£0.37)
  • ½ lemon, juiced (£0.20)

Cupboard Essentials

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Pepper
  • Side: Serve with peas or broccoli

Instructions

Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F

  • Start by adding the sliced red pepper and onion to a foil lined baking tray. Add the garlic cloves into the tray without removing their skin, this will prevent the garlic from burning. Drizzle the olive oil over the veg and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and pop in the oven for 25 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, soak the cashews in room temp water.
  • After around 15 minutes, add the macaroni to salted boiling water, setting the timer to the packet time minus 2 minutes.
  • When the oven timer goes off, remove the tray from the oven. To a blender, add the contents of the tray (garlic skin now removed), soy milk, nutritional yeast, cashew nuts, lemon juice and dijon mustard. Blend for a couple of minutes until smooth and creamy. Just a warning- when cold it doesn’t taste like the final dish don’t worry!
  • Reserve a mug of pasta water before draining the pasta. Add the drained pasta and roasted pepper cheesey sauce into the pan and heat on low until the pasta is al dente and the sauce is nicely incorporated. Taste to check if any salt is needed and serve with lots of black pepper.

Notes

  • Soak cashews before using them to achieve a creamy sauce in vegan mac and cheese.
  • Utilise a high-powered blender for a smoother, chunk-free sauce.
  • Enhance the dish by topping it with plant-based proteins like vegan chicken nuggets or bacon bits.
  • Customise the flavour by adding spices such as garlic powder or onion powder to suit your preferences.

Nutrition

Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 15g