Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese

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This post is sponsored by Pacific Foods. We LOVE their plant-based beverages, especially their Cashew beverage!

Show me someone who doesn’t love Mac & Cheese and I will show you a liar. Kids, vegans, omnivores, picky eaters, everyone loves creamy pasta and cheese. Current company included. If I could eat any food, regardless of calories or fat, it would most definitely be mac & cheese (followed closely by pizza if anyone’s asking.) 

This similar love was evidenced to me a few months back at my friend’s rehearsal dinner where we were treated to a delicious buffet of gourmet food & fresh salads. After the first go around, I noticed that our entire table had gone back for a second plate of a single item: mac & cheese. That’s right friends, a table full of presumably adults rushing to get that second helping of cheesy macaroni. Sigh, it’s so, so good.

The beauty of this recipe is that is has half the fat of regular macaroni and cheese, yet tastes just as decedent and creamy. Pureed sweet potatoes and Pacific Foods cashew beverage create a silky, smooth sauce perfect for tossing with hot pasta.

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My family LOVES Pacific Foods cashew beverage; it’s so incredibly creamy and if you love the taste of cashew cream in your favorite dairy-free dishes, then you’ll want to try this beverage.

We’ve used it in countless recipes: tomato cashew pasta & cashew chai latte are two of my favorites so make sure to bookmark those after you grab a carton to make this pasta.

I say this so often, because it comes up over and over again in my conversations with other moms. Kids didn’t decide what foods we consider to be kid food- we did that. That also means that we get to rewrite the rules on what we consider to be kid-friendly. This mac and cheese is just that. It’s appealing to everyone, yet healthy enough to be a family-favorite.

This mac and cheese isn’t packed with a pound of cheese; though it’s just as decadent and creamy as any homestyle recipe. Vander thinks this mac and cheese is just about the most delicious thing he’s ever eaten; and I’m more than happy to keep making it for him. That just means BL and I get to enjoy it alongside him.

Dare I say that this mac and cheese is nutritious as well? Because we are using Pacific Foods cashew beverage and not cashews, we save quite a bit of calories and fat– without sacrificing flavor or texture. There’s just so much to love about this pasta.

Pacific Foods plant-based beverage is made with organic and Fair Trade Certified cashews! I love that Pacific Foods supports safe working conditions and sustainable growing practices in the farming communities.

You will need to pick up some nutritional yeast for this recipe, which is easily found at most grocery stores (check the baking aisle) or online. It’s what helps give the macaroni it’s distinctive cheesy flavor and color. You’ll use extras on popcorn, in this chili cheese sauce and hundreds of other vegan recipes.

This sauce comes together fairly quickly, if you make the sauce while you boil the water. Cook the garlic and aromatics together, then add the sweet potatoes. Add the milk and simmer until the sweet potato is softened.

Add everything to the blender, then puree until creamy! Toss with hot pasta and a little reserved pasta water and that’s it. The sauce will thicken a bit as it cools, so if you are serving this later then you’ll need to add a little more milk as you reheat it. YUM. Enjoy friends! xo

Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Alex Caspero MA, RD
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: entree, pasta, italian, dinner, lunch, main

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Description

Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese ! This creamy mac and cheese is so delicious and perfect for kids and adults! Plant-based, delicious and healthy!

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
• 2 cups Pacific Foods original cashew beverage
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 12 ounces elbow noodles

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Instructions

1. Heat the large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, the garlic and the thyme and quickly cook for 30-60 seconds until garlic is fragrant, taking care not to burn.
2. Add in the salt, turmeric, paprika, sweet potatoes and milk, then reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.
3. While the potatoes are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the noodles and cook until al dente according to the package.
4. Add the entire contents of the sweet potato pan to a blender along with the nutritional yeast, lemon juice and mustard. Blend until creamy and pureed.
5. Drain the elbow noodles, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water, and return back to the pot. Add the sweet potato sauce and toss to combine. The sauce will likely be thick, so add the pasta water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is achieved. Taste, adding more salt/pepper as needed.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6

Keywords: pasta, mac and cheese, macaroni, kid friendly, healthy, vegan

Thanks again to Pacific Foods for sponsoring this post!