Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Recipe
Basic mac and cheese is never going to happen on my watch. Byeeee. Baked under crispy bacon, sage, and panko this pumpkin mac earns a real seat of honor at your holiday table. Cheesy, rich, and not even a little bit sweet or weird, so your skeptical uncle can stand down and grab seconds while he’s at it.
Servings: 12 Servings
Calories: 370kcal
Cost: $11
Equipment
- food processor (optional)
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cheese Sauce:
- 14 oz. Tofu medium firm, drained
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- ¼ cup onion minced
- 15 oz. pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup tapioca starch
- 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup white miso
For the Macaroni:
- 1 lb. Elbow macaroni small shells, or other pasta
- 12 cups of water
- 1 teaspoon salt
Mix Ins:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ cup vegan bacon chopped
- ¼ cup sage chopped
Optional Topping:
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup vegan bacon chopped, uncooked
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 20 leaves fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon chives thinly sliced
Instructions
- Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large pot. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until just al dente.
- Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold running water for about 2 minutes to stop the cooking.
- While the pasta cooks and drains, get the cheese sauce prepared. Crumble the drained tofu and add it to a blender pitcher or food processor along with the garlic, onion, pumpkin puree, tapioca starch, plant milk, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, and white miso. Blend for 90 seconds on high speed until completely smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides of the pitcher once or twice during the blending to make sure everything get’s mixed in.
- Transfer the cheese sauce to a large saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. After 4-6 minutes, the sauce will begin to thicken. Continue cooking for 2–3 minutes, stirring continuously, until smooth and bubbling.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped vegan bacon (seitan bacon is my personal top choice for this) and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned all over.
- Add the sage to the cooking seitan and sauté for 30-45 seconds just to wilt the leaves. Remove from the heat.
- Add the drained pasta and cooked vegan bacon mixture to the sauce and stir until evenly coated. If the sauce is too thick, add some additional unsweetened plat based milk a few tablespoons at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Transfer the macaroni and cheese to a baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the panko breadcrumbs and uncooked vegan bacon over the top. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 15–20 minutes, until the topping is crisp and the edges are bubbling.
- Garnish with the sage leaves and chives before serving.
Notes
🔥 Broil George
The bake timer going off doesn't mean you're done. Hit broil for 60 to 90 seconds and stay put in front of that oven window the whole time. That last blast is what turns pale panko into the deeply golden crunchy topping you long for.
🛡️ Foil Guy
A hot oven and ambitious panko can leave you with a scorched top and a cold center, which helps nobody. If that's happening, loosely tent foil over the dish for the last few minutes so the inside catches up while the top takes a breather.
Nutrition
Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 0.4mg | Sodium: 816mg | Potassium: 350mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5658IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 3mg