Name: Vegan Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup raw cashew pieces; 1 cup boiling water; 8 ounces Yukon gold potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and diced into 3/4-inch pieces; 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces (1/3 to 1/2 cup); 1 cup water; Salt, for the pasta water; 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes; 1 tablespoon miso; 1 tablespoon neutral oil or mild olive oil; 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 pound macaroni or your favorite pasta

1 Put the cashews in a small heatproof bowl and pour 1 cup of boiling water over them. Set aside.

2 Put the diced potato and carrot in a medium saucepan. Add 1 cup water, or enough to barely cover the vegetables. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a hearty simmer and cook, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

3 Pour the potatoes, carrots, and cooking liquid into the jar of a blender. Add the cashews and 1/4 cup of their soaking water, along with the nutritional yeast, miso, oil, vinegar, garlic powder, turmeric, and cayenne. Purée until creamy, about 1 minute. If the sauce seems too thick, add a little more of the cashew-soaking water.

4 Put a large pot of salted water on to boil over high heat. Add the macaroni to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente (tender but with just a bit of resistance when you bite in). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and return the pasta to the still-warm pot.

5 Pour the sauce into the pot with the macaroni and stir to combine. Add the reserved 1/2 cup pasta cooking water to the blender and run it for about 30 seconds to coax out any sauce still clinging to the sides, then pour into the sauce.

6 Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers, tightly covered, up to 4 days. Add a few tablespoons of water when reheating to help smooth out the sauce. Love the recipe? Leave us stars below!