Vegan Caramelized Onion Mac 'n' Cheese

Name: Vegan Caramelized Onion Mac 'n' Cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 serving
Ingredients: 1 small-medium eggplant; 1 Tbsp olive oil; 1 ½ medium yellow onions; 10 ounces macaroni noodles; 3-4 Tbsp nutritional yeast; 1 ¾ cups unsweetened plain almond milk; 1-2 tsp garlic powder; 1 Tbsp cornstarch; sea salt; 1/4 cup panko or regular bread crumbs; 1 Tbsp olive oil

User Reviews

4.6

186 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings
4
Calories
446 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Italian, Vegan

Vegan Caramelized Onion Mac 'n' Cheese

Valerie Marks

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10-ingredient creamy mac ‘n’ cheese made with a simple eggplant-based cheese sauce! Caramelized onions and toasted breadcrumbs send this dish over the top.

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Ingredients

Servings

FOR THE PASTA

1 small-medium eggplant (1 eggplant yields ~16 1/3-inch slices)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 ½ medium yellow onions (sliced in 1/4 inch rings or wedges // 1 ½ onions yield ~4 cups sliced)
10 ounces macaroni noodles (GF for gluten-free eaters)
3-4 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 ¾ cups unsweetened plain almond milk
1-2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp cornstarch
sea salt

FOR THE TOPPING

1/4 cup panko or regular bread crumbs (GF for gluten-free eaters make sure your brand is vegan)
1 Tbsp olive oil (or sub vegan butter)

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Instructions

Slice eggplant in slightly less than 1/2-inch rounds (but not quite 1/4 inch – ruler for reference) and sprinkle both sides with sea salt. Place in a colander in the sink for 20 minutes to drain moisture and draw out any bitter taste.
In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil and the onions. Cook 10-12 minutes – stirring every few minutes. Turn down the heat if browning too quickly. Once caramelized, place in a bowl for later.
Preheat oven to high broil and place an oven rack on the very top rack.
Start pasta water by bringing a large saucepan 3/4 full of water with 1 Tbsp salt to a boil.
Rinse eggplant and dry thoroughly. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer and drizzle both sides with olive oil. Broil on high for 3-4 minutes on EACH side until the eggplant is browned (be careful not to burn, just seriously roasted).
Remove eggplant from oven and wrap in foil to steam for 5 minutes. Then peel off skin and add to a blender with almond milk, nutritional yeast, cornstarch and garlic powder. Start with a pinch of salt and add more as you need (we added ~1/8-1/4 tsp).
Blend until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt, nutritional yeast or garlic powder if desired.
Once pasta water is boiling, add noodles. Cook according to package instructions, then drain and cover with a towel to keep warm.
Pour the eggplant sauce into the same saucepan you used to brown the onions and bring to medium heat. Cook to thicken for about 5 minutes. Once bubbling, lower heat to low/simmer and stir occasionally until noodles are ready.
If topping dish with breadcrumbs, heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add olive oil or vegan butter. Than add breadcrumbs and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes until light brown and toasted. Set aside.
Add drained noodles to the eggplant sauce in the large saucepan, along with half of the caramelized onions and stir to coat. NOTE: If your saucepan is NOT oven safe, transfer the mixture to an oven-safe dish at this time.) Smooth the top with your spatula or spoon and top with remaining caramelized onions and the toasted panko bread crumbs.
OPTIONAL: Preheat oven to high broil once more and move an oven rack to the 2nd level from the top. Once hot, place macaroni under the broiler to toast for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown on top. BE CAREFUL not to burn as it can go fast. Don’t walk away.
Remove from oven using an oven mitt and serve immediately. Leftovers don’t tend to reheat well with this dish as the noodles absorb the sauce. Best when fresh.

Notes

*Sauce adapted from my cashew-less vegan queso*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition Information

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Serving 1serving Calories 446 (22%) Carbohydrates 70g (23%) Protein 11.8g (24%) Fat 13g (20%) Saturated Fat 1.8g (9%) Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg (0%) Sodium 220mg (9%) Fiber 8g (32%) Sugar 6g (12%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 446 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving	1serving
Calories	446	22%
Carbohydrates	70g	23%
Protein	11.8g	24%
Fat	13g	20%
Saturated Fat	1.8g	9%
Trans Fat	0g	0%
Cholesterol	0mg	0%
Sodium	220mg	9%
Fiber	8g	32%
Sugar	6g	12%