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Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese

Sweet potato mac and cheese is a delicious way to sneak in extra nutrients. It's flavourful, creamy, and perfectly decadent and velvety.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 398 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Main Course
Cuisine: American , Canadian

Ingredients

  • 2.5 cups sweet potatoes cut into half inch cubes (approx 2 small potatoes)
  • 1 yellow onion quartered
  • 2-3 cloves garlic unpeeled
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil omit for oil free, see notes**
  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme optional
  • 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk or milk of choice
  • 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 lb macaroni pasta or your choice, gluten free if needed

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F roast and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. Add the cubed sweet potato, quartered onion and garlic (with the peel) to your baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from the oven.
  3. Now peel the garlic, and place all the roasted veggies, along with the cashews, nutritional yeast, paprika, salt, thyme, milk, and veggie broth to your blende and process until smooth.
  4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook your pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta. Drain and return to pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix well.
  5. Optional: Set the oven to broil and transfer the pasta and sauce to an oven safe dish. Place on top rack for 2-3 minutes until the top is golden and crispy, or to desired 'doneness'. Check often so it doesn't burn.

Notes

  • The sauce will thicken as it cools so if preparing ahead, you will need to add more broth or milk when ready to serve.
  • If you do not have a high speed blender, soak your cashews in boiling hot water for about 30 minutes first to soften them. Then drain and use as directed.
  • For nut free: sub the raw cashews with sunflower seeds, and the cashew milk with soy, oat, or any milk you like. Sunflower seeds are a little less mild in flavour when compared to cashews, but definitely not overpowering. Especially when considering all the other flavours and seasoning in this dish. As an added bonus, sunflower seeds are budget friendly and lower in fat too!
  • **For oil free: omit the oil for roasting the veggies. Instead you can spray or drizzle the veggies in water or broth to keep them from burning. Watch them carefully.
  • For "nooch" free: if you don't have, can't find, or don't want to use nutritional yeast, you may sub for 1-2 tablespoons of miso paste or soy sauce, but omit the teaspoon of salt from the sauce. Keep in mind this substitution will give you a nice umami flavour, but not the cheesiness that nutritional yeast offers.
  • For more crunch: If you're optionally baking your mac and cheese, you may also add half a cup of panko breadcrumbs on top before broiling. This will add even more flavour and added crunch to the top layer.

Nutrition Information

Calories 398cal (20%) Carbohydrates 75g (25%) Protein 14g (28%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 491mg (20%) Potassium 520mg (15%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 8437IU (169%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 45mg (5%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 398

% Daily Value*

Calories 398cal 20%
Carbohydrates 75g 25%
Protein 14g 28%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 491mg 20%
Potassium 520mg 11%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 8437IU 169%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 45mg 5%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.