Macaroni and Butternut Squash Cheese Sauce

Macaroni and Butternut Squash Cheez Sauce

Servings: 6

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 cups butternut squash cooked/steamed or roasted (roast at 375° for 30 minutes)

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup unsweetened plain non-dairy milk

1 Tablespoon vegan butter

3 Teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 Teaspoons onion powder

1 Teaspoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed

1 cup nutritional yeast

1 Teaspoon Sea salt (optional)

1 package elbow noodles

3 cups brussels sprouts thinly sliced

1 Tablespoon olive oil (optional)

1 Teaspoon red chili flakes

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the Butternut Squash

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

• Peel and cut the squash into 1-inch cubes

• Place the squash cubes on a sheet pan with a nonstick liner or parchment paper

• Sprinkle them with salt and pepper

• Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the squash is tender, turning once

• Note: to expedite preparation, you can use frozen butternut squash cubes. Simply prepare them by following package instructions.

Prepare Pasta

• Please follow the package instructions or use the high-level instructions below

• Add 6 cups of water to a medium sized pot

• Add 2 teaspoons broth base seasoning

• Bring water to a boil then add the pasta

• Stir to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.

• Cook for 4 – 6 minutes. You want to pasta to be al dente.

• Remove from the heat and strain off the water in a large strainer.

• Rinse under warm running water

• Transfer the pasta to an oven safe baking dish and set aside.

Prepare the Sauce

• Mix the cornstarch in a small bowl with 1/3 cup of milk. Whisk to remove the clumps and set aside.

• Melt the vegan butter in a saucepan over medium heat

• Add 2/3 cup milk to the saucepan and mix

• Add the mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice and nutritional yeast

• Whisk to combine

• Add to the saucepan the cornstarch-milk mixture.

• Continue to whisk over medium heat to combine the ingredients and thicken the sauce.

• Transfer the sauce to a blender, then add the butternut squash (note: if you don’t have a blender, you can also use an immersion hand blender)

• Blend until smooth, and season with more nutritional yeast and salt to taste (salt optional).

Prepare the Dish

• Ensure the oven is on and pre-heated to 425 degrees Fahrenheit

• Carefully add the cheese sauce to the pasta in the oven safe dish. Mix well.

• Coat the sliced brussels sprouts with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

• Spread evenly over the macaroni and cheese, then sprinkle red chili flakes on top (optional).

• Place the oven safe baking dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

• Carefully remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

Enjoy!!

Notes

• This recipe is adapted from SweetPotatoSoul.com: https://sweetpotatosoul.com/vegan-macaroni-and-cheese/

• If you are oil free you can omit the oil from this recipe that is used on the Brussel sprouts. There are recipes on the web that outline how to make an oil free roux, but I have never personally made one before.