Vegan Tex Mex Mac
Creamy vegan Tex Mex mac with cashew cheese sauce, spicy tomatoes, and fresh cilantro. Ready in 35 minutes for a satisfying plant-based dinner.
Equipment
- large pot
- blender
- knife
- cutting board
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
Pasta and Sauce
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked soaked for 4 hours and drained
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons refined coconut oil
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Spices and Finishing
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies drained
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, then drain thoroughly and return to the pot.
- While the pasta cooks, combine the soaked cashews, water, nutritional yeast, flour, coconut oil, tomato paste, lemon juice, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper in a blender. Blend on high speed for 2 minutes until completely smooth and creamy.
- Pour the blended cheese sauce over the drained pasta in the pot. Add the drained diced tomatoes with green chilies. Stir constantly over low heat for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the noodles evenly.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro until evenly distributed throughout the mac and cheese.
- Let the mac and cheese rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to fully set and thicken slightly.
Notes
Add mozzarella or feta for a cheesy twist. Let dough rise in a warm oven (off) for faster proofing.