If I have one single skill, it’s that I can make a damn good vegan mac’n'cheese. It’s why I have friends. They generally leave right after they eat. (Just kidding. Or am I?) Anyway, the other night, I made it with Daiya for the first time. I usually make it with VeganRella, but it seems like every other vegan cheese company is going to fail in the face of the all-mighty Daiya. And, hey, we might be okay with that – after all, Daiya is made right here in Vancouver.
Anyway, I wrote this down while I was making it, so it’s about as accurate as a recipe from me will ever be.
Click through for the recipe.
1 small onion, diced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, saute the diced onion in oil. While the onion is softening, prepare your spices in a small bowl:
2+ cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp rosemary leaves or 1/2 tsp rosemary powder
1 tbsp fenugreek (if you have it)
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 tbsp water
Crumble the bouillon cube and mix the spices together with the water, then, once the onions have softened, add to the saucepan. Stir and let the spices saute for a minute before adding:
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Stir in and let this saute for another minute before adding:
2 cups coconut milk -or- 1 cup coconut cream and 1 cup water
(Basically, you want about two cups thick liquid.)
1 tbsp mustard
Mix and turn the heat up. Bring it to a boil. In a small bowl, mix:
1 tbsp tapioca or corn starch and 1 tbsp water to make a paste.
Add to the saucepan, mix in, then turn the sauce down to simmer.
Prepare a pot of water to boil on the stove for your pasta. Preheat the oven to 350F.
Make 2 – 3 cups dry pasta. Prepare til al dente – about 2 minutes less than full cooking time. Directions should be on the pasta box or bag.
To put the casserole together you’ll need:
1/2 cup shredded Daiya
3 tbsp breadcrumbs or Panko
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Sprinkling of paprika
Drain the pasta and rinse with cool water. Dump it into a medium-sized casserole dish and add the sauce. Add half the Daiya and mix together. Add the rest of the Daiya on top, then the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, and paprika.
Bake for 20 minutes. If the top hasn’t browned/crusted, broil for 2 – 3 minutes. Keep an eye on it! Let cool only slightly and serve with a big spoon.
Atticus on November 22, 2010:
Oh my GOD.
I need this.
Hazel on January 3, 2011:
Of all the vegan recipe sites/blogs I’ve been on, you are the only person I’ve read that uses coconut milk for a white/cream sauce! Why is that? I took a chance one day with it while making an alfredo sauce and I’ve never looked back! Soy milk (even unsweetened) leaves a slight aftertaste that just gets on my nerves. But coconut milk mimics a cream sauce perfectly in my opinion and leaves no coconut aftertaste. Sorry to have just rambled on, but I got very excited when I realized someone else has figured that out!
malloreigh on January 4, 2011:
I’m not really sure why the rest of the world hasn’t caught up with us… but you’re right! The texture is really perfect. It does have a sweeter taste than soy or almond milk, for example, but milk and cream are quite sugary as well. I find coconut milk to be an irreplaceable replacer.
Glad we’re on the same wavelength!