Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Everyone has a favorite mac and cheese recipe. This one, which uses sweet, creamy butternut squash in the sauce, is mine. As the author of the cookbook Food52 Vegan, I love creating vegan alternatives to comfort dishes. To create an authentic cheese flavor, I use a combination of nutritional yeast, miso, smoked paprika, salt and lemon juice. (You can use any leftover sauce as a cheese dip.)

I highly recommend including the optional vegetables. In addition to providing some contrasting color and texture, they’ll round out the meal, so you won’t have to worry about making an extra side dish. Win, win!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds butternut squash (about 1 medium squash), peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Generous dash of each salt and pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened almond milk, homemade or store-bought
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons large-flake nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 1 pound elbow pasta
• 2 cups cooked vegetables, such as steamed chopped spinach, blanched peas or lightly steamed broccoli florets (optional)
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

Servings 6 people

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