This recipe for “Anne’s Not-Your-Average Mac ‘n Cheese” was shared with us by Debra’s Natural Gourmet, a natural food store in West Concord. Debra’s son, Adam Stark, gave this vegan gluten-free mac ‘n cheese casserole his seal of approval.
It’s a creamy, dairy- and gluten-free mac’n’cheese worthy of the original. And the vegetables sneak in right under the radar. A culinary feat!
Special Diet Notes: Anne’s Vegan Gluten-Free Mac ‘n Cheese Casserole
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, optionally soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.
- 16 ounces gluten-free pasta
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 organic carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup organic broccoli florets
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1½ tablespoons dairy-free buttery spread (like Earth Balance)
- 1½ tablespoons sweet brown rice flour or sweet white rice flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage
- 1 (10-ounce) package vegan cheddar or white cheddar cheese alternative, shredded
- 3 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Black pepper, to taste
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the package directions.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots, broccoli, and onion, and saute until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables to a large bowl.
- Melt the buttery spread in a small saucepan. Whisk in the rice flour until it becomes a hot paste. Whisk in ½ cup milk beverage until smooth, and bring it to a simmer. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cheese alternative in a small bowl, and add the rest to the saucepan along with the 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast and salt. Stir until it melts, adding the remaining ¼ cup milk beverage as needed.
- Add the noodles to the bowl with the vegetables, and pour the cheese sauce over top. Taste and adjust add black pepper and salt, if needed.
- Transfer the vegetable macaroni and cheese to a casserole dish or oven-safe pan and even out. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon nutrition yeast and the reserved vegan cheese alternative.
- Bake the casserole for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese “melts.”